had been running

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been running" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase in the past perfect tense in a sentence, which is used to describe an action that happened in the past before another action. For example: By the time I arrived, they had been running for nearly an hour.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

He had been running all night.

The New Yorker

(The French had been running it).

The New Yorker

"He had been running the bottom.

The New York Times

She had been running her own consultancy, HC Resources.

The New York Times

This was precisely the regime I had been running from.

The New Yorker

He had been running his own consultancy, Cohen Strategic.

The New York Times

The tap had been running all night long.

The New Yorker

Court interpreting costs had been running at £4m a year.

The Guardian

She had been running short distances this way in Turkey.

The New York Times

"Let's say Yitzhak had been running that evening.

The New York Times

Someone had been running a counterfeit-ticket scam.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been running" to emphasize the duration or continuous nature of an action that occurred before another point in the past. For example, "By the time the ambulance arrived, he "had been running" for over an hour."

Common error

Avoid using "had been running" when a simpler past tense like "was running" suffices. Use "had been running" specifically to indicate an action completed before another past action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been running" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect continuous tense. According to Ludwig AI, this tense describes an action that was in progress for a duration before another action occurred in the past. This is evident in the examples where the action of running precedes another event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Wiki

11%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been running" is a verb phrase in the past perfect continuous tense, used to describe an action that continued for a period of time before another action or point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. With a "Very common" usage frequency, its presence across diverse sources like "The New York Times", "The New Yorker", and BBC underscores its versatility. To effectively employ "had been running", writers should ensure the context involves a continuous action concluded before another past event. Avoiding its use when a simpler past tense suffices is also crucial. Related phrases offer alternative ways to express similar meanings, and users may explore options such as "was running" or "has been running", depending on the specific nuance required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was running

Uses the past continuous tense instead of the past perfect continuous, indicating a simpler past action.

has been running

Shifts to the present perfect continuous tense, focusing on an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

was operating

Replaces "running" with "operating", suitable when referring to businesses or systems.

was managing

Substitutes "running" with "managing", often used in the context of overseeing a project or team.

had been administering

Replaces "running" with "administering", suggesting a more formal or official management role.

had overseen

Uses "overseen" instead of "running", indicating a supervisory role over something that happened in the past.

had conducted

Substitutes "running" with "conducted", appropriate when describing an activity or experiment.

had directed

Replaces "running" with "directed", used when referring to guiding or leading a project.

had maintained

Substitutes "running" with "maintained", which implies keeping something in good condition or operation.

had been in charge of

Expresses the idea of being responsible for something using a different phrase structure.

FAQs

How do I use "had been running" in a sentence?

Use "had been running" to describe an ongoing action in the past that concluded before another action or time in the past. For example, "She "had been running" a marathon before she injured her knee."

What's the difference between "was running" and "had been running"?

"Was running" describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past, while "had been running" indicates a continuous action completed before another point in the past. For example, "She was running when it started to rain" vs. "She "had been running" for an hour before it started to rain."

What can I say instead of "had been running"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "was running" if you want to describe an action in progress at a specific time in the past, or "had operated" when referring to a business.

When is it incorrect to use "had been running"?

It's incorrect to use "had been running" when a simpler past tense suffices, or when the action did not occur before another past action. Also avoid when a present perfect continuous, as in "has been running", would be a better fit.