Past Perfect Continuous - Exercise

 The Past Perfect Continuous is used to show something that started in the past and continued up until another time in the past.

Fill in the blank spaces below

["had been" + present participle]

                                                  (to perform)

Beyonce ___ ____ __________ on the O2 stage for 2hours, when she was joined by Kelly Rowland.

(to wait)

Katherine ___ ____ _______ for over an hour when her date texted her to cancel.

(to cry)

How long ___ Peter's daughter ____ _______ alone in the dark before the social worker found her?

(to look)

He ___ not ____ ______ for trouble, but it seems trouble had sought him out.

(to call)

How long ___ you ___ _______ that number before they answered?

(to work)

How many years ___ you ___ _______ for those people when they laid you off?

(to date)

Rick and Kate ___ ____ ______ for over five years before he got up the courage to propose to her.

(to stand)

By the time the bus arrived, I ___ ____ ________ there for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We had no idea of the time, but we ___ ____ _______ for hours before our friends returned.

(to study)

How long ___ you ___ ________ English before you came to London?

Complete these sentences to demonstrate how the Past Perfect Continuous can be used to show cause and effect.

(to work out)

Sheila was exhausted because she ___ ____ _______ ___ for hours.

(to sweat)

Sheila needed to take a shower because she ___ ____ ________.

(to train)

Sheila was really out of shape because she ___ not ____ _______ regularly.

(to eat)

Sheila's blood-sugar level crashed because she ___n't ____ ______ properly.

Past Continuous OR Past Perfect Continuous?

If you want to emphasise a consequence of an action happening at that exact moment, use the Past Continuous.

If you want to emphasise that the consequence is because of an action which had been occurring over a period of time, use the Past Perfect Continuous.

(to run)

[Past Continuous] He fell down the stairs because he ____ ____ too fast.

[Past Perfect Continuous] He fell down the stairs because he ____ ____ ____ too fast.

(to rise)

[Past Continuous] The house was flooded because the water ____ ____ so quickly.

[Past Perfect Continuous] The house was flooded because the water ____ ____ ____ so quickly.

Present Perfect Continuous - Exercise

The Present Perfect Continuous shows something that started in the past and has continued up until now.

Fill in the blank spaces below

["has/have" + "been" + present participle ("-ing")]

                                                (to perform)

Beyonce __ ____ __________ on the O2 stage for 2hours.

(to wait)

Katherine __ ____ _______ for her date for over an hour.

(to cry)

How long __ Peter's daughter ____ _______ alone in the dark?

(to look)

He __ not ____ ______ for trouble.

(to call)

How long ___ you ___ _______ that number?

(to work)

How many years ___ you ___ _______ for those people?

(to date)

Rick and Kate ___ ____ ______ for over five years

(to stand)

I __ ____ ________ at the bus stop for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We had no idea of the time, but we __ ____ _______ for hours.

(to study)

How long ___ you ___ ________ English?

Complete these sentences to demonstrate how the Present Perfect Continuous can be used to show cause and effect.

(to work out)

Sheila is exhausted because she ___ ____ _______ ___ for hours.

(to sweat)

Sheila needs to take a shower because she ___ ____ ________.

(to train)

Sheila is really out of shape because she ___ not ____ _______ regularly.

(to eat)

Sheila's blood-sugar level has crashed because she ___n't ____ ______ properly.

Notice that you can use the Present Perfect Continuous without specifying a duration. You can also add the words "lately", "of late" or "recently" as a less precise description of the passage of time.

(to sleep)

Recently, I ____ not ____ ________ properly.

(to do)

What ____ you ___ _____ lately?

(to feel)

____ you ___ _______ any better of late?

(to watch)

She ___ ____ ________ too many soap operas recently.

Future Perfect Continuous - Exercise

Future Perfect Continuous refers to an event that will continue up until a particular event or time in the future by which time it will have stopped.

Future Perfect Continuous has two different, often interchangeable forms: "be going to have been doing" and "will have been doing".

Fill in the blank spaces below

 ["am/is/are" + "going to have been" + present participle]

or

["will have been" + present participle]

(to perform)

Beyonce __ _____ __ ____ ____ __________ on the O2 stage for two hours.

Beyonce ___ ____ __________ on the O2 stage for two hours.

(to wait)

Katherine __ _____ __  ____ ____ _______ for her date for over an hour.

Katherine ___ ___ ___ _______ for her date for over an hour.

(to cry)

How long _ Peter's daughter ____ __ ____ ____ _______ alone in the dark?

How long ___ Peter's daughter ___ ___ ______ alone in the dark?

(to look)

He _ not ____ __ ____ ______ for trouble.*

(*A clumsy construction)

He ___ not ___ ___ _______ for trouble.

(to call)

How long __ you _____ __ ___ _______ that number? *

(*A clumsy construction)

How long ___ you ___ ___ _______ that number?

(to work)

How many years __ you_____ __ ___ _______ for those people?

How many years ____ you ____ ____ _______ for those people?

(to date)

Rick and Kate __ _____ __ ____ ______ for over five years.

Rick and Kate ___ ____ ____ ______ for over five years.

(to stand)

I __ _____ __ ____ ________ at this bus stop for almost an hour.

I ____ ____ ____ _______ at this bus stop for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We have no idea of the time, but we ___ ____ __ ____ ____ _______ for hours.

We have no idea of the time, but we ____ ____ ____ _______ for hours.

(to study)

How long ___ you _____ __ ____ ____ ________ English verbs?

How long ____ you ____ ____ _______ English verbs for?

Note that sometimes only one version is suitable.

The answers will be found on the following pages.