PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

WORKS HE E TS , ACT I VI T I E S & GAME S Past Perfect Continuous

The past perfect continuous (progressive) tense is used to show that an action began
in the past and continued up to another point in the past.

The past perfect continuous structure: had (not) + been + verb-ing

Example: He had been waiting for the train for 30 minutes by the time it arrived.

To form a question in the past perfect continuous, invert the subject and auxiliary verb.

Example: Had he been waiting for the train for 30 minutes by the time it arrived?

A. Complete the past perfect continuous sentences using the verbs in brackets.

1. Sarah .............................. (play) the guitar for 3 years before she first performed on stage.

2. They .............................. (exercise) outside when there was a sudden storm which made
them run for cover.

3. We .............................. (wait) 45 minutes for the bus before it finally arrived.

4. I was exhausted because I .............................. (concentrate) since 7 a.m.

5. As he .............................. (study) hard for the whole term, Zach was sure to pass the exam.

6. We both got in trouble because I .............................. (help) her with her homework the
whole time.

7. Because of the recent heat wave, the plants .............................. (wilt).

8. I .............................. (work) for 5 months when my boss promoted me to supervisor.

9. They .............................. (decorate) the new house for hours and it was time to have a break.

10. I .............................. (not feel) worried about the presentation until I saw the audience.

B. Each past perfect continuous sentence below contains an error. Correct the mistakes.

1. We has been travelling around Europe for 4 weeks and had already visited 5 countries.

2. The authorities had been searched for him for 3 years before they finally caught him.

3. How long had he be waiting for her before she showed up?

4. I had been not sitting down for very long before I was called into the office.

5. My family and I had living in England for 15 years before we moved to the United States.

6. The man left the room after he had was talking on the phone for over an hour.

7. I hope they had not being standing out on the street for long.

8. Had she been cooked in the kitchen all afternoon or had she taken a break?

Teach-This.com © 2021 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

 www.perfect-english-grammar.com
Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous

Choose the past perfect, or the past perfect continuous

1. When we arrived the film ________________________________ (start).

2. She ________________________________ (work) in that company for
twenty years when she was made redundant.
3. I felt ill because I ________________________________ (drink) six cups of
coffee.
4. I ________________________________ (study) all day, so I was tired.
5. How long ________________________________ (you / live) in London
when your daughter was born?
6. When I arrived at the airport I realised I
________________________________ (forget) my passport.
7. I ________________________________ (break) my ankle, so I couldn’t go
skiing last year.
8. She ________________________________ (study) English for three years
when she took the exam.
9. I ________________________________ (run), so I was hot and tired.
10. I didn’t go to the class because I ________________________________ (not /
do) my homework.

© 2008 www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
 Adjectives finished in –ed are used to describe
feelings and emotions. They have a passive meaning,
referring to someone or something receiving a
certain action.

Adjectives finished in –ing are used for things and

situations. They have an active meaning, describing
someone or something performing a certain action.

I have just bought a singing parrot. It is so fascinating. I am fascinated by my parrot.

Music interests me a lot. I am interested in music. Music is interesting to me.

Read the following sentences and choose the best adjective to complete the blanks:

1. What an … situation! Are they always having a fight 11. Your last remark was very …, John, you know you
about every little thing? are wrong, aren’t you?
a. annoyed a. insulted
b. annoying b. insulting
2. I was extremely … to see that the baby knew how to 12. Sarah was … in painting when she was 15.
handle a spoon. a. interested
a. amused b. interesting
b. amusing 13. The teacher seemed … when the principle
3. I am …. , I have stayed indoors for many days, let’s interrupted him yesterday.
go out and see a film. a. irritated
a. bored b. irritating
b. boring 14. Listen to this song, don’t you think it is …? It
4. The book was so … that I didn’t have any patience belongs to Claude Barzotti.
and finished it last night. a. relaxed
a. captivated b. relaxing
b. captivating 15. My parents have always been … with my results at
5. You are … because you haven’t been explained what school.
had really happened there. a. satisfied
a. confused b. satisfying
b. confusing 16. The girl was … when her brother tore away the head
6. I am more than …, I am extremely worried, why of her favourite doll.
aren’t they calling us? a. shocked
a. concerned b. shocking
b. concerning 17. I am … you managed to come, you said you were
7. It is …, how can he possibly eat snakes? busy when I called.
a. disgusted a. surprised
b. disgusting b. surprising
8. Seeing them there was too … for me, I should have 18. It is … to see how many people are killed in car
listened to your advice. accidents every day.
a. depressed a. terrified
b. depressing b. terrifying
9. All the children were … to go to the Village Museum 19. You must be … , Joanna, have you ever met a VIP
last Sunday. before?
a. excited a. thrilled
b. exciting b. thrilling
10. Romania is a … country, have you ever visited it? 20. I had a very … day last Monday, going shopping and
You will certainly love it. looking for the best wedding dress.
a. fascinated a. tired
b. fascinating b. tiring
 B1 Adjectives ending in -ED and -ING AD006

