had been wathcing vs has been watching

The phrases "had been watching" and "has been watching" are both correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Had been watching" is used to describe an action that was happening before another past action, while "has been watching" is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing up to the present.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 898 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe an action that was happening before another past action.

"had been wathcing"

Use "had been watching" to describe an action that started in the past and was still ongoing when another past action occurred. It is used in past perfect continuous tense.

Examples:

He had been watching TV when the phone rang.
She had been watching the movie for two hours before she fell asleep.

Show examples from the web [+]

She stopped watching her preacher shows, washing her hair or watering her plants.
You know, I just finished watching and catching thief.
He's bathing himself, and I'm watching.
Thanks for washing us - Watching us.
It's a choice between watering our crops, and watching them die.
It's like watching an antelope At the watering hole in the serengeti.
Max had trouble sleeping and had spent the night watching television and catching fish food.
Those bathing beauties you've been watching haven't raised your temperature one degree in a month.
Thanks for washing us - Watching us.
Watching you write a spell was like watching Mozart compose a concerto.
I stand outside myself, watching myself watching myself.
Like he's happier than me watching Coach watching Winston yawn.
I'm watching who's watching me.
Watching you negotiate grown-up emotions is like... watching a gorilla perform keyhole surgery.
Police watching you, parents watching you.
People are watching, NGOs are watching, businesses are watching environmental concerns, health, animal welfare.
Rinse the tip of the delivery tube with water, catching the washings in the conical flask.
No wonder Shanghai Riuman was watching her.
Watching you and barry last night.
Whatever was watching us seemed pretty big.

Alternatives:

had been looking
had been observing
had been staring
had been gazing
had been peering

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing up to the present.

"has been watching"

Use "has been watching" to describe an action that started in the past and is still ongoing up to the present. It is used in present perfect continuous tense.

Examples:

She has been watching the show for hours.
He has been watching the birds in the garden.

Show examples from the web [+]

Evan has been watching way too much Downtown Abbey.
Internal Affairs has been watching me ever since you were arrested.
Whomever is responsible has been watching and knows your people are here.
I think Trask has been watching her every move.
I cannot believe that someone has been watching me.
I cannot believe that someone has been watching me.
Yes. Patrick has been watching you.
America has been watching him grind.
That's how "A" has been watching us.
What does it mean? Gormogon has been watching us this whole time.
He has been watching me and Jari - and thought how ridiculous it is.
Someone has been watching me this whole time?
The Queen is not the only one who has been watching you closely.
I think the guy over at that pickup has been watching us since we got out here.
These are violent times, and fortunately, God has been watching over us, and our classes haven't been disturbed.
Mr President, during these last few days, Parliament has been watching an extraordinarily powerful documentary on the effects of the sanctions on Iraq, and I would like to thank Patricia McKenna for this.
Old Jane has been watching you from up there, and she hasn't been happy.
Whether you believe it or not, my family has been watching over your family for centuries.
The world has been watching from the sidelines for far too long, while the dictator Mugabe has gone about his business unpunished, becoming more insolent in the process.
If Robbie has been watching the building since he moved in, that's two months of watching people in their most private moments, right?

Alternatives:

has been looking
has been observing
has been staring
has been gazing
has been peering

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had been wathcing vs has been watching