a. When we are talking about the past, we sometimes want to refer back to an earlier past.
When I telephoned Sue, she had gone out.
We use the Past Perfect (eg she had gone out} to talk about something which had happened before the past time we are thinking about (eg when I telephoned).
More examples:
We arrived at the cinema at 8.00, but the film had started at 7.30.
When I spoke to the woman I realized I had met her somewhere before.
b. The Past Perfect is the past form of the Present Perfect. Compare:
Present Perfect Past Perfect
I haven't eaten all day today, I hadn't eaten all day yesterday,
so I'm very hungry now, so I was very hungry when I got home.
c. Compare the uses of the Past Perfect and Past Simple:
We got to the station at 8.00, We got to the station at 7.20
but the tram had left at 7.30. and the train left at 7.30.
When Sue arrived, we had When Sue arrived, we had dinner,
had dinner (We had dinner, (Sue arrived, then we had dinner.) then Sue arrived.)
a. When we are talking about the past, we sometimes want to refer back to an earlier past.
Dave had been driving for an hour when his car broke down.
We use the Past Perfect Continuous (eg Dave had been driving for an hour) to talk about something which had been in progress up to the past time we are talking about (eg when his car broke down).
More examples:
I'd been walking for about half an hour when it suddenly started to rain.
Mr Woods had been working for 50 years when he finally retired in 1985.
b. The Past Perfect Continuous is the past form of the Present Perfect Continuous.Compare:
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
I've been working hard all I'd been working hard all day, so
day, so I'm very tired now. I was very tired last night.
c. Compare the uses of the Past Perfect Continuous and the Past Continuous.
When I looked out of the When I looked out of the window,
window, it had been raining. it was raining. (= Rain was falling
(= It wasn't raining when I at the time I looked out.) looked out; it had stopped.)
Self check
1. Complete the sentences using the correct tense forms.
1. Mr and Mrs Davis were in an airplane. They were very nervous as the plane took off because they (never, fly) before.
2. "Why you (be) so angry when I (see) you yesterday?" "Oh, I (just, have) a big argument with my parents." 3.1 (try) contacting mypen pal when I (be) in the United States, but she (change) her address and no one (know) where she (move) to. 4.1 (stand) there for nearly half an hour when I (realize) I (be) at the wrong bus-
stop. 5. He (be) very nervous when he first (drive) in Britain because he (not, drive) on the left before. 6. When I (hear) his voice on the phone, I (know) I (speak) to him before. Then I (remember) I (already, meet) him. I also (remember) that I (not, like) him very much. 7. I'm really sorry I (be) so late last night. That's OK. We (not, wait) long. 8. Robert (move) from Manchester to London in 1988. How long he (live) in Manchester? 9. We (just, start) lunch when the telephone (ring). 10. Andrew was late for school yesterday. When he (get) to the classroom, the lesson (start). 11. They (wait) until everyone (be) ready and then they (start) the meeting. 12. (you, catch) the train yesterday? No, it (already, leave) when we (get) to the station. 13. Andrew (do) the test before, so he (find) it very easy. 14.1 (not, laugh) at the joke because I (hear) it before. 15. When I (find) my wallet I (discover) that somebody (take) the credit cards out of it. 16.1 (feel) cold because I (stand) outside for over two hours. 17.1 (play) tennis so I (feel) hot and sticky. 18. The children's hair was wet because they (swim) in the sea. 19.1 (not, feel) well for weeks before I finally (go) to see the doctor. 20. They (not, eat) when I (go) to see them. The) (just, finish) their dinner. 21.1 (invite) Ann to dinner last night bui she couldn't come. She (already, arrange) to do something else 22.1 was very pleased to see Nora again after such a long time. I (not, see) her for five years. 23. They (drive) for about half an hour when they (realize) they (be) lost. 24. The house (be) very quiet when I got home. Everybody (go) to bed. 25. There (be) a car by the side of the road. It (break) down and the driver (try) to repair it So we (stop) to see if we could help. 26. Jim was on his hands and knees on the floor. He (look) for his cigarette lighter. 27. We (walk) along the road for about 20 minutes when a car (stop) and the driver (offer) us a lift. 28. When I (arrive), everyone (sit) round the table with their mouths full. They (eat). 29. When I (arrive) Ann (wait) for me. She was rather annoyed with me because I (be) late and she (wait) for a long time. 30. Class (begin, already) by the time I (get) there, so I (take, quietly) a seat in the back. 31.1 (see, never) any of Picasso's paintings before I (visit) the art museum. 32. Yesterday at a restaurant, I (see) Pam Donnelly, an old friend of mine. I (see, not) her in years. At first, I (recognize, not) her because she (lose) at least fifty pounds. 33. It is midnight. I (study) for five straight hours. No wonder I'm getting tired. 34. It was midnight. I (study) for five straight hours. No wonder I was getting
