PAST PERFECT SIMPLE AND PAST

PERFECT CONTINUOUS
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BY ANDRÉS QUIÑONES, PABLO MONTEJO

AND NICOLÁS PEÑA
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Past Perfect Simple

 We use Past Perfect Simple for an
action that happened before another
action or a specific time in the past.
Then the first action is put in Past
Perfect Simple and the second action
in past simple, usually.
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Past Perfect Simple

 FORM: SUBJECT + HAD + PAST
PARTICIPLE
 AFFIRMATIVE: SUBJECT + HAD + PAST
PARTICIPLE
 NEGATIVE: SUBJECT + HADN'T + PAST
PARTICIPLE
 INTERROGATIVE: HAD + SUBJECT +
PAST PARTICIPLE
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TIME EXPRESSIONS AND
EXAMPLES 
 TIME EXPRESSIONS:
 By 6 o' clock, the concert had
 By the time/ when/ before
already started.
+Past Simple
 After he had saved the file,
 By: specific time
the computer turned off.
 After: as soon as
 Until they finished with their
 Until homework, they went outside.
 Still + negative  Still I haven't found the way to
go through the yard.
 Past Perfect Continuous
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1. We use Past Perfect Continuous to refer the emphazise of an action that was

happening before another action or a specific time in the past. 

Example:

 He had been reading different kinds of books since morning.

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Past Perfect Continuous
§ 2. It is also used to emphasize the duration of an action that progress
ed, then ended and left a visible result in the past.

§ Example:
§
He was tired because he had been doing exercise since 7 am
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Past Perfect Continuous FORM

 Form --> SUBJECT + HAD + BEEN + VERB – ING

 Afirmattive --> I / You / He / She / It / We / They + had + been + writing.

 Interrogative -->  Had + I / You / He / She / It / We / They + been + writing?

 Negative --> I / You / He / She / It / We / They + had not + been + writing

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Past Perfect Continuous FORM pt2
 Yes/No questions --> Had + I / You / He / She / It / We / They + been + sleeping?

 (Short answers) --->

 Yes, I / You / He / She / It / We / They + Had
 No, I / You / He / She / It / We / They + Hadn´t 

 Wh- Questions --> How long + had + I / You / He / She / It / We / They + been +

sleeping? 

 Subject Questions --> Who + had + been + sleeping? 

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Time Expressions

For / Since / all night / day / week/ year...

By the time / when / before + Past Simple

After / by (+specific time) / How long...

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Some Spelling Tips

 Keep in mind the continous forms of some verbs like:

 Examples: 

 Study --> Studying

 Run --> Running 

 Lie --> Lying

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Past Perfect Simple vs Past Perfect
Continuous
We use Past We use Past Perfect
Perfect Simple: Continuous:
 To talk about finished  To talk about actions, but
actions. NOT states. We stress
 To talk about states the duration of the action
using stative verbs rather than the result.
(like be, have, know,
see, believe)
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Past Perfect Simple:
 After Sofie had finished her
work, she went to lunch.
 I washed the floor when
the painter had gone.
 Harold had known about it
for a while.
Examples
Past Perfect Continuous:
 He had been drinking milk
out the carton when Mom
walked into the kitchen.
 I had been working at the
company for five years when
I got the promotion.
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Keep this in mind!

When we use time expressions such as before or

after, we DO NOT need to use the Past Perfect
Simple or Past Perfect Continuous, because the
order of the events is clear.

Example:
 The children went to sleep before we came.
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References

 FOCUS 4 Student´s Book 2nd Edition Pearson

 https://www.slideshare.net/katerinan1/past-perfect-simplecontinu
ous

 Past perfect simple and past perfect continuous | Learn and Pract
ise Grammar (oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dBgLDlsj9I

 Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Learn English (lear

ngrammar.net)

 https://www.grammarly.com/blog/past-perfect-continuous-tense/

 https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/the
-past-perfect-simple-tense/
 THANK YOU
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THANK YOU