This document provides instruction on using the past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses in English. It begins with an agenda that outlines discussing the definition, structure, exercises, and checking for understanding of each tense. For the past perfect, the definition is provided that it expresses an action that occurred before another past action. Structure and example sentences are given. For the past perfect continuous, the definition is that it indicates a continuous action that was completed in the past. Again, structure and example sentences are provided. The remainder of the document consists of exercises for learners to practice forming sentences in each tense. Homework includes studying for an exam and completing an assignment.

1. Past Perfect &
Past Perfect Continuous
March 11, 2016

2. Friendly
Reminders
Next Wednesday, March
15
WW Assessment 20%
Next Friday, March 18
Exam 80%
Finish TMM ASAP

3. Objective
Practice
1. Past perfect
2. Past perfect continuous

4. PAST PERFECT
PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
50 minutes
CHECK FOR
UNDERSTANDING
50 minutes 10 mins
Agenda

5. PAST PERFECT

6. DEFINITION: The past perfect expresses the
idea that something occurred before another
action in the past.

7. structure
had + past participle
-----
usually followed by past simple

9. 4 steps
to master the present perfect

10. 1. Normal
STRUCTURE
HAD + PAST TENSE VERB
EXERCISE A
1. When I arrived at the cinema the film had started.
2. _____________________
EXERCISE B
1. She had gone out

11. 2. Interrogative
Create at least 5 questions based on prompts.
1. The Internet was invented in 1973.
question structure
Had + subject + been + verb + when + a date
Q1. Had the Internet been invented when you were born?

12. 3. Negative
Respond to the previous five historical events with things that
had not happened yet.
structure
had not + been + past tense verb
hadn’t
1. The Internet hadn’t been invented when I was born.

13. 4. Short
● Great for answers to questions
structure
yes or no, + pronoun + had or had not
● Questions:
Had the iPhone been invented when you were born?
Answer:
No, it hadn’t.
● Your turn: Take turns asking each other questions in
pairs and answer with short answer.

14. PAST PERFECT
CONTINUOUS

15. ● The past perfect
continuous
indicates a
continuous
action that was
completed at
some point in the
past
DEFINITION

16. structure
had + been + verb+ing
-----
usually followed by the past simple

17. Exercise A
1. Normal
A- Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect
continuous.
1. I had lived (live) in Portugal for two years when the
revolution broke out.
2. Her parents found out that she __________(hide)
the truth.

18. Exercise B
A- Write sentences in the past perfect continuous
form.
1. She looked upset. ( her daughter /cry/for hours)
Her daughter had been crying for hours.
2. He had a fever. (he/walk/in the rain)
________________________________________________
________________________

19. A- Write sentences in the past perfect continuous form.
3. Claire got burnt. (she/use/the oven)
________________________________________________________________________
4. The firefighters were exhausted. (they/ fight/ that fire/for hours.
________________________________________________________________________
5. She got the first prize. (she / practise / every day / for weeks)
________________________________________________________________________
6. Jane was very angry. (she and her boyfriend /quarrel)
________________________________________________________________________
7. They called the police. (someone / watch / their house).
________________________________________________________________________
8. We felt distant. ( we / argue / a lot)
________________________________________________________________________
9. Everybody was afraid. (the wind / blow/ very hard / and the waves were enormous)
________________________________________________________________________

20. interrogative
WRITE 5 questions in the PCC to ask their partner.
Example: Had you been drinking the water in Cartagena when
you got sick? (eating, drinking, exercising, etc.)
1.

21. Negatives
Your partner will ask you their questions. You will respond,
preferably in the negative.
Example: No I had not been drinking the water in Cartagena
when I got sick.
1.

22. Check for understanding
On a fresh ½ sheet of paper write:
1. one question in the past perfect interrogative
2. one sentence in the past perfect continuous
Include the past simple in both answers.

23. Homework
Study for the War of the Worlds exam,
which will be next Wednesday.
Complete TMM