B1B2
Past perfect continuous grammar lesson overview with explanations and timelines
Past perfect continuous ESL lesson pages with fillable fields for online and in-class use

Past Perfect Continuous

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This past perfect continuous grammar lesson helps learners understand how the tense is used to describe actions that started before a point in the past and continued up to that point. The focus is on meaning and use, not memorisation, making the tense clearer and more usable in real communication.

The lesson is designed for teachers who want to explain the tense confidently and help students choose the most natural form when talking about past events.

This lesson comes with:

Fillable Fields – This worksheet can be completed digitally or printed.

Teacher’s Copy – Includes detailed teacher’s notes and an answer key.

Student Version – Perfect for sharing via email for online lessons.

This is most suited to B2-level students, but can also be used with strong B1 classes.

1.5 hours

Focus of the Lesson

Students learn how the past perfect continuous is used to:

  • show duration before a past moment
  • explain past results
  • refer to actions in relation to reference points in the past

Clear explanations help learners see why this tense is used, not just how it is formed.

Timelines and Reference Points

Clear timelines help students see how the past perfect continuous relates to a point in the past, making the tense easier to understand and use accurately.

Comparing Similar Tenses

The lesson includes clear comparisons with past perfect simple, past continuous, and present perfect continuous, helping students choose the most natural tense in context.

Why Teachers Like This Past Perfect Continuous Grammar Lesson
  • Clear, structured explanations suitable for classroom teaching
  • Focus on meaning, not just form
  • Visual support to aid understanding
  • Ideal as a core grammar lesson before practice or speaking tasks

Try this Past Perfect Continuous Lesson Plan in class today!

For best results when printing our PDFs, open and print them through Adobe Acrobat. https://get.adobe.com/reader/

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