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.
He denied the allegations and said he had been speaking about his own experiences as a child.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
It's alleged Jenrick had dinner with Farage last month - and his team had been speaking to "various people" about the possibility.
From BBC ● Jan. 15, 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
Kirk had been speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on 10 September, 2025 as part of his American Comeback tour.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025
By the time she had finished exhausting her knowledge of poetry, she had been speaking for an hour.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
