Answers

Past Perfect Continuous

 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 had been performing on the O2 stage for 2hours, when she was joined by Kelly Rowland.

(to wait)

Katherine had been waiting for over an hour when her date texted her to cancel.

(to cry)

How long had Peter's daughter been crying alone in the dark before the social worker found her?

(to look)

He had not been looking for trouble, but it seems trouble had sought him out.

(to call)

How long had you been calling that number before they answered?

(to work)

How many years had you been working for those people when they laid you off?

(to date)

Rick and Kate had been dating for over five years before he got up the courage to propose to her.

(to stand)

By the time the bus arrived, I had been standing there for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We had no idea of the time, but we had been talking for hours before our friends returned.

(to study)

How long had you been studying 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 had been working out for hours.

(to sweat)

Sheila needed to take a shower because she had been sweating.

(to train)

Sheila was really out of shape because she had not been training regularly.

(to eat)

Sheila's blood-sugar level crashed because she hadn't been eating 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 was running too fast.

[Past Perfect Continuous] He fell down the stairs because he had been running too fast.

(to rise)

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

[Past Perfect Continuous] The house was flooded because the water had been rising so quickly.

Present Perfect Continuous

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 has been performing on the O2 stage for 2hours.

(to wait)

Katherine has been waiting for her date for over an hour.

(to cry)

How long has Peter's daughter been crying alone in the dark?

(to look)

He has not been looking for trouble.

(to call)

How long have you been calling that number?

(to work)

How many years have you been working for those people?

(to date)

Rick and Kate have been dating for over five years

(to stand)

I have been standing at the bus stop for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We had no idea of the time, but we have been talking for hours.

(to study)

How long have you been studying 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 has been working out for hours.

(to sweat)

Sheila needs to take a shower because she has been sweating.

(to train)

Sheila is really out of shape because she had not been training regularly.

(to eat)

Sheila's blood-sugar level has crashed because she hasn't been eating 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 have not been sleeping properly.

(to do)

What have you been doing lately?

(to feel)

Have you been feeling any better of late?

(to watch)

She has been watching too many soap operas recently.

Future Perfect Continuous

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 is going to have been performing on the O2 stage for two hours.

Beyonce will have been performing on the O2 stage for two hours.

(to wait)

Katherine is going to have been waiting for her date for over an hour.

Katherine will have been waiting for her date for over an hour.

(to cry)

How long is Peter's daughter going to have been crying alone in the dark?

How long will Peter's daughter have been crying alone in the dark?

(to look)

He is not going to have been looking for trouble.*

(*A clumsy construction)

He will not have been looking for trouble.

(to call)

How long are you going to have been calling that number? *

(*A clumsy construction)

How long will you have been calling that number?

(to work)

How many years are you going to have been working for those people?

How many years will you have been working for those people?

(to date)

Rick and Kate are going to have been dating for over five years.

Rick and Kate will have been dating for over five years.

(to stand)

I am going to have been standing at this bus stop for almost an hour.

I will have been standing at this bus stop for almost an hour.

(to talk)

We have no idea of the time, but we are going to have been talking for hours.

We have no idea of the time, but we will have been talking for hours.

(to study)

How long are you going to have been studying English verbs?

How long will you have been studying English verbs for?

Note that sometimes only one version is suitable.