Check the past perfect continuous for how long something had been happening before another past event.
Choose an answer for each question. You get the correct answer and a short reason straight away, then your total score at the end.
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1. Aarav was tired because he ____ cricket for three hours.
Had been playing is correct because the Past Perfect Continuous shows an action that continued for a period before another past moment. It uses had been plus the -ing form.
2. By noon, Priya ____ in the office since seven.
Had been working is correct because the work continued from seven up to noon, an earlier past point. Had been plus working shows the ongoing duration.
3. Choose the correct sentence.
They had been waiting is correct because the Past Perfect Continuous is had been plus the -ing form for all subjects. It stresses the length of the waiting.
4. Fill in the blank: The ground was wet because it ____ all night.
Had been raining is correct because the rain continued over a period before the ground was noticed to be wet. The Past Perfect Continuous highlights the duration that caused the result.
5. Identify the error: Rohan had been study for the exam since morning.
Had been study is the error because the form needs the -ing ending, giving had been studying. After had been the verb must end in -ing.
6. Fill in the blank: We ____ for you for twenty minutes when you finally called.
Had been looking is correct because the looking went on for twenty minutes up to the moment you called. The Past Perfect Continuous shows the duration before that past event.
7. Which sentence correctly shows a long action before a past point?
Diya had been learning English for a year before she moved is correct because had been plus learning shows a continuing action before a past moment. The phrase for a year marks the duration.
8. Fill in the blank: His eyes were red because he ____ at the screen for hours.
Had been staring is correct because the staring continued for hours and explains the red eyes. The Past Perfect Continuous connects the long earlier action to the later result.
9. Choose the correct question form.
How long had you been waiting is correct because the question inverts had and you and keeps been plus the -ing form. It asks about a duration up to a past moment.
10. Fill in the blank: The team ____ hard for weeks, so the win felt well earned.
Had been practising is correct because the practice continued over weeks before the win. The Past Perfect Continuous stresses the effort that led to the result.
11. Identify the error: She had been cook since afternoon when the guests arrived.
Had been cook is the error because the verb must be cooking. The Past Perfect Continuous always uses had been plus the -ing form.
12. Which sentence best shows duration before a past event?
He had been driving for six hours before he stopped for tea is correct because the Past Perfect Continuous stresses the continuous six hours before the stop. Had been plus driving shows the ongoing action leading to that past moment.
13. Fill in the blank: My hands were dirty because I ____ in the garden.
Had been working is correct because the earlier ongoing work explains the dirty hands. The Past Perfect Continuous links a past activity to its later visible result.
14. Choose the correct negative sentence.
They had not been sleeping well is correct because the negative places not after had, then keeps been plus the -ing form. This is the standard Past Perfect Continuous negative.
15. Transform: Aarav started coding at 9. At 1 he was still coding and then took a break. Which is correct?
Aarav had been coding for four hours when he took a break is correct because the coding continued across the four hours up to the break. The Past Perfect Continuous, had been plus coding, expresses that duration.
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