past perfect simple and continuous

To talk about a past action that occurred before another in the past.. Ex: He had already made the necessary arrangements before I arrived.. To talk about a continuous action that was

To talk about a past action

that occurred before another in

the past

Ex: He had already made the

necessary arrangements before

I arrived

To talk about a continuous action that was still in progress when another action in the past occurred

Ex: they had been living in that city for tem years when it was destroyed by na earthquake

Rule: had + past participle of the

main verb Rule: had + been + past participle of the main verb