had been setting

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been setting" is a valid and grammatically correct part of a sentence in written English.
It is the past perfect continuous tense and is used to describe an action that started in the past and continued for a period of time until another action in the past interrupted it. Example: Mary had been setting up the picnic for hours when the rain suddenly started pouring down.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

Tom Zoufaly, Lauder's personal art installer, had been setting up the armored horses.

The New Yorker

The boys had been setting fires in the hallways and lit the cart on fire.

The New York Times

He hadn't lost a competition in more than a year, and had been setting personal records in training all winter.

The New Yorker

Ms. Pinover Schiff had been setting up equipment to photograph Central Park through the big picture window.

The New York Times

One Christmas, the elderly woman who had been setting her dog on me came up to ask my forgiveness.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"This suggests a lack of commitment to the principles he had been setting out – around transparency," said Cable.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

A breakneck pace had been set.

The New York Times - Sports

The plan had been set into motion.

The New York Times

It had been set at 4.3.

The New York Times

for children had been set up.

The New Yorker

"He said they had been set up.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been setting" to clearly indicate an action that was ongoing for a period of time before another event occurred in the past. This helps establish a clear sequence of events for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense (e.g., 'was setting') when you need to emphasize the duration of an action that was in progress before another past event. Using "had been setting" correctly conveys the continuous nature of the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been setting" functions as the past perfect continuous tense of the verb "set". It describes an action that was in progress over a period of time that ended before another action in the past. As shown by Ludwig, this is grammatically correct and in line with standard English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been setting" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that serves to emphasize the duration of an action that occurred before another past event. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's versatile across various contexts, particularly in news and media, and can be effectively used to create a clear sequence of events in your writing. Remember to use this phrase when you want to highlight the ongoing nature of an action leading up to a specific point in the past, avoiding confusion with simpler past tenses that do not convey the same emphasis on duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was establishing

Focuses more on the act of establishing rather than a continuous, ongoing process.

was creating

Highlights the act of creation or development over a period in the past.

had established

Suggests the act of establishing was completed before a specific point in the past.

was arranging

Implies organizing or making preparations in the past.

had put in place

Focuses on the act of implementing or installing something before a certain point.

had started building

Highlights the action of building up, improving, or developing something over a period in the past.

had prepared

Emphasizes the completion of preparations before a certain time in the past.

was implementing

Focuses on the action of implementing, managing, or executing plans, projects, strategies, etc in progress in the past.

had initiated

Implies the beginning of something before a specific time.

had commenced

Emphasizes the point of time when something began in the past.

FAQs

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

The phrase "had been setting" indicates an action that was in progress over a period of time until another action or event occurred in the past. For example, 'She had been setting the table when the guests arrived'.

What are some alternatives to "had been setting"?

Depending on the specific context, you could use phrases such as "was establishing", "was arranging", or "had established".

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

"Had been setting" indicates an action in progress before another past action, while "was setting" simply describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past. The former emphasizes the duration leading up to the interrupting action.

When should I use "had been setting" instead of "had set"?

"Had been setting" emphasizes the continuous nature of the action leading up to a specific point in the past. "Had set", on the other hand, emphasizes the completion of the action before a specific point in the past. Choose "had been setting" when you want to highlight the process and duration.