Definition: it describes an ongoing/continuing action before another action occurred in the past.
Example: She had been taking a cup of tea before I ordered for her.
Helping Verbs: Had been
Sentence structure
- Positive = Subject + Had Been+ Verb 1st form +ing + Object
- Negative = Subject + Hadn’t Been+ Verb 1st form +ing + Object
- Interrogative = Had + Subject + Been +Verb 1st form +ing + Object?
- Negative Interrogative = Hadn’t + Subject + Been + Verb 1st form +ing + Object?
Positive Sentences
- She had been fixing her house’s electronic issues before I called the electrician.
- He had been doing his English homework before the teacher arrived.
Negative Sentences
- The Mechanic hadn’t been fixing his car’s issues.
- I hadn’t been traveling a lot since I was 6 years old.
Interrogative Sentences
- Had workmen been working all night last night?
Interrogative Sentences with (questions word)
- Why had the Plumber been fixing her kitchen sink before my orders?
Negative Interrogative Sentences
- Hadn’t they been dancing at the party last night?
