| No | Pattern | Freq | Relations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | had been [v-ing] for [adj] years | 44 |
|
| 2 | had been [v-ing] for [num] years | 25 |
|
| 3 | had been [v-ing] for [det] years | 19 |
|
| 4 | had been [v-ing] for some years | 7 |
|
| 5 | had been [v-ing] for some years | 7 |
|
| 6 | had been [v-ing] for many years | 7 |
|
| 7 | had been [v-ing] for many years | 7 |
|
| 8 | had been [v-ing] for two years | 6 |
|
| 9 | had been [v-ing] for two years | 6 |
|
| 10 | had been [v-ing] for several years | 5 |
|
| 11 | had been [v-ing] for several years | 5 |
|
