我们学习的英语时态有很多，有的简单明了，但是有的时态却非常抽象，通常不是直接使用而是放在间接引语或虚拟语气中，过去完成进行时就是一例。过去完成进行时，就是相对过去的某个时刻来说已经对现在有直接影响并且还在进行的动作。放在间接引语或虚拟语气中时它的时态不能再向前推，向后推是现在完成进行时。
过去完成进行时与过去完成时的用法很相近它通常表示某个过去正在进行的动作或状态持续到过去某个时刻还未完成一直持续到之后的当前才结束。例如：
1.He had been waiting for two weeks. (He was still waiting)
他已经等了两个星期了。
2.Up to that time he had been translating those books. （He was still translating at “that time”）
在那段时间，他一直翻译那些书。
3.He had been writing the letter till two o'clock
直到深夜两点钟，他还在写信。
4.He was now thirty years old，He had been gambling since he was ten （He was still gambling at thirty）
他现在已经三十岁了，不过，从十岁起，他就一直赌博。
5.He had been standing there in the sun.
他一直站在太阳底下。
6.He had been thinking about his marriage.
他一直思考着他的婚姻。
7.He had been waiting for her two hours. （At seven he did not wait any more.）
他已经等了她两个小时了。
8.He had been swimming for the last three hours.
他游了最后三个小时后，不再游了。