Read, Write, English!

Practice using the Past Perfect Continuous tense with these 50 mixed exercises. Fill in the blanks, choose the correct option, and correct the mistakes to master this essential grammar skill.

---

Fill in the Blanks (1-20)

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in the Past Perfect Continuous tense (had + been + verb-ing).

1. She __________ (read) for two hours before the lights went out.
2. They __________ (play) soccer for an hour before it started raining.
3. I __________ (not/study) long before I got tired.
4. We __________ (wait) for the bus for 30 minutes before it finally arrived.
5. The baby __________ (cry) for an hour before she fell asleep.
6. __________ you __________ (work) on the project all morning before the meeting?
7. He __________ (not/sleep) well before the alarm woke him up.
8. The birds __________ (sing) since dawn before the storm began.
9. __________ she __________ (cook) dinner for long before you got home?
10. It __________ (rain) all morning before the sun came out.
11. My parents __________ (travel) for weeks before they reached their destination.
12. __________ the dog __________ (bark) at strangers all day before the mailman came?
13. I __________ (not/feel) well for days before I went to the doctor.
14. The children __________ (draw) pictures for hours before the teacher arrived.
15. __________ they __________ (wait) for the train long before it arrived?
16. The teacher __________ (explain) the lesson for an hour before the bell rang.
17. We __________ (not/exercise) regularly before we joined the gym.
18. __________ he __________ (write) the report all evening before the deadline?
19. The flowers __________ (bloom) beautifully for weeks before the frost came.
20. I __________ (not/joke) about it for long before you brought it up.

---

Multiple-Choice Questions (21-35)

Choose the correct form of the verb in the Past Perfect Continuous tense.

21. She __________ a movie for two hours before the power went out.
    a) had watched
    b) had been watching
22. They __________ to the radio for hours before the news started.
    a) had listened
    b) had been listening
23. I __________ my homework all afternoon before the teacher collected it.
    a) had done
    b) had been doing
24. The cat __________ on the couch all day before the dog came in.
    a) had slept
    b) had been sleeping
25. __________ you __________ to the party all evening before it ended?
    a) Had / come
    b) Had / been coming
26. The students __________ in the library for hours before the fire alarm went off.
    a) had studied
    b) had been studying
27. He __________ his car for an hour before it started raining.
    a) had washed
    b) had been washing
28. __________ the baby __________ all night before the doctor arrived?
    a) Had / cried
    b) Had / been crying
29. We __________ for the train for 30 minutes before it was announced as delayed.
    a) had waited
    b) had been waiting
30. The sun __________ brightly all morning before the clouds covered it.
    a) had shined
    b) had been shining
31. __________ they __________ dinner for long before the guests arrived?
    a) Had / cooked
    b) Had / been cooking
32. I __________ to the music for hours before the party ended.
    a) had danced
    b) had been dancing
33. The birds __________ in the sky all morning before the storm began.
    a) had flown
    b) had been flying
34. __________ she __________ a letter all evening before the phone rang?
    a) Had / written
    b) Had / been writing
35. The kids __________ in the pool all afternoon before it started raining.
    a) had swum
    b) had been swimming

---

Sentence Correction (36-50)

Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

36. She had been read for two hours before the lights went out.
37. They had play soccer for an hour before it started raining.
38. I had not been study long before I got tired.
39. We had been wait for the bus for 30 minutes before it finally arrived.
40. The baby had been cry for an hour before she fell asleep.
41. Had you been work on the project all morning before the meeting?
42. He had not been sleep well before the alarm woke him up.
43. The birds had been sing since dawn before the storm began.
44. Had she been cook dinner for long before you got home?
45. It had been rain all morning before the sun came out.
46. My parents had been travel for weeks before they reached their destination.
47. Had the dog been bark at strangers all day before the mailman came?
48. I had not been feel well for days before I went to the doctor.
49. The children had been draw pictures for hours before the teacher arrived.
50. Had they been wait for the train long before it arrived?

---

Answer Key

Fill in the Blanks (1-20)

1. had been reading | 2. had been playing | 3. had not been studying | 4. had been waiting | 5. had been crying | 6. Had / been working | 7. had not been sleeping | 8. had been singing | 9. Had / been cooking | 10. had been raining | 11. had been traveling | 12. Had / been barking | 13. had not been feeling | 14. had been drawing | 15. Had / been waiting | 16. had been explaining | 17. had not been exercising | 18. Had / been writing | 19. had been blooming | 20. had not been joking

Multiple-Choice Questions (21-35)

21. b) had been watching | 22. b) had been listening | 23. b) had been doing | 24. b) had been sleeping | 25. b) Had / been coming | 26. b) had been studying | 27. b) had been washing | 28. b) Had / been crying | 29. b) had been waiting | 30. b) had been shining | 31. b) Had / been cooking | 32. b) had been dancing | 33. b) had been flying | 34. b) Had / been writing | 35. b) had been swimming

Sentence Correction (36-50)

36. She had been reading for two hours before the lights went out.
37. They had been playing soccer for an hour before it started raining.
38. I had not been studying long before I got tired.
39. We had been waiting for the bus for 30 minutes before it finally arrived.
40. The baby had been crying for an hour before she fell asleep.
41. Had you been working on the project all morning before the meeting?
42. He had not been sleeping well before the alarm woke him up.
43. The birds had been singing since dawn before the storm began.
44. Had she been cooking dinner for long before you got home?
45. It had been raining all morning before the sun came out.
46. My parents had been traveling for weeks before they reached their destination.
47. Had the dog been barking at strangers all day before the mailman came?
48. I had not been feeling well for days before I went to the doctor.
49. The children had been drawing pictures for hours before the teacher arrived.
50. Had they been waiting for the train long before it arrived?

Back