THE PAST PERFCT TENSE
FORM
The PAST PERFECT tense is formed with HAD and the PAST PARTICIPLE. Put the verbs in brackets into the PAST PERFECT tense. The first sentences is the model.
1. At last she showed me the letter he had written.
2. I knew that as a girl she (live) in the country.
3. I was going round to see Helen after dinner. I (arrange) this visit the day before.
4. The last member of the party was Peter, whom. George (know)for some time.
5. Frank was half an hour late and he asked what we (eat) because he wanted to order the same.
6. She knew that he would speak till they (reach) their house.
7. When he (find) the photo, I took the album back to the shelf.
8. He read what I (write) on the back of the photo twenty years before.
1.151. Put the verbs in brackets into the PAST PERFECT negative
1. Although I (not put) any salt in the stew, it tasted delicious.
Although I had not put any salt in the stew, it tasted delicious.
2. Grandma was a little tired yesterday evening because she (not lie down) for her usual afternoon nap.
3. Since I (not have) time to go shopping all the week the refrigerator was empty on Sunday morning.
4. The show (not begin) yet when we arrived at the theatre.
5. George was very hungry because he (not have) anything to eat all day.
6. Paula said she (not see) him since 1975.
7. After dinner Mr. Brad proposed a game of chess. He (not play) since his illness.
8. When Robert got to the café a little late, Angela (not arrive) yet.
1.152. The PAST PERFECT is "the past equivalent of the PRESENT PERFECT. It indicates an action in the past that happened before a past moment or before another action in the past.
Situation: Christine had a lot to do on Saturday morning:
1. First she aired the rooms.
2. Next she made the beds.
3. Then she cleaned the house.
4. After that he dusted the furniture.
5. Then she had a quick breakfast.
6. After that she did the washing up.
7. After that she went to the hairdresser.
8. Then she bought some food.
9. After that she made phone calls.
10. Finally, she cooked lunch and laid the table in the dining room. At two o'clock everything was ready.
Say what Christine had done by two o'clock
1. By two o'clock, Christine had aired the rooms.
2. By two o'clock, Christine..
1.153. Read each sentence below. Say what happened FIRST and what happened NEXT.
1. When the Titanic hit an iceberg, the passengers had just gone to bed.
FIRST the passengers went to bed. NEXT (THEN) the ship hit an iceberg.
2. When the Titanic hit
an iceberg in 1912 it had just started its first trip across the
3. The ship sank four hours after it had hit the iceberg.
4. The Carpathia arrived two hours after the Titanic had sunk, and it saved 700 people.
5. Some of those people had been in the icy water for hours when they were saved.
6. 1500 people had already lost their lives when the Carpathia arrived.
7. The passengers had not practised lifeboat drill when the accident happened.
8. They had not received their lifeboat numbers yet when the ship hit the iceberg.
9. The radio officer on the Californian had just gone to bed when the ship struck the iceberg.
10. He had already sent a warning to the officers of the Titanic when be went to bed.
11. The ship had not changed its direction or speed when it hit the iceberg.
12. When the passengers left the ship, they had not dressed warmly.
(after P. Wilcox Peterson)
1.154. Put the verbs in brackets into the PAST PERFECT tense to show a past action completed before another past action.
1. When the Titanic hit the iceberg...
.the passengers (not receive yet their lifeboat numbers.
.the passengers (not practise yet) lifeboat drill.
....the passengers (not dress) warmly.
2. when the accident happened.
The ship (already, receive) six
ice warnings on its radio...
However it (not change) its direction or its speed.
The radio officer (just, go) to bed...
3. When the Carpathia arrived..
.the Titanic (already, go)down.
.the people (be) in the water for hours.
.many people (already, lose) their lives.
1.155. JUST, ALREADY, HARDLY, SCARCELY are often used with the PAST PERFECT to indicate a past action completed immediately before another past action
Put the adverbs in brackets in the right place in the sentence.
1. I had got into bed when someone knocked at the door. (just)
I had JUST got into bed when someone knocked at the door.
2. When I opened the door, the person had left. (already)
3. I had pulled the covers over me when the phone rang. (scarcely).
4. I had finished my dinner when a friend called on me. (just)
5. Grandma had got out of bed when the earthquake suddenly occurred. She got right back in again. (hardly)
6. After only half an hour of shopping I had run out of money.(already)
7. When I first met the famous writer his tenth novel had come out. (just)
1.156.* Fill in the blanks with THAN or WHEN as appropriate. (The first two sentences are the model). Use these constructions to show the difference in time between the clauses: the first is previous to the second
1. No sooner had the curtain fallen than they rose to go
Scarcely (Hardly, Barely) had he had enough time to examine the room when the landlady came back.
certain adverbs and adverb phrases (e.g. hardly, scarcely, no sooner, not only) are followed by inversion of subject and verb when they are used at the beginning of the sentence. They can also be used in other parts of the sentence without inversion. e.g. Hardly had Edward left the house when the letter came.
(emphatic, rhetorical construction)
Edward had hardly left the house when the letter came. (ordinary conversational English)]
2. Hardly had they come out of the house. it started to rain.
3. He had barely arrived in
4. No sooner had they got into the house... the telephone rang.
5. Hardly had he asked his questions. she answered them.
7. No sooner had the band begun to play... he went away.
8. He had scarcely taken his hat off... she began to read the letter.
1.157. Answer the questions below using the words in brackets.
1. Did Sandra have to start work as soon as she had come in? (a. scarcely; b. no sooner)
a. Scarcely had Sandra come in when she had to start work.
b. No sooner had Sandra come in than she had to start work.
2. Did Tony have to go out as soon as he'd got home? (hardly)
3. Did Robert change his job as soon as he'd been promoted? (no sooner)
4. Did the phone ring as soon as Richard had sat down? (scarcely)
5. Did Roger get a reminder after he'd paid the bill? (no sooner)
6. Did the horse throw its jockey as soon as the race had started? (hardly)
1.158. It is obligatory to use the PAST PERFECT after WHEN to show ANTERIORITY. (AFTER, however, may be followed by the PAST PERFECT or the PAST TENSE)
Read the sentences below and say whether the two events happened AT THE SAME TIME or AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
1. The officer went to bed when he was tired. AT THE SAME TIME
2. He had gone to bed when the accident happened. AT DIFFERENT TIMES
3. The officer hadn't changed the Titanic's speed when he saw the iceberg.
4. The officer changed direction when he saw the iceberg.
5. He couldn't change direction quickly enough when the iceberg came in sight.
6. When the passengers tried to leave the ship, they were not able to get into lifeboats.
7. When they left the ship, they had not dressed warmly.
8. Only 600 people had got into lifeboats when the Titanic sank.
9. The Titanic had already gone down when the Carpathia arrived.
10. When the Carpathia arrived, it saved 700 people.
11. The officer hadn't believed in the danger when they heard the ice warnings.
12. They believed in the danger when they saw the iceberg.
1.159. Two past actions can also be combined with TILL, UNTIL, AS SOON AS, BEFORE. The SIMPLE PAST is used except when it is necessary to emphasize that the first action was completely finished before the second one is started
Situation: Tom and Dan are discussing a party. Tom arrived very late for the party and missed a lot of exciting things.
Put in Dan's replies. Use the PAST PERFECT to emphasize that an event happened before another past event.
1. Tom: I didn't hear Paul propose the toast.
Dan: I think he had proposed it before you arrived.
2. I didn't hear Helen make her speech.
3. I didn't see the guests drink champagne.
4. I didn't notice the hostess light the candles.
5. I didn't see her cut the birthday cake.
6. I didn't hear guest sing "Happy Birthday to You!"
7. I didn't see Susan dance rock-and-roll.
1.160. Connect the following sentence using UNTIL. Use the SIMPLE PAST and the PAST PERFECT as appropriate.
1. The phone rang twice. Then Susan answered it.
Susan didn't answer the phone until it had rung twice.
2. The teacher corrected all the compositions. Then he went home.
3. The bell rang. Then the pupils entered the classroom.
4. Mother did all the housework. Then she sat down.
5.
6. The students answered all the questions. Then they left the examination room.
7. The sun set. The farmers stopped working.
1.161. Make questions and answers about the following statements. Use the PAST PERFECT to describe the cause of a past effect.
1. Simon threw a stone at the window so it broke.
Tom: Why did the window break?
Ann: Because Simon had thrown a stone at it.
2. I lost the key so I couldn't get in.
3. Paul had a nightmare so he woke up.
4. They passed their exams so they held a party.
5. Angela started late so she missed the train.
6. Michael overworked so he fell tired.
7. John ate some bad fish so he was sick.
8. The boy won a scholarship so his parents were proud of him.
1.162. The PAST PERFECT is used with FOR when FOR indicates a period preceding a point of time in the past. Answer the questions below as shown in the first example.
1. Ann. How long have the Bartons owned their flat?
Tom: Well, they'd owned it for years when I first met them.
2. How long has Mrs. Barton worn glasses?
3. How long has Mr. Barton taught at our school?
4. How long have the Bartons been married?
5. How long have they known the headmaster?
6. How long has Mr. Barton wanted a car?
7. How long has Mrs. Barton been ill?
1.163. Put the following sentences into the past.
1. The newspaper reports that there have been several bad storms.
The newspaper reported that there had been several bad storms.
2. We suspect, that our neighbours had heard the news already.
3. I can't remember what my teacher said about that sentence.
4. I know my friends, haven't received any letters from Laura.
5. Peter says he forgot to buy a new notebook last week.
6. I assume that you have had no difficulty with that lesson.
7. The message indicates he returned from his trip two days ago.
8. Eliza wants to know when the guests arrived.
SIMPLE PAST OR PAST PERFECT?
1.164.* Put the verbs in brackets into the SIMPLE PAST or PAST PERFECT tense.
1. Almost all the guests (leave) by the time we (arrive).
Almost all the guests had left by the time we arrived.
2. Mr. Brad (wonder) whether he (leave) his wallet at home.
3. The secretary (not leave) until she (finish) her work.
4. The couple (scarcely, enter) the house when they (begin) to argue.
5. The teacher (ask) the boy why he (not do) his homework.
6. Martha (already, post) the letter when she (realize) she (send) it to the wrong address.
7. The car (hardly, go) a mile when it (have) a flat tyre.
8. The weather (be) far worse than we (expect).
9. They (be) married for five years when they finally (have) a child.
10. They (no sooner, sell) their car than they (regret) having done so.
11. When she (finish) her work, she (go) to the cinema.
1.165.A. Read the following excerpt from The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde, paying attention to the use of the PAST PERFECT TENSE.
B. Translate the text into Romanian.
One night there flew over
the city a little Swallow. His friends had gone away to
"Shall I love you?" said the Swallow, who liked to come to the point at once. The Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round her, touching the water with his wings. This lasted all through the summer.
"How foolish he is," said the other Swallows; "she has no money and far too many relations." And indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came, they all flew away.
After they had gone he felt lonely, and began to grow tired of the Reed. "She has no conversation," he said. "And besides she is always bowing to the wind. Then she likes to stay at home, and I love traveling. My wife should love traveling also."
"Will you come away with me?" he said finally to her; but the Reed shook her head, she loved her home too much.
"You have been playing with me," he said. "I'm going to the Pyramids. Good-bye!" And he flew away.
1.166. The PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS is formed with HAD BEEN + the -ING form (present participle). Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs in the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS.
1. When he finished the project, he... on it for a year.
When he finished the project, he had been working on it for a year.
2. Since it... for more than a week, everything in the house felt damp.
3. The shop assistant's feet were aching because he... for more than eight hours.
4. Michael. for his girl-friend for half an hour when she finally turned up.
5. When we reached the summit we... for nearly nine hours.
6. She... as a teacher for thirty years when she retired.
1.167.* Put the verbs in brackets into the PAST PERFECT SIMPLE or CONTINUOUS, the INTERROGATIVE form.
1. "Who (already, arrive) when you got to school yesterday morning?" "Only Dan and Maria."
Who had already arrived when you got to school yesterday morning?
2. "How long (Mrs. Barton, work) when she finally retired?" "Since 1950."
How long had Mrs. Barton been working when she finally retired?
3. "How many times (you, already, be) in Suceava when you went there last summer?" "At least twelve times."
4. "How long (he, work) on the sculpture when he finally finished it?" "For at least one year."
5. "(you, just, get) into the shower when I rang you last night night?" "Yes, I had."
6. "When you bought your car three years ago (you, ever, have) a car before?" "No, I hadn't."
7. How long (they, go out) together before they finally got married?" "Quite a while."
8. "How many children ( your mother, already, have) when she had you?" "None."
9. "How long (your father, smoke) when he finally decided to give the habit up?" "For more than twenty year."
10. "Who (already, leave) the house when you got up this morning?" "No one."
