Past perfect continuous

Le past perfect continuous décrit une action qui durait depuis un certain temps avant un moment du passé. Forme : had been + -ing (cela faisait… que, depuis + imparfait).

Quand l’employer

• Durée jusqu’à un moment passé, avec for / since / how long : We had been driving for six hours when the car broke down.
• Traces visibles d’une activité antérieure : His eyes were red. He had been crying.
• Comparaison : I had read the book (terminé) / I had been reading (activité, peut-être pas finie).

Exemples

• It had been raining, so the streets were wet.Il avait plu, donc les rues étaient mouillées.
• She had been working there for ten years before she left.Elle travaillait là-bas depuis dix ans quand elle est partie.
• I was tired because I had been studying all night.J’étais fatigué parce que j’avais révisé toute la nuit.
• How long had you been waiting when the bus came?Ça faisait combien de temps que tu attendais quand le bus est arrivé ?
• He was out of breath because he had been running.Il était essoufflé parce qu’il avait couru.

Erreurs courantes

• ✗ I waited for an hour when he came.✓ I had been waiting for an hour when he came.La durée antérieure à un moment passé demande le past perfect continuous.
• ✗ It was an hour that I was waiting when he came.✓ I had been waiting for an hour when he came.Le français cela faisait une heure que j’attendais se rend par had been waiting, non par it was an hour that.
• ✗ I had been waiting since two hours.✓ I had been waiting for two hours.Avec une durée on emploie for et non since, malgré le français depuis deux heures.
• ✗ How long you had been waiting?✓ How long had you been waiting?Dans une question l’auxiliaire had se place avant le sujet.
• ✗ I had been wait for an hour.✓ I had been waiting for an hour.Après had been le verbe prend la terminaison -ing.