If sentences with Conditional perfect continuous
1. Perfect conditional, continuous - Form
This tense is composed of two elements: the perfect condtional of the verb 'to be' (would have been) + the present participle (base+ing).
| Subject | would have been | base+ing |
| I We | would have been would have been | sitting swimming |
| Affirmative | ||
| I | would have been | studying. |
| Negative | ||
| You | wouldn't have been | living. |
| Interrogative | ||
| Would | we have been | travelling? |
| Interrogative negative | ||
| Wouldn't | it have been | working? |
Examples to work, Past continuous conditional
| Affirmative | Negative |
| I would have been working | I wouldn't have been working |
| You would have been working | You wouldn't have been working. |
| He would have been working | She wouldn't have been working |
| We would have been working | We wouldn't have been working |
| You would have been working | You wouldn't have been working |
| They would have been working | They wouldn't have been working |
| Interrogative | Interrogative negative |
| Would I have been working? | Wouldn't I have been working? |
| Would you have been working? | Wouldn't you have been working? |
| Would he have been working? | Wouldn't she have been working? |
| Would we have been working? | Wouldn't we have been working? |
| Would you have been working? | Wouldn't you have been working? |
| Would they have been working? | Wouldn't they have been working? |
2. Function
This tense can be used in Type 3 conditional sentences. It refers to the unfulfilled result of the action in the if-clause, and expresses this result as an unfinished or continuous action. Again, there is always an unspoken "but.." phrase:Examples
- If the weather had been better (but it wasn't), I'd have been sitting in the garden when he arrived (but I wasn't and so I didn't see him).
- If she hadn't got a job in London (but she did), she would have been working in Paris (but she wasn't).
- If I'd had a ball I would have been playing football.
- If I'd had any money I'd have been drinking with my friends in the pub that night.
- If I had known it was dangerous I wouldn't have been climbing that cliff.
- She wouldn't have been wearing a seat-belt if her father hadn't told her to.














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