| No | Pattern | Freq | Relations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | they had been [v-ing] [prep] | 108 |
|
| 2 | they had been [v-ing] for | 36 |
|
| 3 | they had been [v-ing] in | 21 |
|
| 4 | they had been [v-ing] at | 10 |
|
| 5 | they had been [v-ing] on | 10 |
|
| 6 | they had been waiting [prep] | 8 |
|
| 7 | they had been working [prep] | 7 |
|
| 8 | they had been talking [prep] | 7 |
|
| 9 | they had been [v-ing] with | 7 |
|
| 10 | they had been sitting [prep] | 5 |
|
| 11 | they had been [v-ing] about | 5 |
|
