"what you had been" vs "what you had been doing"

Question

"what you had been" vs "what you had been doing"

The phrase 'what you had been doing' is correct, while 'what you had been' is incomplete and incorrect. The first phrase is a complete sentence that asks about a specific action in the past, while the second one lacks a verb and does not convey a complete thought.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It needs a verb to convey a clear meaning or context.

This phrase is used to ask someone about a continuous action that was happening in the past. It is typically followed by a question mark to indicate an interrogative sentence.

Examples:

Can you tell me what you had been doing before I arrived?
I wonder what you had been doing all day.
Do you remember what you had been doing when the power went out?
She asked him what he had been doing in the garden.
I'm curious about what you had been doing in the kitchen.

Answer 1

what you had been

This phrase is incorrect as it is incomplete and lacks a verb to form a complete sentence.

Answer 2

what you had been doing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to inquire about a specific action that was ongoing in the past.

"what you had been" vs "what you had been doing"

what you had been

what you had been doing

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