Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Landlords and wealthier peasants had been fencing off communally held fields, forests and meadows since the 13th century, and this process intensified.
From Scientific American ● May 31, 2023
Even though Mariel and Dagmara had been fencing for far longer than I had, we were all around the same age: Mariel was twenty-four like me and Dagmara was twenty-one.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Candace had been fencing saber from an early age and was a better fencer than me.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Tall, blonde, and the child of Olympic rowers, Mariel was the most decorated American fencer, male or female, and had been fencing since she was ten.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
In two passes, as though they had been fencing together, this singularly direct man had thrust him to the wall, and was forcing him to make a decision.
From Taquisara by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford
