Past Perfect Simple& Continuous
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE FORMS. REGULAR VERBS
Affirmative (Positive) Negative
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I had worked I’d worked I had not worked I hadn’t worked
you had worked you'd worked you had not worked you hadn’t worked
he had worked he'd worked he had not worked he hadn’t worked
she had worked she'd worked she had not worked she hadn’t worked
it had worked it'd worked it had not worked it hadn’t worked
we had worked we'd worked we had not worked we hadn’t worked
they had worked they'd worked they had not worked they hadn’t worked
Question
Had I worked?
Had you worked?
Had he worked?
Had she worked?
Had it worked?
Had we worked?
Had they worked?
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE FORMS. IRREGULAR VERBS
Affirmative (Positive) Negative
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I had eaten I’d eaten I had not eaten I hadn’t eaten
you had eaten you'd eaten you had not eaten you hadn’t eaten
he had eaten he'd eaten he had not eaten he hadn’t eaten
she had eaten she'd eaten she had not eaten she hadn’t eaten
it had eaten it'd eaten it had not eaten it hadn’t eaten
we had eaten we'd eaten we had not eaten we hadn’t eaten
they had eaten they'd eaten they had not eaten they hadn’t eaten
Question
Had I eaten?
Had you eaten
Had he eaten?
Had she eaten?
Had it eaten?
Had we eaten?
Had they eaten?
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE USES
Actions previous to and affecting a By one o’clock he had cooked lunch.
nominated time in the past
To express sequence and relationship of past After she had done the washing, she had a cup
actions with a time marker of tea.
To show the sequence and relationship of He had got dressed before the post arrived
past actions
To show causal relationship between past I ran home because I had missed the train.
actions
In reported speech and after “if” If I had won a million dollars, I would have
travelled around the world.
He said he had been to Paris twice.
After “wish” to refer to a past wish that did I wish I had had a car when I was in college.
not come true
Grammar Practice. Past Perfect Simple
Exercise 1.
Complete these situations.
E.g. I was nervous as I sat in the car waiting for my driving instructor. (drive)
I had never driven before.
1. I was terrified as we waited for the plane. (fly)
.............................................
2. My knees were knocking as I stood up at the wedding. (give a speech)
.............................................
3. When I reached the top of the ski lift, I wanted to die. (ski)
.............................................
4. As I changed into my tennis things, I wished I’d never agreed to be Martin’s partner. (play
tennis)
.............................................
5. If only I had refused to go to the choir practice! (sing in public)
.............................................
Exercise 2.
Supply reasonable previous causes in the past for these consequences or results. Use the
Past Perfect and try to find more than one previous cause for each sentence. Use “as” and
“because” as connectors where necessary.
E.g. She knew how to bake a cake because…
a) her mother had taught her.
b) she had learned at school.
c) she had read about it in a book.
1. He gave his horse a lump of sugar…
2. She asked me to repeat my name…
3. We asked her to sing the song again…
4. They called the boy Moses…
5. Father tipped the waiter very well…
6. The man was out of breath…
7. I sent my watch to the watchmaker’s…
8. Our visitor was very tired…
9. It was very cold outside in the garden…
10. We gave the patient first aid…
11. We didn’t meet yesterday after all…
12. I couldn’t eat the food at lunchtime…
13. Peter didn’t know the answer to the question…
14. John looked very smart at his sister’s wedding…
15. The tramp had a three days’ beard…
16. The president arrived half an hour late…
17. We called a doctor…
18. Peter wasn’t very happy when we met him…
19. The Colonel had great experience of men…
20. The children were late for school…
Exercise 3.
Supply the Simple Past for the effect, consequence or result and the Past Perfect for the
previous cause.
1. They (spend) all their money and (not know) where to find any more.
2. We (finish) our work so we (sit) down to talk.
3. The sky (be) black for some time before the rain (begin) to fall.
4. I (give) you the work to do again because you (do)it badly.
5. When I (thank) my hostess I (leave) the house and (go) home.
6. Yesterday my wife (tell) me about a beautiful hat she (see) a few days earlier.
7. Dr. Brown (just return) so they (give) him the message.
8. One of his patients (break) his leg and (need) a doctor at once.
9. The doctor (hope) for a quiet night. He (feel) disappointed.
10. After the children (go) to bed the house (be) very quiet.
11. They always (live) in a small village and (not understand) the city people.
12. I (can’t) read because I (forget) to fetch my glasses.
13. Peter (have) dinner in town that evening as his wife (go) to visit her mother.
14. We (never be) in Athens before so we (want) to see the sights.
15. The child (lose) his money so he (cannot buy) sweets.
Exercise 4.