1.168.* The PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS is used to emphasize the continuous or recent nature of an earlier past action
Put the verbs in brackets into the PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOS or the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS. The first two sentences are the model.
[* An expression of time beginning with FOR / SINCE often accompanies the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS to help emphasize the DURATION of an activity that was in progress before the start of another activity or period in the past.
The patient had been waiting in the emergency room for only five minutes when the doctor came in.
Paul finally came at seven o'clock. I had been waiting for him since half past five.]
1. It is midnight. I have been studying for five hours. No wonder I'm getting tired.
2. It was midnight. I had been studying for five hours. No wonder I was getting tired.
3. At least one hundred people were queuing to buy tickets to the game. Some of them (stand) in the queue for more than two hours. We decided not to try to get tickets for ourselves.
4. Wake up! You (sleep) long enough. It's time to' get up.
5. The baby is crying. She (cry) for or almost ten minutes. I wonder what's wrong.
6. The telephone (ring) for almost a minute when I got into the room. I wondered why nobody had answered it.
7. Just look at the time. We (sit) here gossiping for almost two hours and I haven't begun to think about our evening meal yet.
8. We (write) for forty-five minutes when the bell rang. Then we stopped writing and handed our papers in.
1.169. The PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS may also indicate a previous action whose result was obvious at a certain past moment
Answer the questions below using the prompts given.
1. Tom: Why was the grass wet? (rain).
Ann: Because it had been raining
2. Why did your feet ache last night? (wear tight shoes)
3. Why was Victor wearing shorts? (play tennis)
4. Why were grandpa's hands dirty? (garden)
5. Why were Simon's trousers torn? (climb trees)
6. Why had you got indigestion? (eat too-fast)
7. Why were your children exhausted? (travel all day)
1.170. Put the following into indirect speech. Note that both the PAST TENSE and the PRESENT PERFECT change into the PAST PERFECT.
1. Victor said, "I started doing my homework two hours ago. I have been writing for two hours."
Victor said he had started doing his homework two hours before. He said he had been writing for two hours.
2. Victor said, "I spent two hours working on one problem."
3. He added, "I didn't solve it. I gave up."
4. Adrian said, "I have been working on that problem for an hour."
5. He added,' "I' haven't given up yet."
6. He. said, "I have just thought of a new approach."
7. "Mr. Smith asked" Mr. Parker, "Did you see my boss before you left London?"
8. Mr. Parker replied, "I saw him the day before I left."
9. Mr. Smith asked, "Did you enjoy your trip?"
10. Mr. Parker replied, 'Not very much."
1.171. The PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS is only used when you mention the PERIOD of the action, NOT the NUMBER of TIMES something was done Use the prompts to make dialogues on the pattern:
1. Monica / watch TV / for an hour / 2 programmes
Tom: How long had Monica been watching TV by 10 o'clock?
Ann: She had been watching TV for an hour.
Tom: How many programmes had she watched by 10 o'clock?
Ann: She had watched two programmes.
2. the man / sell newspapers / for 10 minutes / 50 newspapers
3. secretary / type letters / for one hour / 6 letters
4. George / study English / for 4 hours / 2 lessons
5. The Grants / visit museums / for 3 hours / 2 museums
1.172.* Wherever possible, change the verbs to the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS. Keep in mind that the continuous form usually emphasizes DURATION.
1. Daniel said he had studied for several hours.
Daniel said he had been studying for several hours.
2. We had just sat down to dinner when the doorbell rang.
We had just sat down to dinner when the doorbell rang.
3. The children fought for some time before their mother separated them.
4. The store would not change her blouse because she had removed the price tag.
5. Michael said that he had tried to reach us by phone all day long.
6. They had lived in Bucharest for several years when I first met them.
7. The people who had bought the house next to ours painted it pink.
8. The Bartons had planned for a long time to move to the country.
1.173. Use the SIMPLE PAST, or PAST PERFECT form of the verbs in brackets to complete the sentence below.
1. Yesterday afternoon Monica (go) to the library and (return) the books she (read).
2. She (go) back home after she (borrow) another book.
3. As soon as she (have) dinner she (begin) to watch a film on television.
4. She (change) from Channel 2 to Channel 1 because she (already, see) the film on Channel 2.
5. After (watch) television for a while, she (feel) tired.
6. She (just, turn off) the set when the telephone (ring).
7. By the time she (answer) it, the person at the other end (hang up).
8. It was getting late, so she (decide) to go to bed.
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