study
noun
application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, such as by reading, investigation, or reflection.
had been studying
-
past perfect progressiveof study.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.
According to her website, she came to Leicester from India, where she had been studying for a PhD, in 1970, and completed her studies before becoming a primary school teacher for about 20 years.
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
The 57-year-old said he had been studying in Zurich when the war broke out, and had been driven to return to Kosovo after seeing massacres of ethnic Albanians in his country.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
The Russian president had been studying psychological profiles of the officials around Trump, including Keith Kellogg, the retired three-star general Trump had named as America’s envoy to Russia and Ukraine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
It wasn’t until after graduation that they discovered she had been studying art the whole time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025
The Incorrigibles had been studying comparatives and superlatives.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
