Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous
This page introduces the Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous tenses, providing a detailed explanation of their formation and usage.
The Past Perfect tense is formed using "had + past participle". It is used to describe actions that were completed before another past action or a specific time in the past.
Example: The storm had passed by the time we woke up.
The Past Perfect Continuous tense is formed using "had been + verb-ing". It is used to emphasize the duration of an action that started and ended in the past before another past action.
Example: The rescuers had been searching for three hours before they found the missing climbers.
Highlight: Both tenses can be used to describe actions whose effects were visible in the past.
Time expressions commonly used with these tenses include before, after, already, just, for, since, till/until, and by.
Vocabulary:
- Past participle: The form of a verb used in perfect tenses and passive voice
- Duration: The length of time something continues