Episode 6: I Had Been Waiting for Years

Past Perfect Continuous — Howard Carter, 1922 (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Past Perfect Continuous shows an action was in progress before another past moment, emphasizing the duration and ongoing nature of that earlier action.

Form: had been + verb-ing

Example 1: “When I finally got promoted, I had been working there for five years.” (working continued up to promotion)

Example 2: “She was exhausted because she had been studying all night.” (studying explains exhaustion)

Common mistake: Wrong: “I had been knowing him before we worked together.” Better: “I had known him before we worked together.” (stative verbs don’t use continuous)

The Challenge

Luna closed her laptop after finally finishing a difficult project that had taken months. “I waited for this moment forever,” she sighed with relief. Professor Wisdom appeared, studying her tired face. “Did you simply wait, or had you been actively working toward this moment for all those months before it arrived?” Luna recognized the distinction immediately. The watch glowed with an amber light, and they found themselves in the scorching Egyptian desert where persistence was about to make history.

The Journey

Howard Carter stood at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings in November 1922, his weathered face showing every one of his years in Egypt. For nearly six years, he had been excavating this desolate valley, digging methodically through sand and rock while his wealthy patron, Lord Carnarvon, had been growing increasingly doubtful about continuing to fund the search. The brutal desert sun had aged Carter beyond his years, and countless disappointments had tested his resolve.

Before this morning, Carter had been supervising his workers as they cleared the last possible area near Rameses VI’s tomb. He had been searching for the lost tomb of the boy king Tutankhamun since 1917, following a conviction that other archaeologists mocked. Most experts believed the valley had been completely explored, that nothing significant remained to be found. Carter had been proving them wrong, one shovelful at a time.

The tension in camp had been building for months. Carnarvon had been threatening to withdraw funding, and Carter had been working with the desperate energy of a man who knew this was his final chance. His team had been excavating the same area for weeks, finding nothing but ancient workers’ huts. The repetitive work under the burning sun, the sand that got into everything, the nightly doubt that perhaps the skeptics were right—all of it had been wearing Carter down.

Then, on the morning of November 4th, a water boy had accidentally discovered a stone step beneath the sand. Within hours, Carter’s workers had been carefully clearing away debris to reveal more steps leading downward. By the time Carter stood at the entrance that evening, his hands trembling slightly, they had been uncovering sixteen steps that led to a sealed doorway bearing the royal seal of Tutankhamun.

Carter examined the seals with tears in his eyes, understanding that his years of persistent work had led to this extraordinary moment. He had been right all along, but only because he had been searching when everyone else had given up.

The Deep Dive

Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration and ongoing nature of an action that was in progress before another past moment, often explaining or providing context for that later moment. “I was tired because I had been running” shows that the running (earlier continuous action) explains the tiredness (later past state). This tense combines the “before” aspect of Past Perfect with the “duration/ongoing” aspect of continuous forms.

Use this tense when you need to show that an activity was in progress over a period of time before a specific past moment, especially when that earlier activity explains or affects the later situation. The continuous form emphasizes the temporary, ongoing nature: “He had been living in Paris for two years before he moved to London” suggests his Paris residence was temporary and leads to the move.

Avoid this tense with stative verbs (“had been knowing”) or when the simple Past Perfect works better. Don’t overuse it when Past Perfect Simple is clearer: “I had studied for weeks” often works better than “I had been studying for weeks” unless you want to emphasize the continuous, exhausting nature of the studying. The continuous form suggests the action was ongoing and perhaps incomplete or interrupted.

More Examples

History: “Before Edison invented the light bulb, he had been experimenting with thousands of materials for years.” (duration of experiments before success)

Science: “When Darwin published his theory, he had been researching evolution for over twenty years.” (long research before publication)

Everyday: “My hands were dirty because I had been gardening all morning.” (gardening explains dirty hands)

Formal: “The company failed because management had been ignoring warning signs for months.” (ongoing neglect before failure)

Informal: “No wonder you’re hungry—you’d been working without a break since breakfast!” (explains hunger)

Contrast: “I had worked there” (simple fact) vs “I had been working there when the accident happened” (ongoing work, provides context)

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: When Carter found the tomb, he __ (search) for it for six years.

2. Correct the mistake: “She was angry because she had been having a bad day.”

3. Choose and explain: Which shows duration before a past moment?
   a) “I had lived there.”
   b) “I had been living there when the war started.”

4. Rewrite: Add context with Past Perfect Continuous: “I was exhausted. I studied all night.”

5. Compare: Explain: “I had read the book” vs “I had been reading the book when he called.”

6. Your reflection: Think of a time when long preparation led to a result. Write about it using Past Perfect Continuous.

Answer Key:
1. had been searching (shows ongoing search over six years before discovery)
2. She was angry because she had had a bad day (stative “have,” use Past Perfect Simple)
3. (b) — continuous shows ongoing duration before war started, providing context
4. I was exhausted because I had been studying all night (studying explains exhaustion)
5. First shows completion; second shows ongoing reading interrupted by call
6. Check: Does “had been + verb-ing” show duration before another past moment?

The Lesson

Back in her room, Luna looked at her completed project with new understanding. “When I finally finished,” she told Professor Wisdom, “I hadn’t just waited—I had been working continuously for months, and that’s why I felt so relieved and exhausted.” The Professor nodded with approval. “Exactly. Carter’s discovery meant something profound because he had been searching for years before that moment. Your grammar now captures not just what happened before, but the duration and effort that came before your achievement. That’s what makes the moment meaningful.”