In this article, we’ll explain why the correct answer is ‘had been traveling’ and why ‘had traveling’ is incorrect in the given sentence. This explanation will focus on the usage of past perfect continuous and the reasons for choosing the correct form in this context.
Understanding the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past, continued for some time, and was happening up until another point in the past. It is formed using ‘had been’ + the present participle (verb + ing). This tense emphasizes the duration of the action, making it ideal when describing something that was ongoing before a certain past event.
Example Explanation: ‘I had been traveling’
In the sentence ‘I had been traveling for more than 24 hours’, the past perfect continuous is used to indicate that the action of traveling started before a specific point in the past and continued for a period of time (more than 24 hours). The use of ‘had been’ here is necessary because the action (traveling) had been ongoing before the person got off the plane.
Why ‘had traveling’ is Incorrect
In English, ‘had’ is not directly followed by a base form of the verb (such as ‘traveling’). Instead, ‘had’ must be followed by the past participle or present participle (with ‘been’ in the case of continuous actions). Therefore, ‘had traveling’ is grammatically incorrect. The proper form is ‘had been traveling’ to express the past perfect continuous tense.
Summary
When talking about an ongoing action in the past that continued for a period of time, we use the past perfect continuous tense (‘had been traveling’). The use of ‘had traveling’ is not correct because the structure of past perfect continuous requires ‘had been’ followed by the present participle. Understanding these nuances will help you use the correct tenses and speak more fluently in English.
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