We learned about direct and indirect of past perfect tense. In this lesson, I am going to elaborate direct and indirect of past perfect progressive tense. You will learn how to convey a message from past perfect progressive tense. Structures for affirmative, negative, negative interrogative and interrogative sentences.
For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules
Direct and Indirect of Past Perfect Progressive
Tense Change:
As a rule, when we convey a message we go one tense back, but remember we have to use the same tense both in quoted and reported speech when we convey a message from past perfect progressive tense.
Affirmatives
- Direct speech: RP +, + S + had been + V1ing + ROTS
He said, “We had been watching a movie for a while when you called me.” - Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had been + V1ing + ROTS
He told me that they had been watching a movie for a while when I called him.
Negatives
- Direct speech: PR +, S +had not + been + V1ing + ROTS
He said to me, “We had not been watching the movie for a while when you called us.” - Indirect speech: PR + that + S + had not + been + V1ing + ROTS
He told me that they had not been watching the movie for a while when I called them.
Interrogatives
- Direct speech: RP +, + had + S + been + V1ing + ROTS
She asked, “Had he been studying hard before the final exam arrived?” - Indirect speech: RP + if + S + had been + V1ing + ROTS
She asked me if he had been studying hard before the final exam arrived.
Negative interrogatives
- Direct speech: RP +, + had not + S + been + V1ing + ROTS
She asked, “hadn’t he been studying hard before the final exam arrived?” - Indirect speech: RP +if + S + had not + been + V1ing + ROTS
She asked me if he hadn’t been studying hard before the final exam arrived.
WH/Information questions
- Direct speech: RP +, + WH + had + S + been + V1ing + ROTS
I asked him, “Where had you been learning English for a year before coming to Learn ESL?” - Indirect speech: RP + WH + S + had been + V1ing + ROTS
I wanted to know where he had been learning English for a year before coming to Learn ESL.
Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers
If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.