speak
verb (used without object)
to utter words or articulate sounds with the ordinary voice; talk.
had been speaking
-
past perfect progressiveof speak.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
Tuchel said England Under-21 coach Lee Carsley had been "speaking very highly" of Jobe Bellingham "for a while".
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Rev Melanie Prince, from the diocese of St Davids, said she had been speaking recently to members of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, about how they could help Christians in that part of the world.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
For months, friends had noted how enthusiastically he had been speaking about coaching, but no longer training with the intensity of somebody who thought they still had a playing future.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026
Tidmarsh later took down the post and said he had been speaking in a personal capacity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025
He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
