had been composing
- past perfect progressive of compose.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Oscar-winning actor said he had been composing music "all my life", and that "music was my first desire, my first wish".
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
They had been composing music together for the better part of the year and vowed to send it to music supervisors before the calendar turned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
Mr. Emerson had been composing and working with internationally known symphony orchestras, including in Germany and Japan, and was about to embark on a short tour in Japan starting April 14 with his band, Kawaguchi said.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2016
For weeks, Lincoln had been composing the most important public document he had ever undertaken, his inaugural address.
From New York Times ● Feb. 11, 2011
The music critic Harold Schonberg goes further: Mozart, he argues, actually “developed late,” since he didn’t produce his greatest work until he had been composing for more than twenty years.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
