What had happened?
This set of past perfect continuous questions is designed to help B1–B2 learners practise the tense naturally through conversation. Instead of isolated grammar exercises, students use the structure in meaningful, real-life speaking tasks.
This lesson comes with:
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.
30 minutes +
The activity encourages learners to talk about duration, background actions, and past causes using prompts such as:
- How long had you been studying before…?
- What had you been doing before…?
- What had happened beforehand?
Students work in pairs or small groups and choose questions to discuss in detail. Follow-up prompts help extend answers and encourage the use of both past perfect continuous and past perfect simple where appropriate.
What’s Included
- 15 past perfect simple and continuous conversation questions
- Follow-up prompts to encourage extended answers
- Teacher notes with optional quick revision ideas
- Communicative pairwork format
- Suitable for B1–B2 learners
Try this Past Perfect Continuous Speaking Activity in class today!
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Our Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5
Interesting and varied information and activity exercises which can be adapted for individual students.
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Rated 4 out of 5
This is a fantastic website and the worksheets scaffold the teaching points very well. But there are two things that I find to be a small irritant. When I put in a specific search e.g. second conditional - it includes worksheets not related to that search. The other thing is that I am a paid subscriber but often a pop up box appears asking me to review the free resources. I have to keep closing the pop up box which is annoying.
Rated 5 out of 5
Brilliant materials. Well designed and perfect for ESL teachers. Well done!
Rated 5 out of 5
I'm so glad I found you. Your resources have been incredibly helpful for my online and in-person classes. Thank you so much.
Rated 4 out of 5
I am a volunteer and help refugees and asylum seekers in the community to learn English and understand the new culture they are in and I find your free resources so valuable. Thank you for making these available.
Rated 5 out of 5
Great site for well structured materials and fun reading and speaking activities. Highly recommended 10/10.
Rated 5 out of 5
I love the lessons, they are so easy to follow and personalize if I want to.
Rated 5 out of 5
Great material. All the verbs are correct and clear. My students will love this! Thanks a lot!
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent resource! Refreshingly different and suitable for a younger advanced student. Thank you !
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent lesson for today. Great discussion in the class.
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent lesson. Great discussion in groups. Also great to use an individual question as a quick filler at the beginning or end of classes.
Rated 5 out of 5
Thank you so much for your great sharing and very useful to me teaching my students,
Rated 5 out of 5
I wanna use this crossword for my class
The best vocab revision
Rated 5 out of 5
Holiday and Travel Phrasal Verbs
great website i have been dying to learn this thank you so much
Rated 5 out of 5
Thanks a lot for this great worksheet ! Your work is outstanding !
Rated 5 out of 5
Great Conversation Questions 1
Excellent, easy to use!! Stimulating enough for advanced learners (even C1/C2) and not too difficult for B1 learners!
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent. Used it today. Very thorough and clear to understand. The students really enjoyed it.
Rated 5 out of 5
Exactly what I needed ! Thanks once again for sharing !!!
Rated 5 out of 5
Great and simple to use exercise. Transferable to B1 and C1 users
Rated 5 out of 5
Great worksheet as always ; Exactly what I needed to start the year with my groups !
Rated 5 out of 5
Awesome work !!! Thanks for sharing such a great contribution !
Rated 5 out of 5
Perfect lesson to practise and to remind yourself of all rules about the -ed.
Rated 5 out of 5
Interesting and varied information and activity exercises which can be adapted for individual students.
Rated 4 out of 5
Rated 4 out of 5
This is a fantastic website and the worksheets scaffold the teaching points very well. But there are two things that I find to be a small irritant. When I put in a specific search e.g. second conditional - it includes worksheets not related to that search. The other thing is that I am a paid subscriber but often a pop up box appears asking me to review the free resources. I have to keep closing the pop up box which is annoying.
Rated 5 out of 5
Brilliant materials. Well designed and perfect for ESL teachers. Well done!
Rated 5 out of 5
I'm so glad I found you. Your resources have been incredibly helpful for my online and in-person classes. Thank you so much.
Rated 4 out of 5
I am a volunteer and help refugees and asylum seekers in the community to learn English and understand the new culture they are in and I find your free resources so valuable. Thank you for making these available.
Rated 5 out of 5
Great site for well structured materials and fun reading and speaking activities. Highly recommended 10/10.
Rated 5 out of 5
I love the lessons, they are so easy to follow and personalize if I want to.
Rated 5 out of 5
Great material. All the verbs are correct and clear. My students will love this! Thanks a lot!
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent resource! Refreshingly different and suitable for a younger advanced student. Thank you !
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent lesson for today. Great discussion in the class.
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent lesson. Great discussion in groups. Also great to use an individual question as a quick filler at the beginning or end of classes.
Rated 5 out of 5
Thank you so much for your great sharing and very useful to me teaching my students,
Rated 5 out of 5
I wanna use this crossword for my class
The best vocab revision
Rated 5 out of 5
Holiday and Travel Phrasal Verbs
great website i have been dying to learn this thank you so much
Rated 5 out of 5
Thanks a lot for this great worksheet ! Your work is outstanding !
Rated 5 out of 5
Great Conversation Questions 1
Excellent, easy to use!! Stimulating enough for advanced learners (even C1/C2) and not too difficult for B1 learners!
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent. Used it today. Very thorough and clear to understand. The students really enjoyed it.
Rated 5 out of 5
Exactly what I needed ! Thanks once again for sharing !!!
Rated 5 out of 5
Great and simple to use exercise. Transferable to B1 and C1 users
Rated 5 out of 5
Great worksheet as always ; Exactly what I needed to start the year with my groups !
Rated 5 out of 5
Awesome work !!! Thanks for sharing such a great contribution !
Rated 5 out of 5
Perfect lesson to practise and to remind yourself of all rules about the -ed.
