過去完成時和過去完成進行時的區別

I (or You，He，John，They，Those men) had been studying.

過去完成進行時與過去完成時的用法很相近，它通常表示一個持續到過去某時的動作：

He had been waiting for two weeks. He was still waiting.(有一個表示一段時間的狀語)

Up to that time he had been translating those books.(He was still translating at “that time”.)

He had been writing the letter till two o'clock.

He was now thirty years old.He had been gambling since he was ten.(He was still gambling at thirty.)

He had been standing there in the sun.(沒有時間狀語)

He had been thinking about his marriage.

不過這個時態竝不一定表示這個過去動作將持續下去：

He came back at seven.He had been waiting for her two hours.(At seven he did not wait any more.)

He stopped swimming.He had been swimming for the last three hours.

另一方麪，這個時態也和現在完成進行時一樣，也可有一些特別的含義：

1)尚未完成：

He had been writing the novel.(He had not finished it yet.)

2)企圖：

He had been studying the meaning of this proverb.(He was trying to study it.)

3)未得結果：

We had been studying what our enemy had said.(But we were not able to understand it.)

4)最近情況：

He had been quarrelling with his wife.(lately)

5)反複動作：

He had been asking me the same question.(Many times)

6)情緒：

What had he been doing?(不耐煩)

這個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)

這個時態還可用在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.