Supply the Simple Past to expresses the consequence or the Past Perfect to show previous
cause.
E.g. Peter (forget) to fill up with petrol so his car (stop) just outside the garage.
Peter had forgotten to fill up with petrol so his car stopped just outside the garage.
The policeman (put up) his hand and the traffic (stop).
The policeman put up his hand and the traffic stopped.
1. We (not eat) much for breakfast so we (feel) hungry at lunchtime.
2. John (not arrive) by seven thirty, so Mary (go) to the cinema alone.
3. Mr. Smith (misunderstand) the question because he (not hear) it well.
4. Professor Smith (heat) a metal bar and it (expand).
5. His firm (give) him a better position last year because he (earn) it.
6. As we (miss) the express from London we (travel) on a slow train.
7. Our host (introduce) me to Mrs. Brown whom I (not meet) before.
8. Peter (sunbathe) too long and (get) blisters on his back.
9. Mary (not be) abroad before so everything (seem) strange to her.
10. He (refuse) to see me because I (not write) for an appointment?
11. She (not go) out in the rain because she (not have) an umbrella.
12. He (become) angry when you (accuse) him for stealing?
13. As we (not have) notice of the General’s arrival, naturally we (not expect) him.
14. Something heavy (strike) me on the head and (knock) me out.
15. She (find out) for herself or … someone (tell) her?
16. Susan’s dinner (go) cold so Alan (warm) it up for her.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS FORMS
Affirmative (Positive) Negative
Long form Long form
I had been working I had not been working
you had been working you had not been working
he had been working he had not been working
she had been working she had not been working
it had been working it had not been working
we had been working we had not been working
they had been working they had not been working
Short form Short form
I’d been working I hadn’t been working
you’d been working
you hadn’t been working
he’d been working
he hadn’t been working
she’d been working
she hadn’t been working
it’d been working
it h hadn’t been working
we’d been working
we hadn’t been working
they’d been working
they hadn’t been working
Question
Had I been working?
Had you been working?
Had he been working?
Had she been working?
Had it been working?
Had we been working?
Had they been working?
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS USES
Relative to another past time and used with He was able to understand the film because he
a real or implied time marker. The action had been studying French at school.
took place in the time leading up to the
identified moment:
With a continuous action, which led up to a He had been cleaning the car for over an hour
past moment/action in time: before he realized it was the wrong one.
In reported speech, when the direct speech “I have been thinking about it.”
uses the present perfect continuous: He said he had been thinking about it
With verbs of thinking/feeling, it introduces I had been meaning to visit her. (I thought
an idea now abandoned, and suggests that many times about it, but now it’s too late)
the idea was repeatedly present in the mind:
Grammar Practice. Past Perfect Continuous
Exercise 1.
Fill in the blanks with the suitable form of the given verbs. Use the Past Perfect Continuous
and the Past Tense Simple.
E.g. The wind (blow) all night; that is why the house (look) so awful.
The wind had been blowing all night; that is why the house looked so awful.
1. He (live) for three years in that small village before he (move) to Bucharest.
2. I (wait) for him for an hour when the phone (ring).
3. Whatever (he/do) all that time?
4. Don’t you wonder what they (discuss) about before you (join) the meeting?
5. They (talk) for over an hour before Tony (arrive).
6. She (work) at that company for three years when it (go out) of business.
7. How long (you/ wait) when the bus (come)?
8. Mike (want) to sit down because he (stand) all day at work.
9. James (teach) at the university for more than a year before he (leave) for Asia.
10. A: How long (you/ study) French before you (move) to Lyon?
B: I (not study) French very long.
Exercise 2.
Fill in the blanks with the suitable form of the given verbs. Use the Past Perfect Simple or
the Past Perfect Continuous.
1. I (try) to get tickets for that concert for months, and I didn't want to miss it.
2. By the time we met, I (have) five cups of coffee and I (wait) over an hour.
3. How long (you/ wait) there before she arrived?
4. She (practice) for two years before she was able to put on a show.
5. He had to leave because he (arrange) to see his mother earlier.
6. When I got home, Kathy (leave, already).
7. She was really angry with her friend because she (wait) for more than half an hour for him to
come and pick her up.
8. He was tired because he (exercise) so hard.
9. When I retired, I (work) for that company for 30 years.
10. I (see) many pictures of the Eiffel Tower before I went to Paris.
11. He (sail) around the world by the time he turned twenty.
12. When I saw her eyes, I realized she (cry).
