Page 69 - English Grammar - 8

To make an interrogative sentence, we start the question with have/has before the subject
followed by been and the present participle (-ing) form of the main verb. For example:

Have you been watching the news lately?
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Practice Time 1

A. Rewrite the given sentences in the present perfect continuous tense.

1. I brush my teeth before going to bed. ______________________________________________
2. He does not drive at night. ________________________________________________

3. Julie wants some ice cream. ________________________________________________
4. Has she baked a cake for us? ________________________________________________

5. Was she feeling depressed? ________________________________________________

B. Fill in the blanks with the present perfect continuous form of the verbs given in brackets.

1. Anand is very tired because he _______________ (jog) for over an hour.
2. Tina and Shabnam will pass the test as they ______________ (attend) the classes regularly.

3. We cannot go swimming as it _______________ (rain) continuously.
4. Reena looks nice as she _______________ (go) to the gym regularly.

5. I _______________ (write) a biography on his life.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and
was still in progress when a second action began in the past. For example:

They had been talking for an hour when Tomy arrived.
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Formation of Sentences in Past Perfect Continuous Tense

To make a positive sentence, we add had been before the present participle form of the
main verb. For example: Perfect Continuous Tenses

They had been demanding an apology from the minister when the police arrested
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them.

To make a negative sentence, we add had not + been before the present participle form of
the main verb. For example:
Grandfather had not been having his regular medicines.
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To make an interrogative sentence, we add had before subject + been followed by the
present participle form of the main verb. For example:

Had you been paying attention to that problem?
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