Exercise 1. Make the following sentences interrogative and negative:
Student A: Student B:
1. He had been working there for many years.
2. It had been raining for 2 hours when I left home.
3. I had been reading for about an hour when he came.
4. She had been working for a long time when her brother came.
5. Her aunt had been living in Moscow for 5 years when the war began.
6. The boy felt very tired as he had been working in the garden.
Exercise 2. Open the brackets using the Past Perfect Progressive:
1. I was tired. I (to work) all day long.
2. The room was empty but there was a smell of cigarettes. Somebody (to smoke) in the room.
3. He turned to the girl who (to listen) to the conversation with interest.
4. We (to work) for 2 hours when Pete joined us.
5. It (to snow) heavily for 3 hours when we left the house.
6. She (to listen) to the music for 2 hours when her sister returned home.
7. I (to work) in this office since I returned from abroad.
8. My grandfather (to work) at a factory for 25 years before he retired.
9. They (to write) each other letters for 2 months.
Exercise 3. Make up the sentences complete combining the suitable parts from the right and left-hand columns:
1. They had been experimenting for a year 2. She had been studying Spanish for 3 years 3. We had been studying the Past Perfect Progressive for a week 4. She had been saving up money for 3 months 5. He had been writing little stories for some years 6. She had been working at school for 25 years | a. before she could buy a fur coat b. before they achieved important results c. before she became a pensioner d. before his first book came out e. before we wrote a test f. before she went to Spain as a tourist |
Exercise 4. Complete the questions and make up short dialogues:
1. How long had your family been living in Grodno before... (to move to Borisov)?
2. How long had they been saving money before... (to buy a new car)?
3. How long had she been discussing this question before... (to arrive at an agreement)?
4. How long had your brother been training before... (to set a record)?
5. How long had you been listening to this record before... (to understand every word)?
6. How long had you been waiting for your friend before... (to come)?
Exercise 5. Make up sentences with the Past Perfect Progressive:
Example: Mother / teach literature for 20 years / retire.
Mother had been teaching literature for 20 years before she retired
1. He / compose music for 2 years / become popular
2. Your friend / live in Vitebsk for 10 years / move to Minsk
3. He / work as an engineer for 7 years / become a good specialist
4. She / take this medicine for a week / recover
5. He / play chess for 5 years / become the world chess champion
6. They / date for 3 years / get married
Exercise 6. Translate into English:
1. Он казал, что работает с пяти часов. 2. Том играл в течение двух часов в тот момент, когда мама позвала его обедать. 3. Она чувствовала себя лучше, так как отдыхала весь вечер. 4. Он работает в банке с тех пор, как вернулся из Англии. 5. Я ждала в течение часа, прежде чем он позвонил. 6. Он учил английский с тех пор как поступил в университет. 7. Весь месяц мы готовились к экзамену. 8. Они сидели в классе в течение 15 минут, когда пришёл учитель. 9. Как долго ты учил это стихотворение, пока запомнил его?
Exercise 7. Open the brackets choosing between the Past Perfect Progressive and the Past Progressive:
1. When I arrived she (to wait) for me. But she was angry because she (to wait for a very long time.
2. John (to drive) the car when the accident happened.
3. The sky (cleared) though it (to rain) still.
4. That day the sun (to shine) since morning and the sky was blue.
5. The children looked tired. They (to walk) since early morning.
6. Jim was on his knees on the floor. He (to look) for his pen.