I had been feeling vs I had felt

Both "I had been feeling" and "I had felt" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I had been feeling" is used to describe a continuous feeling or emotion that was ongoing in the past, while "I had felt" is used to describe a specific feeling or emotion that occurred at a particular point in the past.

Last updated: April 12, 2024 • 513 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a continuous feeling or emotion that was ongoing in the past.

"I had been feeling"

Use "I had been feeling" when you want to talk about a feeling or emotion that started in the past and continued for a period of time. It emphasizes the duration of the feeling.

Examples:

I had been feeling anxious for weeks before the big presentation.
She had been feeling happy since she received the good news.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jun 7, 2022 ... It hit me that so many of the people there likely had loved ones who left this world because they were feeling much like I had been feeling.
But an even bigger reason was that around this time I had begun to consider leaving the physical therapy profession. I had been feeling dissatisfied, especially ...
I had been feeling poorly for weeks. I had symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, mild fevers, a mild cough and achiness. I kept checking in with my ...
I had been feeling slightly breathless (almost unnoticeable) at the end of summer 2014. I attributed it to the heat and humidity and turning 60.
1 day ago ... The cheer I had been feeling evaporated. The specter of Lombar seemed to loom outside the building. "My Lord Captain.
I am not feeling the pain as I had been feeling it when I am walking, even though I am not doing the exercises daily as I should be. Thom K, Santa Fe, NM.
Ryan's life was turned upside down in September 2017 when he suddenly became very unwell. Ryan in hospital Ryan explains: “I had been feeling unwell for a few ...
8 hours ago ... So what I had been feeling from Aahz was anger, both at me and at the fact that we might lose the treasure, after getting so close.
I had been feeling sad before my parents gave me a puppy. (past perfect progressive). In these examples, the verb refers to something that both started and ...

Alternatives:

I had been experiencing
I had been sensing
I had been perceiving
I had been noticing
I had been detecting

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a specific feeling or emotion that occurred at a particular point in the past.

"I had felt"

Use "I had felt" when you want to talk about a feeling or emotion that happened at a specific moment in the past. It emphasizes the specific occurrence of the feeling.

Examples:

I had felt a sense of relief when I finally found my lost keys.
He had felt a surge of excitement when he heard the good news.

Show examples from the web [+]

Just knowing what I had felt so liberating. Posted December 16, 2019. I'm Gracie Anne, this is my experience of living with hEDS. I was officially diagnosed ...
Because of her bad reputuation in class, I had felt that she was begining to lose interest in her study. Should I change to felt instead of ...
Aug 19, 2015 ... I discovered the tremendous anger I had felt, without much awareness of it. It's the most important thing I've done in my life – Patrick ...
I will go to the doctor's this morning because I had felt ill during the night. Thanks. 11th November 2014. nsfs2.
Aug 6, 2014 ... Learn how to use the Italian sentence "Avevo sentito molto freddo quella notte." ("I had felt very cold that night.
3 days ago ... I would beg Akasha to receive him, as she had once received Pandora. In the orgasm, as my seed had gone into the woman, I had felt an ecstasy ...
2 days ago ... But most significant, I had felt that moment when the heart failed to pump the blood; I had felt the dizziness, the vague disconnection; ...
2 days ago ... ... I did not know what I had seen, or what I had felt My heart was skipping dangerously I felt another wave of dizziness Time to get out.

Alternatives:

I had experienced
I had sensed
I had perceived
I had noticed
I had detected

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