Past Perfect Continuous Tense

1. Put the verbs into the correct form Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing).

1. We ….. (to sleep) for 12 hours when he woke us up.
2. They ….. (to wait) at the station for 90 minutes when the train finally arrived.
3. We ….. (to look for) her ring for two hours and then we found it in the bathroom.
4. I ….. (not / to walk) for a long time, when it suddenly began to rain.
5. How long ….. (to learn / she) English before she went to London?
6. Frank Sinatra caught the flu because he ….. (to sing) in the rain too long.
7. He ….. (to drive) less than an hour when he ran out of petrol.
8. They were very tired in the evening because they ….. (to dig) on the farm all day.
9. I ….. (not / to work) all day, so I wasn’t tired and went to the disco at night.
10. They ….. (to cycle) all day so their legs were sore in the evening.

1. Using the words in brackets, complete the text below with the Past Perfect (I had done) / Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing).

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 ….. (to 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 ….. (to have) five cups of coffee and I ….. (to wait) over an hour. I had to leave because I ….. (to arrange) to meet Kathy in front of the theater.

When I arrived at the theater, Kathy ….. (to pick up) already the tickets and she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she ….. (to wait) for more than half an hour. She said she ….. (to give) almost up and ….. (to go) into the theater without us.

Kathy told me you ….. (to be) late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you again in the future. She mentioned that she ….. (to 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!

1. Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the Past Continuous (I was doing) / Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing).

1. When I asked Carlos if he wanted to go out, he said he couldn’t because he …………… an assignment. (to finish)
2. Scarlet came into the room panting. She ………….. round the park. (to jog)
3. Scarlet wasn’t in. She …………… round the park. (to jog)
4. I ………. a bath when I suddenly had a great idea. (to have)
5. He told me he ………..seriously ………about finding another job soon. (to think)
6. He …………… about finding a new job for about a year before he finally got round to it. He’s happy now. (to think)
7. It was obvious from his outrageous behavior that he …………… . (to drink)
8. I ……………. a latte in the Café New York, when I saw a famous actor walk past the window. (to drink)

1. Using the words in parentheses, complete the sentences below with the Present Perfect (I have done) / Past Perfect (I had done) / Present Perfect Continuous (I have been doing) / Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing).

1. It is already 9.30 p.m. and I ..... (to wait) here for over an hour. If John does not get here in the next five minutes, I am going to leave.

2. I was really angry with John yesterday. By the time he finally arrived, I ….. (to wait) for over an hour. I almost left without him.

3. Did you hear that Ben was fired last month? He ….. (to work) for that import company for more than ten years and he ….. (to work) in almost every department. Nobody knew the company like he did.

4. I ….. (to see) many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt. Pictures of the monuments are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.

5. Sarah ….. (to climb) the Matterhorn, ….. (to sail) around the world, and ….. (to go) on safari in Kenya. She is such an adventurous person.

6. Sarah ….. (to climb) the Matterhorn, ….. (to sail) around the world and ….. (to go) on safari in Kenya by the time she turned twenty-five. She ….. (to experience) more by that age than most people do in their entire lives.

7. When Melanie came into the office yesterday, her eyes were red and watery. I think she ….. (to cry).

5*. Put in the Past Perfect (I had done) / Past Perfect Continuous (I had been doing) / Past Simple (I did). Give alternatives where possible.

Cooking the Books?

Old Mr. Williams was very concerned. He and his wife were pensioners and he (to spend) had spent the whole morning looking for their pension books. He (to look) ………. everywhere, but he (not be able) ……….to find them. Meanwhile, his wife (to be) ……….busy. She (to cook) ……….all morning. She (to prepare) ……….a delicious meal. She (to make) ……….soup, followed by a lovely pie, which she (to bake) ……….in the oven. Mr. Williams always (to enjoy) ……….his food, but he clearly wasn’t enjoying his lunch. ‘What’s the matter, Tom?’ his wife asked. Mr. Williams (to have to) ……….confess that he (to lose) ……….their pension books. ‘I know,’ Mrs. Williams (to say) ………., with a twinkle in her eye. ‘I’ve got them’. ‘You’ve got them?’ ‘Yes – and guess where I (to find) ……….them!’ Mr. Williams suddenly remembered. ‘In the oven! I (to put) ……….them there for safe-keeping.’ He (to smile) ……….with relief as she (to fish) ……….them out of her apron pocket!

Revision Test on Past Perfect Continuous

Write each form of the verb using the phrase ‘to eat paste.’ The first one is done for you.

1. Present Simple: I eat paste.
2. Past Simple: I ……………………………………………………………………………
3. Future Simple: I …………………………………………………………………………
4. Present Continuous: I ……………………………………………………………………

1. Past Continuous: I ……………………………………………………………………….
2. Future Continuous: I …………………………………………………………………….

1. Present Perfect: I …………………………………………………………………………
2. Past Perfect: I …………………………………………………………………………….

1. Future Perfect: I …………………………………………………………………………..

1. Present Perfect Continuous: I ……………………………………………………………..

1. Past Perfect Continuous: I ………………………………………………………………...

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 1466