Published at February 17, 2025

Course on the Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous - TOEIC® Preparation

TOP-Students™

The past perfect simple and the past perfect continuous are two verb tenses that express past actions with distinct nuances. The past perfect simple describes an action completed before another past event, while the past perfect continuous emphasizes the duration or continuity of the action.

Past perfect simple: indicates that an action was already completed before a specific moment in the past.
- I had locked the door before I went to bed.
Past perfect continuous: emphasizes the duration or repetition of an action preceding another event.
- He had been working for hours when his friends finally arrived.

Choosing based on time markers

To choose between past perfect simple and past perfect continuous, you need to identify the key time words and expressions. These markers help determine the precise chronology and duration of the action.

A. For and Since: emphasis on duration

For indicates the duration during which an action extends.
- Past perfect continuous: often used when you want to emphasize the action that lasted before a past point.
  - He had been reading for two hours when the power went out.
- Past perfect simple: possible, but rarer, especially if the focus is on the completed action.
  - He had lived there for two years before he decided to move.
Since indicates a specific starting point (a date or moment).
- Past perfect continuous: again, favored to emphasize the continuity of the action until a past event.
  - She had been working in that company since 2010 when she was promoted.
- Past perfect simple: suitable if the focus is on the result achieved before a past point.
  - He had worked there since 2010 before quitting.

In summary, with "for" or "since", use the past perfect continuous to express that an action had been ongoing for some time. Conversely, prefer the past perfect simple to indicate that an action had started and was completed before another event.

B. Before / By the time / When: chronological order

Before / By the time / When: these expressions show that an action was completed (or was ongoing) before another moment in the past.
- Past perfect simple: emphasizes an action already accomplished.
  - I had finished my homework before my friend called.
- Past perfect continuous: emphasizes the duration of the action before the moment indicated by "before / by the time / when".
  - They had been planning the trip for months when they finally booked the tickets.

Choose the past perfect simple when you want to emphasize what was already done at the time of the other action. Opt for the past perfect continuous to highlight how long the action had been ongoing.

C. Already / Just: the notion of completion

Already and Just indicate that an action was completed or had just finished before another past event.
- Past perfect simple: these markers are commonly used to indicate that an action is completely finished.
  - I had already seen that movie before I read the reviews.
  - She had just left when you arrived.
- Past perfect continuous: rarely used with "already / just" since the focus is on completion rather than duration.
  - They had just been talking when the alarm went off.
    (possible, but less common)

In general, "already" and "just" are associated with the past perfect simple to express that an action is "completed" at the moment another begins.

Choosing based on the type of verb

In addition to time markers, it is important to consider the type of verb. Some verbs, called stative verbs, describe a state, possession, emotion, or mental process. They are generally not used in the continuous form.

A. Stative verbs

The following verbs (non-exhaustive list) are often considered stative:

State or possession verbs: to be, to have, to own, to belong…
Involuntary perception verbs: to see, to hear, to smell…
Feeling or desire verbs: to love, to like, to hate, to want…
Thought or knowledge verbs: to know, to believe, to understand…

The list of stative verbs is available here:

🔗 List of stative verbs for the TOEIC®

Past perfect (correct):
- I had known him for years before we finally worked together.
Past perfect continuous (generally incorrect):
- I had been knowing him for years…

With these stative verbs, prefer the past perfect simple to indicate that they "were true" until a moment in the past.

B. Dynamic verbs

Verbs that describe an action or a dynamic process can, on the contrary, be used in the past perfect continuous if you want to emphasize the duration or continuity of the action.

Activity verbs: to work, to run, to read, to cook, to play, to travel…
Process verbs: to grow, to change, to develop…

The list of dynamic verbs is available here:

🔗 List of dynamic verbs for the TOEIC®

Past perfect:
- She had worked on her project before the deadline. Here, the focus is on the fact that the work was completed before the deadline.
Past perfect continuous:
- She had been working on her project for several weeks before the deadline.
  Here, the emphasis is on the duration and continuity of her work before the deadline.

C. When can a stative verb become a dynamic verb?

There are verbs that can be stative or dynamic depending on their meaning. For example, "to have" can mean to possess (stative) or to take (a meal, a bath, etc. – action sense).

Stative (possession):
- Past perfect:
  - He had had that car for years before selling it.
- Past perfect continuous:
  - He had been having that car…
    To avoid, as this is not an action, but a static possession.
Dynamic (action: taking, organizing, etc.):
- Past perfect continuous:
  - He had been having breakfast when the phone rang.
    Here "having breakfast" is an ongoing action, not a state of possession.

For these verbs with variable meaning, ask yourself if the verb describes a state (no continuous form) or an action (continuous form possible).

Conclusion

The past perfect simple highlights that an action was already completed before another past event, while the past perfect continuous emphasizes the duration or continuity of that action before the same reference point. Remember that:

Past perfect simple = action completed before another past action.
Past perfect continuous = action ongoing or extended before another past point.

With these two tenses, you can recount past events more precisely and nuancedly, highlighting either the result or the duration of actions.

We have written other courses on the perfect, you can find them here: