"i was running" vs "i had been running"

Question

"i was running" vs "i had been running"

Both "I was running" and "I had been running" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I was running" is used to describe an action that was happening in the past, while "I had been running" is used to indicate an action that was happening before another action in the past. The choice between the two depends on the specific timeline of events you are describing.

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Use "I was running" to describe an action that was ongoing in the past. It indicates a continuous action that took place at a specific point in time in the past.

Examples:

I was running in the park when it started to rain.
She was running late for the meeting.
They were running together in the marathon.

Alternatives:

I ran
I used to run
I would run
I had run
I had been running

Use "I had been running" to describe an action that was ongoing before another past action. It shows the duration of the running activity that occurred before a specific point in the past.

Examples:

By the time I arrived, he had been running for an hour.
She had been running for months before she finally won the race.
They had been running together for years before they decided to compete individually.

Alternatives:

I had run
I had been exercising
I had been jogging
I had been training
I had been participating in a marathon

Answer 1

i was running

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

Answer 2

i had been running

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

"i was running" vs "i had been running"

i was running

i had been running

Related Comparisons