PAST PERFECT

CONTINUOUS

1 Read the sentence below

One unfortunate counter agent was dealing with all the passengers when an angry man, who had been queuing for some time, pushed his way to the front.

Does the underlined verb form describe:

a) an event that happened before other

events in the past?

b) a longer activity that was happening

before the main event?

1. longer activities in the past that happened before

other past events

2. the repeated actions that happened before a

particular point in the past

3. an action that was still in progress and had not

been completed at a particular time in the past

2 We use the Past Perfect Continuous to stress:

1 His arms were sunburnt. (sit in the sun all day)2 She was very tired. (work for hours without a break)3 Their clothes were muddy. (play football)4 She was fired. (not come to work on time)5 She was very angry. (wait for her boyfriend for half an

hour)6 His ear ached. (talk on the phone for hours)7 He was messy. (repair his car all afternoon)8 She was very scared. (watch a thriller on TV)

3. Use the cues in brackets and the Past Perfect Continuous to explain the

situations. Example: His arms were sunburnt because he had been sitting in the sun all day.

2 she was very tired because she had been working for hours without a break.

3 Their clothes were muddy because they had been playing football.4 She was fired because she hadn't been coming to work on time.5 She was very angry because she had been waiting for her boyfriend

for half an hour.6 His ear ached because he had been talking on the phone for hours.7 He was messy because he had been repairing his car all afternoon.8 She was very scared because she had been watching a thriller on

TV.

1 John complained that his troublesome neighbours (have parties every day for two weeks).

2 The eager fans (wait for 6 hours) before they finally got the tickets for the football

match.3 As he (repair his car all afternoon), he was

messy.4 He told us that the director (try to complete his film) swiftly.5 The river was near bursting point as it (rain

for weeks).

4. Complete the following sentences in the Past Perfect Continuous.

Example: John complained that his troublesome

neighbours had been having parties every day for

two weeks.

2. The eager fans had been waiting for 6 hours before

they finally got the tickets for the football match.

3. As he had been repairing his car all afternoon, he

was messy.

4. He told us that the director had been trying to

complete his film swiftly.

5. The river was near bursting point as it had been

raining for weeks.

5. Write two explanations for each situation(1-5) - one in the Past Perfect

and one in the Past Perfect Continuous.

Example: She had been eating too many sweets. She had dropped her keep-fit classes.

1 Sharon put on five pounds.

2 Steve was feeling down.

3 Jack's shirt was torn.

4 Ann failed her final, exam.

5 Emily and Tessa were very excited.

His girlfriend had left him, / He had been having a

bad day.

He had caught his shirt on the door. / He had been

playing football

She hadn't studied well enough. / She hadn't been

feeling well.

They had won a free trip to Greece. / They had

been talking to their favourite singer.

6. Put the verbs in brackets in the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous.

1 We couldn't open the door because it _____ (snow) heavily alt night.

2 She Looked shocked and she said she __________________ (see) a UFO.

3 Billy had a black eye and Joe's Lip was cut - they ________________ (fight).

4 John decided to complain as his neighbours ______ (have) parties every day for two weeks.

5 Jill Looked great - she ______________ (lose) a few pounds and _______________ (put on) a smart evening dress.

had been snowing

had seen

had been fighting

had been havinghad lost

had put on

Ken Coates (1) was enjoving (enjoy) his 52nd birthday at the

King's Arms in Aston. He (2)______ (play) in a local, pool

tournament in a room at the back of the pub. Ken (3) _____

(play) well, for half an hour and (4) _____ (win) three of

the first five games. He (5) ________ (put) down the glass

he (6) _______ (drink) from and (7) ____________(get) ready to hit the black ball, to win the final, game when his false teeth (8) ______ (drop out). Unfortunately, instead of hitting

was playing

had been playinghad won

put / had put

was drinking was getting/ got

dropped out

the ball, he (9) _________ (hit) his own false teeth! Ken's wife, Alice, who (10) ________________ (watch) him play all night, immediately (11) _________ (rush) to help her husband. She (12) ______ (put) her hand in the pocket to take out the false teeth when disaster (13) ________ (strike). Alice's hand get stuck in the pocket and she (14) _________________ (cannot) get it out again. Final,[,y, after Ken (15) ____________ (make) an emergency phone call, fire officers (16) ________ (arrive) on the scene. With the help of power tools and some washing-up liquid, they (17) _________ (free) Alice's hand. "Poor Ken, he (18) ___________ (try) to win the tournament for years," said a friend. "When he tried again, he

(19) ________________ (play) terribly. I think he (20) ___________ (worry) about his teeth."

hit

had been watching

rushedput

struck

could not / couldn’t made

has been trying

played

arrived

freed

was worried

On page 99:3 PAST PERFECT

COTINUOUS

Grammar summary

Homework

1. Revise what we have learnt today.

2. Finish exercises on pages 68-69.