IELTS Mixed Tense Consistency Practice

Past Perfect Continuous

Rule Explanation

The Past Perfect Continuous (e.g., "had been eating") is used to describe an action that started in the past and continued up to another past moment. It emphasizes the duration or ongoing nature of a past activity, rather than focusing solely on its completion. This tense is formed by combining "had been" with the verb's present participle (verb+ing). It often appears with time markers such as "for", "since", "all morning", or "over the years".

Compared to the Past Perfect Simple (e.g., "had eaten"), which highlights that an action was completed before another past event, the Past Perfect Continuous underscores how long the action lasted. In IELTS writing and speaking, this can help you present clear, detailed narratives and improve coherence by signaling the continuous aspect of earlier events.

Usage Signals

Common signal words:

• for (duration): "had been waiting for two hours"
• since (starting point): "had been living there since 2010"
• all...: "had been working all night"

Employing the correct signal words will make your time relationships crystal clear, a skill valued by IELTS examiners when assessing coherence and cohesion.

When to Use in IELTS

In both writing and speaking tasks, the Past Perfect Continuous allows you to narrate events with clear time sequencing. For instance, in a speaking cue card about a memorable event, using this tense helps you explain how long something had been happening before another incident occurred. Similarly, in writing, it can add depth to your description of processes or events, demonstrating strong control of complex grammar.

Past Perfect Continuous vs Simple

Past Perfect Continuous: "By sunset, we had been painting the fence for hours."
Emphasis on continuous activity

Past Perfect Simple: "By sunset, we had painted the fence."
Emphasis on completed result

Use the continuous form to stress duration; use the simple form when focusing on completion.

Correct Usage Examples

• Correct: She had been studying for three hours before the power went out.
  Why? It shows that the studying was in progress continuously until the power failure.
• Correct: They had been waiting at the station when the train finally arrived.
  Why? It emphasizes the waiting duration before the train's arrival, not just the fact they waited.
• Correct: I had been working there for a decade before I decided to resign.
  Why? It highlights the ten-year period leading up to the decision, focusing on duration rather than mere completion.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrong perfect form: “I had worked there for a decade” (Past Perfect Simple) when you want to focus on duration.
• Omitting "been": “They had waiting” instead of “They had been waiting.”
• Neglecting duration markers: Forgetting “for” or “since” weakens the time relationship.
• Mixing time frames: “Had been doing that yesterday” — “yesterday” suggests simple past, not perfect continuous.

Using the Past Perfect Continuous in writing or speaking section could help you get a better band score by clearly indicating ongoing past actions.

Practice Question

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

By the time the guests arrived, we ____________ (decorate) the hall for over two hours.

A) decorated
B) had decorated
C) had been decorating
D) were decorating

Show Answer

Answer: C) had been decorating
Explanation: The Past Perfect Continuous had been decorating highlights the action’s duration of over two hours before the guests arrived. It emphasizes that the decorating was ongoing right up to that moment.

Key Takeaways

• Emphasize duration with had been + -ing to show how long an action continued before another past event.
• Use signal words like “for”, “since”, and “all…”.
• Avoid mistakes such as omitting “been” or choosing the wrong perfect form.
• Practice grammar correction with Lingo Copilot