主語+had+been（助動詞）+謂語動詞-ing
過去完成進行時與過去完成時的用法很相近，它通常表示某個過去正在進行的動作或狀態，持續到過去某個時刻，還未完成，一直持續到之後才結束，例如：
He had been waiting for two weeks．He was still waiting．（有一個表示一段時間的狀語）
他已經等了兩個星期。他還在等。
Up to that time he had been translating those books．
直到那時他一直在翻譯這些書。
He had been writing the letter till two o'clock．
他一直在寫那封信到兩點鐘。
He was thirty years old．He had been gambling since he was ten．（He was still gambling at thirty．）
他三十歲。他從十歲開始就一直在賭博。（三十歲的他仍然賭博。）
He had been standing there in the sun．（沒有時間狀語）
他一直站在太陽底下。
He had been thinking about his marriage．（沒有時間狀語）
他一直在對他的婚姻思考。
不過這種時態並不一定表示這個過去動作將持續下去，例如：
He came back at seven．He had been waiting for her two hours．（At seven he did not wait any more．）
他在七點回來了。他等了她兩個小時。（七歲的他不想再等了。）
He stopped swimming．He had been swimming for the last three hours．
他停止了遊泳。他已經在過去的三小時內遊泳。
1）尚未完成：
He had been writing the novel．（He had not finished it yet．）他一直在寫小說。
2）企圖：
He had been studying the meaning of this proverb．（He was trying to study it．）他一直在研究這個諺語的意思。
3）未得結果：
We had been studying what our enemy had said．（But we were not able to understand it．）我們一直在研究敵人所說的話。
4）最近情況：
He had been quarrelling with his wife．（lately）他一直在和妻子吵架。
5）反覆動作：
He had been asking me the same question．（Many times）他問過我同樣的問題。
6）情緒：
What had he been doing？（不耐煩）他在幹什麼？
這種時態很少用在否定句中，而多以過去完成時代替：
He had not practised English for many years．（普通說法）
He had not been practising English for many years．（少見）
這種時態還可用在said，supposed等引起的間接引語中，代替現在完成進行時：
He said，「I have been speaking to John．」= He said that he had been speaking to John．
He thought，「She was watching me when I passed．」= He thought that she had been watching him when he had passed．
過去完成進行時經常與現在完成進行時混淆。
現在完成進行時(The present perfect progressive) 由have/has been +-ing 分詞構成；
過去完成進行時（The past perfect progressive tenses ）由had been +-ing 分詞構成。
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