Choose the correct adjective form for each blank.

1. Halloween was probably the most _______________ film I have ever seen
(FRIGHTENED / FRIGHTENING ).

2. I always get so _______________ when my dad starts speaking English (EMBARRASSED

/ EMBARRASSING).

3. I am _______________ to see how well he gets along with his stepfather. (SURPRISED
/SURPRISING)

4. The lesson was so _______________ that I fell asleep (BORED / BORING).

5. As the big day came closer, my sister became _______________ nervous (INCREASED /
INCREASINGLY).

6. You've been walking for 5 hours. You must feel _______________ (EXHAUSTED /
EXHAUSTING).

7. I was _______________ when I saw him in that outfit for the first time. (FRIGHTENED
/FRIGHTENING)

8. I didn't like the film. The plot was rather simple and _______________ . (UNINTERESTED
/ UNINTERESTING)

9. It's _______________ to see how many people didn't care to vote in the last election .
(SURPRISED / SURPRISING)

10. You look a bit _______________ . Don't you know what you're supposed to do ?
(CONFUSED / CONFUSING)

11. I saw that my boss was very _______________ with how I behaved . (ANNOYED /
ANNOYING)

12. They were all very _______________ by the performance of the actors. (IMPRESSED /
IMPRESSING)

13. The school trip was really _______________ . I learned a lot of things I hadn't known
before . (EXCITED / EXCITING)

14. It was _______________ to have met such a great movie star. (THRILLED / THRILLING)

15. We were _______________ when we found out that his sister was on the plane that
went missing. (WORRIED / WORRYING)

worksheets.english-grammar.at
7 INSPIRED 2

Grammar EXTRA! Worksheet 2

Participial adjectives ending in -ed / -ing

1 Circle the correct word.
RAMÓN Wow! This is really (1) interested / interesting.
ALEX I don’t think so. I’m (2) bored / boring.
EMMA Come on you two! Let’s go and see the fish.
RAMÓN Fish?
EMMA Yes, fish. There are some really (3) surprised / surprising ones.
RAMÓN How can a fish be (4) surprised / surprising?
EMMA Trust me! You’ll find it absolutely (5) fascinated / fascinating.
[A little later]
RAMÓN That was (6) amazed / amazing.
ALEX Yes, it was. I was (7) fascinated / fascinating by all the different colors and shapes.
RAMÓN I want to go look at the dinosaurs.
ALEX Yes, that will be (8) excited / exciting.
EMMA You guys go. I’m going to have a drink in the café. I’m really (9) tired / tiring.
ALEX OK. See you later.

2 Complete the sentences with the correct adjective form of the words in parentheses.
1 The earthquake exhibit is really (excite)
2 I was (fascinate) by the fish.
3 Yes, they were (amaze).
4 Jay was (frighten) of the snakes.
5 I didn’t find that very (interest).
6 That was the most (frighten) thing I’ve ever done!
7 What’s wrong? You look so (bore).

3 Complete the questions with the correct adjective form of 4 Answer the questions in exercise 3 about you.
the words in parentheses.

1 Are you (interest) in human biology?

2 When do you feel (bore)?
3 What do you find (fascinate)?
4 Have you ever been (amaze) by something?
5 What are you (frighten) of?
6 Do you think science is (excite)?
7 Does walking make you feel (tire)?

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/inspiration

© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
2