The Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Inclusive
denotes an action which began before a definite moment in the past, continued up to that moment and was still going on at that moment.
It is used with:' - since, -for.
Exclusive
denotes an action which was no longer going on at a definite moment in the past, but which had been in progress not long before.
П We had been climbing for six hours when at last we reached the summit ofthemoutain.
EXERCISES_____________________
□ Outside everything was in deep snow. It had been snowing hard all night (not at that moment).
Ex. 18. (A, B) Put the verb in brackets into the Past Perfect Continuous.
1. Clouds (gather) all day and now rain came down in sheets. 2. "I'm coming all right," said Mr Dilinger, who (shiver) for the last ten minutes. 3.1 realized that he had come away with me in order to discuss once more what he already (discuss) for hours with his sister-in-law. 4.1 slowly released a breath and only then realized that I (hold) it for some time.
Ex. 19. (B) Put the verb in brackets into the Past Indefinite, the Past Perfect and the Past Perfect Continuous.
1. When I (leave) home, the snow already (stop). 2. It (be) 6 p.m. and Jack (be) tired because he (work) hard all day. 3. He clearly (listen) to our conversation and I (wonder) how much he (hear). 4. She (say) she (teach) at this school for twenty years. 5. He (say) he just (finish) the book he (read) all this time. 6. The postman (come) after lunch and (bring) me a letter which I (expect) for a long time. 7. It (rain) since the morning, and the fields (be) quite muddy.
Ex. 20. (А, В, С) Answer the questions.
Examples: Did you work at your English yesterday? Yes. I did.
How long had you been working at your English before you went for a walk? (for an hour) / had been working at my English for an hour.
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1. Did it rain yesterday? __________________________________
How long had it been raining when you left home? (for 3 hours)
2. Did she work at the University before she retired?______________________
How long had she been working there before she retired? (for 25 years)
3. Did you stay at the hotel when you were in London?___________________
How long had you been living there when Jane arrived? (for a fortnight)
4. Did they study French before they went to France?_____________________
How long had they been studying it before they went there? (for 5 years)
5. Did they work on their book last year?________________________________
How long had they been working on it before they sent it to the publishing house?
(for 2 years)______________________________________________________
6. Did your brother play football yesterday?______________________________________
How long had he been playing football before he took part in the world championship for
the first time? (for 6 years)_____________________________________________
7. Did he listen to that record yesterday?______________________________
How long had he been listening to it before he could understand all the words?
(for an hour)_____________________________________________________
8. Did the children walk in the wood in the morning?________________________
How long had they been walking before you called them back? (for 2 hours)
Ex. 21. (A, B) Make up sentences according to the pattern.
Example: You came home. Your children were watching television.
(they/not/do/any work) - Thev hadn't been doing any work.
1. Brother and sister came home with angry faces.
(they/quarrel/on the way home)________________________________________
2. There was nobody in the flat. But a delicious smell of fresh bread was in the air. (Mother/bake/bread)
3. Mary closed her eyes. She felt very tired.
(she/read/too long)_______________________________________________
4. You came home from a party. You were nearly dropping on your feet. (you/dance/all night)
5. When I looked at my typewriter, I saw a sheet of paper in it. (somebody/use/my typewriter)
Ex. 22. (A, B) Make up sentences according to the pattern.
Example: I started on my journey. After an hour a tyre went flat.
I had been driving for an hour when a tyre went flat.
1. The lecturer began to speak. After 15 minutes the dean came in.
The lecturer for 15 minutes when
2. Larry had arranged to meet Amy at her hotel in London. He had lost the address but he
thought it was the Savoy. So he went there. After half an hour waiting he realized that he
had come to the wrong hotel.
Larry_____________________________ when______________________________
3.» My father-in-law went to work in America in 1943. Two years later the war ended.
My father-in-law________________________ when__________________________