The Past Perfect Continuous

 

Photo credit: Freepik 

Some ESL students struggle with Past Perfect Continuous sentences. In this blog post, let's talk about this sentence tense in the simplest way. 

Again, this is a bit complicated, but let me explain it in the simplest way.

Let’s imagine that you are talking to your friend NOW.

You: Hello Jack, why are you panting? Why are you sweating a lot?

Jack: Oh, I have been jogging.

 

The following day, you talk to your neighbour/friend (or anybody) about Jack.

You: Yesterday, I met Jack near the park. He was panting. He was sweating a lot. He had been jogging.

Friend: Jack really loves jogging.

This is the Past Perfect Continuous. We use this sentence when we talk about a situation that had just happened.

 Another example:

Let’s imagine that you are with your friend Amy NOW.

 You: Why are your eyes swollen and red?

Amy:  I have been crying.

 The following day, you talk to your sister about your friend.

 You: Yesterday, I went to Amy’s house. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had been crying.

Sister:  Why? What was wrong?

 

And…here is another example.

 Let’s imagine that you have an appointment with your friend Sally. You are waiting for her. She is late.  After 10 minutes, Sally arrives.

 You: You’re late! I’ve been waiting for you for ten minutes!

Sally: I’m sorry for being late. My car broke down in the middle of the road.

 

The next day, you tell Jack about Sally.

 You: Sally was late for our appointment yesterday. I had been waiting for 10 minutes when she arrived.

 Jack: I’m not surprised. Sally is always late for appointments.

 

Japanese Translation by Google Translate

繰り返しますが、これは少し複雑ですが、最も簡単な方法で説明しましょう。

あなたが今あなたの友人と話していると想像してみましょう。

You: Hello Jack, why are you panting? Why are you sweating a lot?

Jack: Oh, I have been jogging.

 翌日、あなたはジャックについて隣人（または誰か）と話します。

 You: Yesterday, I met Jack near the park. He was panting. He was sweating a lot. He had been jogging.

Friend: Jack really loves jogging.

 

これは過去完了形です。この文は、起こったばかりの状況について話すときに使用します。

 

もう一つの例：

あなたが今友達のエイミーと一緒にいると想像してみましょう。

You: Why are your eyes swollen and red?

Amy:  I have been crying.

 

翌日、あなたはあなたの妹にあなたの友人について話します。

 

You: Yesterday, I went to Amy’s house. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had been crying.

Sister:  Why? What was wrong?

 

そして…ここに別の例があります。

 

友達のサリーとの約束があると想像してみましょう。あなたは彼女を待っています。彼女は遅刻だ。 10分後、サリーが到着します。

 

You: You’re late! I’ve been waiting for you for ten minutes!

Sally: I’m sorry for being late. My car broke down in the middle of the road.

 

翌日、あなたはジャックにサリーについて話します。

 

You: Sally was late for our appointment yesterday. I had been waiting for 10 minutes when she arrived.

Jack: I’m not surprised. Sally is always late for appointments.