17389 the past perfect continuous tense

She had eaten her dinner when the telephone rang.. She had been eating her dinner when the telephone rang.. In the first sentences the action is finished when the next action/event begi

The Past Perfect Tense

1) When do you use this

tense?

2) How is it formed?

3) Give an example sentence

Subject + had + past participle

What are the differences between

these sets of sentences?

1 I had read my book when the lights went out

2 I had been reading my book for 3 hours

when the lights went out

1 She had eaten her dinner when the telephone rang

2 She had been eating her dinner when the

telephone rang

1 When Sally arrived Steve had written his

homework

2 When Sally arrived Steve had been writing his homework for 5 minutes

In the first sentences the action is finished when the next action/event begins

• She had eaten her dinner when the

telephone rang (she is no longer eating)

In the second sentences the action is still taking place when the second action or event occurs

• She had been eating her dinner when the telephone rang (she is still eating)

Which tense are we using in this second sentence?

The past perfect continuous

The past perfect continuous is used to talk how long something had been going on before something else happened in the past

It is also used to talk about actions or

situations that were happening before some

other action or situation

How do we form this tense?

Subject + had + been + verb (ing)

EXAMPLES

The boys had been quarreling for half an hour when we arrived home

Her back was sore because she had been

sitting at the computer all day

She had been working at the company for a year when she met James

Complete the sentences with the

correct verb.

*SMOKE *SNOW *EAT *PLAY *RUN *READ *CRY

1.When we left it………

2.I ……….when the lights went out 3.She………her dinner when he rang 4.We………tennis for 10 minutes

when it started to rain

5.When I arrived she ……… 6.They were out of breath, they……… 7.He smelt of cigarettes because

he…………

In pairs, read the sentences to

each other Take it in turns

Change your partner’s sentence into a past perfect continuous

sentence

Write down the answer your

partner gives you.

Check the grammar, is it correct?

EXAMPLE

I had climbed the stairs when I saw the spider.

I

ANSWER

I had been climbing the stairs when I saw the spider.

Person A Read your sentences to your partner and write down their answers Afterwards check your answers together.

1 Julie had paid for her shopping when she saw Chris

2 I had read your letter when you rang

3 The doctor had visited his patient when his wife called.

4 Jill had driven to work when her father called her

5 Tom had played tennis when it began to snow

6 He had walked his dog when it started to rain.

Person B Read your sentences to your partner and write down their answers Afterwards check your answers together.

1 I had finished my dinner when she arrived

2 I had read my book when the teacher called me into the classroom.

3 Jose had kicked the ball when the referee blew the whistle

4 Carol had written her novel when the publishing agency phoned her

5 Maria had painted the room when she fell off the ladder.

6 Shabnam had made the beds when her boss came to check the rooms