Образование Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous образуется при помощи вспомогательного глагола to beв Past Perfect (had been) и причастия Iсмыслового глагола:

They were tired as they had been walking for a long time.

We had been driving for more than four hours before we found a small motel.

Вопросительная форма Past Perfect Continuous начинается с первого вспомогательного глагола, за которым следует подлежащее.

Had you been walking?

Отрицательная форма образуется при помощи отрицательной частицы not, которая ставится после первого вспомогательного глагола.

Peter went to the doctor yesterday. He hadn’t been feeling well for some time.

Употребление Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous употребляется:

1. Для выражения длительного действия, которое продолжалось в течение какого-то периода времени и закончилось или не закончилось к определенному моменту в прошлом.

We had been driving for about an hour when the engine suddenly stopped.

She felt terrible during the interview because she had been suffering from the flu

since the previous day.

С глаголами, которые в Continuous не употребляются, в этом значении используется Past Perfect.

We had owned the car for 6 months before we discovered it was stolen.

2. Для выражения длительного действия, которое происходило до определенного момента в прошлом и которое своим результатом в той или иной степени повлияло на ситуацию, которая сложилась к этому моменту в прошлом.

He was out of breath. I saw that he had been running.

When he came back we tried to pretend that we had not been discussing him.

Exercise 5. Use the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous in the following sentences.

1. Michael (smoke) all his cigarettes and had to borrow some from me.

2. By the smell in the room and his guilty expression I could tell that Alex (smoke).

3. When I entered my flat I saw that everything was in a mess. Somebody (search) the rooms.

4. This was the first time we had been to the castle, even though we (visit) Edinburg a few times before.

5. I was sad when I sold my car. I (have) it for a very long time.

6. Cathy was sitting in an armchair resting. She was tired because she (work) very hard.

7. The first thing I saw was a footprint. Somebody (stand) there for quite some time judging by the cigarette butts on the grass.

8. One look at his face was enough – he (get) the job.

9. I was disappointed when I had to cancel my holiday. I (look) forward to it.

10. Suddenly I woke up. I was confused and didn’t know where I was. I (dream).

11. Brian just (finish) cooking dinner when we dropped in to see him last night.

12. The man who masterminded the bank robbery was finally caught. The police (investigate) his activities for months.

13. The number of students playing truant from school dropped recently as parents (cooperate) closely with the disciplinary board these past few months.

14. The answer was brief. Jack (leave) the hotel.

15. It (snow) heavily for hours and when I went to the door I couldn’t open it.

16. By the time they (cross) the street they (lose sight) of the little man.

17. At last there came the day he (dream of) for so long.

18. Kate (postpone) going to the dentist’s for months but this morning her toothache was so bad that she had to rush off to the dental clinic.

19. She said she (not see) him since he was in his first year at the university.

20. Max picked up the book he (read) and turned down a corner of a page to mark the spot.

21. She finally (work) her way up from trainee to a management position, and she celebrated her promotion with a big party.

22. He said he (not write) to me because he (work) on a new play.

Exercise 6. Translate into English.

1. Наконец ему представилась возможность, которую он ждал так долго.

2. Когда я вошел в комнату, все замолчали, и я понял, что они говорили обо мне.

3. Я понял, что он не узнал меня, ведь мы не виделись с тех пор, как окончили школу.

4. Она встала с кресла, на котором сидела, и подошла к нам.

5. Когда я позвонил, она тут же сняла трубку, как будто ждала моего звонка.

6. Наконец-то он изложил свой план, который обдумывал несколько дней.

7. Он сказал, что работал с раннего утра и сделал только часть работы.

8. Они не знали, сколько километров они прошли.

9. В комнате пахло (smell of) дымом. Там кто-то курил.

10. Вчера он продал машину, на которой ездил последние пять лет.

Exercise 7. Put verbs in brackets into either the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous.

I’m sorry I left without you last night, but I told you to meet me early because the show started at 8.00. I (try) ………. to get tickets for that play for months, and I didn’t want to miss it. By the time I finally left the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet, I (have) ………. five cups of coffee and I (wait) ………. over an hour. I had to leave because I (arrange) ………. . to meet Kathy in front of the theatre.

When I arrived at the theatre, Kathy (pick, already) ………. up the tickets and she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait) ………. for more than half an hour. She said she (give, almost) ………. up and (go) ………. into the theatre without us. Kathy told me you (be) ………. late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss) ………. several movies because of your late arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time.

Unit 5. Future tenses.

Future Simple