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It has been raining vs It had been raining

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'It has been raining' is used to talk about a recent action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. 'It had been raining' is used to talk about a past action that was completed before another past action or time in the past.

Last updated: March 20, 2024 • 4381 views

It has been raining

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

Use 'it has been raining' to talk about a situation where rain started in the past and is still ongoing at the present moment.

Examples:

  • It has been raining for hours.
  • I can't go out because it has been raining all day.
  • The roads are flooded because it has been raining heavily.
  • It has been raining since yesterday.
  • The grass is wet because it has been raining.

Alternatives:

  • It is raining
  • It continues to rain
  • It has rained
  • It has been rainy
  • It has been wet

It had been raining

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a past action that was completed before another past action or time in the past.

Use 'it had been raining' to talk about a situation where rain had started in the past and had stopped before another past action or time.

Examples:

  • It had been raining before the sun came out.
  • The ground was wet because it had been raining all night.
  • I missed the bus because it had been raining heavily.
  • The streets were empty because it had been raining.
  • The picnic was canceled because it had been raining.
  • Yesterday morning I got up and looked out of the window. The sun was shining but the ground was very wet. It had been raining. It was not raining when I looked  ...
  • Nov 20, 2010 ... In this case it's possible to say "rained", but only if there is no reference to a particular day when you realized that it had been raining for three ...
  • It had been raining a long time. 10. First: Raw meat was on the table for a week. Second: The house stunk. Answer: The house stunk because raw meat had ...
  • "It had been raining for more than a week" - by Joanne Uy. August 24, 2013 at 8: 08pm. So much rain it made everyday seemed so restless and gloomy.

Alternatives:

  • It was raining
  • It used to rain
  • It had rained
  • It had been rainy
  • It had been wet

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