The past perfect continuous tense

Subject + Had been + Present participle + Compliment

hula lrñka b`o, ;shkjd

· A continuous actin that was completed some time in the past falls under past perfect continuous tense. Such sentence are formed by using the modal,

“Had” + “Been” + The present participle of the verb “ing”

Meaning

I. Somebody had been doing something

hfula hï fohla lrñka b`o, ;shkjd

II. Something had been doing something

hula hula lrñka b`o, ;shkjd

III. Something had been happening

hula isÿfjñka mej; ;snqKd

Example

1. He had been keeping it as a secret since ten years

Tyq wjqreÿ oyhla ;siafia th ryila yeáhg ;shd.ksñka b`o, ;snqKd

2. The mother had been washing my school uniform

wïud uf.a mdi,a we`ÿu fydaoñka b`o, ;snqKd

3. she had been improving her English knowledge

weh wehf.a bx.S%is ±kqu j¾Okh lrñka b`o, ;snqKd

4. They had been fixing a date for this

Tjqka fï i`oyd Èkhla fhdoñka b`o, ;snqKd

5. Our father had been saving money for the my English course.

wfma ;d;a;d uf.a mdGud,dj i`oyd uqo,a b;=re lrñka b`o, ;snqkd

6. Anura had been cracking jocks with her

wkqr weh;a iu`. ùys¨ lrñka b`o, ;snKd

7. They had been bringing meal from at home that time

Tjqka ta fj,dfõ f.oßka lEu f.fkñka b`o, ;snqKd

8. The people had been flocking around Mr Mahinda rajapaksha

ñksiqka uyskao rdcmlaI uy;d jfÜg tl;=fjñka b`o, ;snqKd

9. The fishermen’s had been launching a walk-out

ëjrhka jevj¾ckhla mj;ajñka b`o,d ;snqKd

10. The farmers had been broadcasting their faddy fields

f.dhka Tjqkaf.a l=Uqre jmqrñka b`o, ;snqKd

11. Many people had been criticising the past ruling system

fndfyda ñkaiqka miq.sh md,k l%uh ùfõpkh lrñka b`o, ;snqKd

12. The past government had been taking steps to develop rural school

miq.sh rch .%dñh mdi,a ixj¾Okhg mshjr .ksñka b`o, ;snqKd

13. She had been making the preparation to interview

weh iïuqL mÍlaIKhg iQodkï fjñka b`o, ;snqKd

14. She had been instructing him

weh Tyqg wjjdo foñka b`o, ;snqkd

15. The doctor had been examining a patient

ffjoHjrhd frda.sfhla mÍlaId lrñka b`o, ;snqkd

Positive, Question, Negative and Negative question

P F : The teacher had been blaming to the students at that time

.=rejrhd ta fj,dfõ YsIHhkag nksñka b`o, ;snqKd

Q F : Had the teacher been blaming to the students at that time?

.=rejrhd ta fj,dfõ YsIHhkag nksñka b`o, ;snqKdo?

N F : The teacher had not been blaming to the students at that time

.=rejrhd ta fj,dfõ YsIHhkag nksñka b`o, ;snqfka kE

N Q F : Hadn’t the teacher been blaming to the students at that time?

.=rejrhd ta fj,dfõ YsIHhkag nksñka b`o, ;snqfka keoao?

Wide Study

The past perfect continuous tense