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tired. 35. Wake up! You (sleep) long enough. It's time to get up. 36. At least two hundred people (wait) in line to buy tickets to the game. Some of them (stand) in line for more than four hours. We (decide) not to try to get tickets for ourselves. 37. He (be) a newspaper reporter before he (become) a businessman. 38.1 (feel) a little better after I (take) the medicine. 39. It (rain) hard, but by the time the class (be) over, the rain (stop). 40. Ann (listen) to loud rock music when her friends (arrive) but (turn) it off so all of them could study together. When they (finish), she (turn) it back on, and they (dance) and (sing) for two hours now. 41. Oscar (train) for the Olympics for the last three years and wants to make the national team next year. 42. Tom had a hard time finding a job. He (try) to get a new job for six months before he finally (find) a position at a local community college. Now he has a two-year contract. He (teach) there for only a few weeks, but he likes his job very much. 43. The marathon runner (run) for almost two hours when she (collapse) to the pavement. She (receive) immediate medical attention. 44. We (wait) for Nancy for the last two hours, but she still (arrive, not). 45. He (give) me back the book, (thank) me for lending it to him and (say) that he (enjoy) it very much; but I (know) that he (not read) it because most of the pages (be) still uncut. 46. When he (see) his wife off at the station, he (return) home as he (not have) to be at the airport till 9.30. He (not have) to pack, for his wife already (do) that for him and his case (be) ready in the hall. He (not have) to check the doors and windows either, for his wife always (do) that before she (leave) the house. All he (have) to do (be) to decide whether or not to take his overcoat with him. In the end he (decide) not to. At 8.30 he (pick) up his case, (go) out of the house and (slam) the door behind him. Then he (feel) in his pockets for the key, for his wife (remind) him to double-lock the front door. When he (search) all his pockets and (find) no key he (remember) where it (be). He (leave) it in his overcoat pocket. Then he (remember) something else; his passport and ticket (be) in his overcoat as well. 47. When the old lady (return) to her flat she (see) at once that burglars (break) in during her absence, because the front door (be) open and everything in the flat (be) upside down. The burglars themselves (be) no longer there, but they probably Just (leave) because a cigarette still (burn) on the table. Probably 'hey (hear) the lift coming up and (run) down the fire escape. They (help) themselves to her whisky too but there (be) a little left, so
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she (pour) herself out a drink. She (wonder) if they (find) her jewellery and rather (hope) they had. The jewellery (be given) her by her husband, who (die) some years before. Since his death she (not have) the heart to wear it, yet she (not like) to sell it. Now it (seem) that fate (take) the matter out of her hands; and certainly the insurance money would come in handy. 48.1 (put) the £5 note into one of my books; but next day it (take) me ages to find it because I (forget) which book I (put) it into. 49. A woman (come) in with a baby, who she (say) just (swallow) a safety pin. 50. I (think) my train (leave) at 14.33, and (be) very disappointed when I (arrive) at 14.30 and (learn) that it just (leave). I (find) later that I (use) an out-of-date timetable. 51. He (park) his car under a No Parking sign and (rush) into the shop. When he (come) out of the shop ten minutes later the car (be) no longer there. He (wonder) if someone (steal) it or the police (drive) it away. 52. When I (open) the door I (see) a man on his knees. He clearly (listen) to our conversation and I (wonder) how much he (hear). When I (ask) him what he (do), he (say) that he (drop) a 50p piece outside the door and (look) for it.
II. Translate from Russian into English.
1. , . , 9 . 2. . . 3. . . , . 4. , , . 5. , , . 6. ? , . . 7. ; , . 8. . . 9. , , . 10. , . 11. , . 12. , , . 13. , . 14.
, . 15. . , , . 16. , . . . 17. , . 18. , . 19. , , . 20. . . 21. 5 . . , . , . 22. , . 23. , , . 24. . , .
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Fluency
