The Past Perfect Continuous is normally used with the Past Simple to talk about an activity that was in progress before another action or event happened.

 

In such statements the Past Simple describes a completed event in the past and the Past Perfect Continuous describes a repeated or continuing action that was taking place before that completed event.

 

He had been studying (Past Perfect Continuous) French for two years before he went (Past Simple) to Paris.

 

By the time Nick arrived (Past Simple) to the station, he had been walking for two hours.

 

To make the Past Perfect Continuous, use

 

had been + the “-ing” form of the verb

 

Singular	Plural
I had (’d) been fishing You’d been fishing He/she/it’d been fishing	We’d been fishing You’d been fishing They’d been fishing

 

 

Peter decided to buy a new car because his old one hadn’t been working for years.

 

I went to see the doctor after I‘d been feeling unwell for a few days.