The Past Perfect Progressive

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Create the past perfect progressive with had + been + verb--ing

Examples: had been writing, had been waiting, had been playing, had been thinking

When to Use the Past Perfect Progressive

The past perfect emphasizes time, and the past perfect progressive emphasizes it more. When using the past perfect progressive, you will usually state a specific time period. This is the main difference.

Examples

I had been writing the novel for three years when I decided I didn't like it.

I had been giving public presentations for ten years at that company when I finally realized that I hated presentations. That was when I started looking for a new career.

He had been waiting to see a doctor for an hour. At last, he gave up and left the office.

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