Unit 4

Lesson 2
Past Perfect Simple
Vs
Past Perfect Continuous
 Past perfect simple
Subject + had + p.p.
* We use the Past Perfect Simple to
talk about:
>Something that happened in the past
before another action in the past.
For the action that happened first we
use the Past Perfect Simple and we use
the Past Simple for the second action.
>The fire had gone when the firemen
arrived.
Key words:
Before – By (a time or date) – just –
already – after –
as soon as –when –
by the time – never.
Past perfect continuous
Subject + had + been +v.ing
*We use the Past Perfect Continuous to
talk about:
>One action in the past lasted a long
time before another past action.
I had been working at that company for
years before I moved to the city.
> We use the Past Perfect Continuous
to emphasize how long the first action
was in progress or to show that we
don’t know whether the action was
completed or not
She had been cleaning the house, so she
was tired.
Key words:
All day / night / week - For years
For a long time - Since 2 o’clock /
yesterday
At the time
 Underline the correct word between brackets:
1. Dan (had taken – took – takes) the money after I had asked him to do so.
2. Joe finally came at six o’clock. I (waited – had waited – had been waiting) for him
since four-thirty.
3. We got the prize after we (won – had won- win) the competition.
4. Tom was exhausted because he (trained – had trained – had been training) all
day.
5. When Judy went home, her hair was still wet because she (swam – had swum –
had been swimming) for long.
6. I was bored because we (talked – had talked – had been talking) about the same
subject all day.
7. Mary had taken a shower before she (go – went – had gone) to the club.
8. (Had you posted – Did you post – Have you posted) the letter after you had
written it?
9. Before we arrived at the airport, the plane(took off – have taken off – had taken
off).
10. As soon as I had eaten my breakfast, I (had gone-have gone-went) to school.
11. My friend (had- have had –had had) a terrible stomachache after she had eaten
sushi.
 Rewrite the following sentences using the words in brackets:

1. He saved a lot of money and bought a car. (After)

After he had saved a lot of money, he bought a car.
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2.She
Shehad washed
washed the apple
the apple then, before she ate it.
she ate it. (before)
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As soon as Soha had had her lunch, she slept.
3. Soha didn’t sleep until she had had her dinner. (As soon as)
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I had been watching TV for 3 hours yesterday.
4. I watched TV yesterday. (for 3 hours yesterday)
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It had been raining all night yesterday.
5. It rained all night yesterday. (been)
 hadn’t slept

had read

had left

had just washed

hadn’t understood
 Had Christine stayed on a farm before?

Had your grandparents lived in Ireland before you were born?

Had they eaten all the ice cream before you arrived?

Had you just moved house when you met Sue?

Had you already replied to his email?

 had missed had been doing

hadn’t watched
hadn’t left had been training
had never been
hadn’t visited

had been travelling

hadn’t realised

had been walking

hadn’t seen

had never wanted