had been going

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been going" is correct and usable in written English.
It is the past perfect continuous form of the verb "go," and is used to indicate that an action was in progress over a period of time in the past. For example, you could say, "I had been going to the same cafe for years until it closed down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

That had been going on for centuries.

Independent

Therapy had been going fine.

The New York Times - Sports

One had been going to bed.

The New York Times - Science

This had been going on for weeks.

The New York Times - Magazine

Everything had been going so well.

The New York Times - Sports

This was where he had been going.

The Guardian - Arts

Various things had been going wrong.

The Guardian - Film

It had been going since the 1930s.

The Guardian - Books

Jeter's had been going well, too, until last week.

The New York Times - Sports

I asked Rowan what had been going through his head.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

The torment had been going on for months.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been going" to describe an action that started in the past, continued for a period, and finished before another point in the past. For example: "By the time I arrived, the party "had been going" for hours."

Common error

Avoid using "had been going" when a simple past continuous tense ("was going") is sufficient. Use "had been going" only when you need to emphasize that the action occurred before another event in the past. For example, instead of "I realized I had been going the wrong way", consider "I realized I was going the wrong way" if there is no other past event to relate it to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been going" functions as the past perfect continuous tense of the verb "go". It describes an action or state that was in progress over a period of time leading up to a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a continuous activity concluded before another past action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

87%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been going" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe continuous actions in the past that concluded before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this grammatical structure finds extensive use across diverse contexts, primarily in news and media, reflecting its neutrality and broad applicability. When employing this phrase, ensure correct tense sequencing to avoid common errors. Alternatives like "had been proceeding" or "had been underway" may offer nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been proceeding

Focuses on the manner in which events or activities unfolded over a duration in the past.

had been underway

Emphasizes the state of being in progress or in motion for a certain time in the past.

had been happening

Highlights the occurrence of events, often with an implication of unexpectedness or importance, over time.

had been transpiring

Implies an unfolding of events, often with a sense of mystery or intrigue, over a period of time.

had been developing

Conveys gradual changes or improvements that occurred over a specific duration in the past.

had been evolving

Similar to developing, but with a stronger emphasis on natural progression or adaptation in the past.

had been continuing

Emphasizes that the event didn't stop over a period of time.

had been lasting

Highlights that the event has taken a certain amount of time.

had been running

Focuses on a continuous action or operation that was in progress over time in the past.

had been operative

Describes something that was in effect or functioning actively over a duration in the past.

FAQs

How is "had been going" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been going" indicates a continuous action that started and continued for some time before another point in the past. For example: "They "had been going" to that restaurant for years before it closed down."

What are some alternatives to "had been going"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "had been underway", "had been happening", or "had been proceeding".

What is the difference between "was going" and "had been going"?

"Was going" describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past, while "had been going" describes an action that started and continued for a period before another past event. For example: "I was going to the store" vs. "I "had been going" to the store every day before I moved."

When should I use "had been going to" instead of "had been going"?

"Had been going to" indicates a planned or intended action in the past that didn't necessarily happen or was interrupted. "Had been going", on the other hand, indicates a continuous action that actually occurred. For example: "I "had been going to" call you, but I forgot" (planned but didn't happen) vs. "I "had been going" to the gym regularly" (actually happened).