Past perfect continuous

The past perfect can combine with the continuous aspect to form the past perfect continuous. The past perfect
continuous is formed from auxiliary had + been + gerund, e.g:
I had been writing a letter.
She had been sleeping.
The past perfect continuous is used to talk about a situation or activity which was in progress up to or
just before a past point in time, e.g.:
Wed been travelling for three hours when the accident happened.
Id been feeling ill all day so I went to bed at 7 oclock.
Whereas the past perfect is used to talk about a finished activity before a past time, the past perfect continuous
is usually used to emphasize the duration of a past activity before a past point in time. In other words,
we can say that the past perfect focuses on the result of a past activity whereas the past perfect continuous
focuses on the process, compare, e.g.:
Id painted the gate and it looked much better. (result - past perfect)
Id been painting the gate and my clothes were all messy (process past perfect continuous).
The past perfect continuous can however be used to talk about a situation or activity that began before a
particular past time and finished at that time or shortly before it, e.g.:
Wed been walking for half an hour when Chris suddenly fell over.
and it is often used to talk about a repeated activity in the past before a past point in time, e.g.:
The doctor had been visiting her every week until his car broke down.
Sometimes the past perfect continuous can be used to talk about a situation or activity that began before
a particular past time and continued beyond it, e.g.:
I couldnt eat any supper because Id been feeling sick all day.
Note that since the continuous aspect focuses on situations in progress, and there is no concept of
progression in verbs which describe states, the past perfect continuous cannot be used with stative
senses of verbs, and the past perfect is used instead. Compare:
Wed been knowing Jackie for three years.
Wed known Jackie for three years.
Note also that the past perfect continuous cannot be used when reference is made to the number of times
an event or situation occurred before a past point in time. In this case the past perfect must be used
instead, compare:
I had been staying at the cottage twice before.
I had stayed at the cottage twice before.