When are past perfect and past perfect continuous interchangeable?
Like the title, when are they interchangeable?
I know native speakers tend to use present perfect continuous in stead of present perfect talking about actions until now. What about PAST PERFECT & PAST PERFECT PROGRESS? Could I say "How long had he been living there?" If correct, how's it different from "How long had he lived there?"

Thank you!

Question

When are past perfect and past perfect continuous interchangeable?
Like the title, when are they interchangeable?
I know native speakers tend to use present perfect continuous in stead of present perfect talking about actions until now. What about PAST PERFECT & PAST PERFECT PROGRESS? Could I say "How long had he been living there?" If correct, how's it different from "How long had he lived there?"

Thank you!

Answer

thank you!

Answer

yes

Answer

So is it applied to past tenses?

Answer

Most basic grammar books have a section on this topic.  For example, English Grammar in Use by Murphy, 4th edition, units 15 and 16.  "To live" and "to work" are commonly put in both the simple or continous forms without a change in meaning.  Other verbs usually have a completed meaning (simple) or an ongoing meaning (continous).

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