lý thuyết ngữ pháp và bài tập về thì quá khứ hoàn thành tiếp diễn

Past Perfect continous
We use the verb had and the past participle for the past perfect:
I had finished the work.
She had gone .
The past perfect continuous is formed with had been and the -ing form of the verb:
I had been finishing the work
She had been going.
The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers to a time in the past,
not the present.
We use the past perfect tense:
• for something that started in the past and continued up to a given time in the past:
When George died he and Anne had been married for nearly fifty years.
She didn’t want to move. She had lived in Liverpool all her life.
We normally use the past perfect continuous for this:
She didn’t want to move. She had been living in Liverpool all her life.
Everything was wet. It had been raining for hours.
• for something we had done several times up to a point in the past and continued to do
after that point:
He was a wonderful guitarist. He had been playing ever since he was a teenager.
He had written three books and he was working on another one.
I had been watching the programme every week, but I missed the last episode.
We often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:
They had been staying with us since the previous week.
I was sorry when the factory closed. I had worked there since I left school.
I had been watching that programme every week since it started, but I missed the last episode.
• when we are reporting our experience and including up to the (then) present:
My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I had ever had.
I was pleased to meet George. I hadn’t met him before, even though I had met his wife several
times.
• for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of reporting:
I couldn’t get into the house. I had lost my keys.

Teresa wasn’t at home. She had gone shopping.
We use the past perfect to talk about the past in conditions, hypotheses and wishes:
I would have helped him if he had asked.
It was very dangerous. What if you had got lost?
I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.
Hãy xem xét ví dụ sau:

Yesterday morning I got up and looked out of the window. The sun was shinning but the ground
was very wet.

Sáng nay tôi thức dậy và nhìn ra ngoài cửa sổ. Mặt trời đang chiếu sáng nhưng mặt đất thì rất ẩm
ướt.

It has been raining

Trước đó trời đã mưa

Lúc tôi nhìn ra ngoài cửa sổ thì trời không mưa; mặt trời lúc đó đang chiếu sáng. Nhưng trời đã mưa
trước đó. Đó là lý do tại sao mặt đất lại ẩm ướt.

Had been-ing là thì past perfect continuous

Hãy xem thêm một số ví dụ sau:

When the boys came into the house, their clothes were dirty, their hair was untidy and one of them had
black eye. They’d been fight.

Khi bọn trẻ về tới nhà, quần áo chúng dơ bẩn, tóc tai rối bù và mắt một đứa bị tím bầm. Chúng đã
đánh nhau.

I was very tired when I arrived home. I’d been working hard all day.

Khi trở về nhà tôi đã rất mệt. Tôi đã làm việc vất vả cả ngày.

B Bạn có thể dùng thì past perfect continuous để diễn tả sự việc nào đó đã diễn ra (had been
happening) một trong khoảng thời gian trước khi một sự việc khác xảy ra:

Our game of tennis was interrupted. We’d been playing for about half an hour when it started to rain very
heavily.

Trận đấu quần vợt của chúng tôi đã bị ngưng lại. Chúng tôi đã chơi được nửa giờ trước khi trời
bắt đầu đổ mưa rất lớn.

Ken gave up smoking two years ago. He’d been smoking for 30 years.

Ken đã bỏ thuốc lá hai năm rồi. Trước đó anh ấy đã hút thuốc suốt 30 năm.

C Thì past perfect continuous (Had been -ing) là dạng quá khứ của thì present continuous.
I hope the bus comes soon. I’ve been waiting for 20 minutes. (before now).

Tôi hy vọng là xe buýt sẽ tới sớm. Tôi đã chờ 20 phút rồi (trước lúc này).

At last the bus came. I’d been waiting for minutes.

Cuối cùng xe buýt cũng đã tới. Tôi đã chờ trước đó hơn 20 phút rồi.

He’s out of breath. He has been running.

Anh ấy đang thở gấp. Anh ấy đã chạy nãy giờ.

He was out of breath. He had been running.

Anh ấy đã thở gấp. Anh ấy đã chạy trước đó.

D have been -ing.

Hãy so sánh had been doing (past perfect continuous) và was doing (past continuous)

It wasn’t raining when we went out. The sun was shining. But it had been raining, so the ground was wet.

Lúc chúng tôi đi ra ngoài trời không mưa. Trời lúc đó đang nắng. Nhưng trước đó trời có mưa nên
mặt đất ẩm ướt.

Ann was sitting in an armchair watching television. She was tired because she’d been working very hard.

Ann đang ngồi trên ghế và xem truyền hình. Cô ấy mệt vì cô ấy đã làm việc rất nhiều.

E Một số động từ như know và want không được dùng với thì continuous:

We were good friends. We had known each other for years. (không nói "had been knowing").

Chúng tôi là những người bạn tốt. Chúng tôi đã biết nhau từ nhiều năm rồi.
Use
The Past Perfect Continuous is used to talk about actions or situations that were in progress
before some other actions or situations. There are also other uses.
1. Duration of a past action up to a certain point in the past
2. Showing cause of an action or situation
3. Third conditional sentences
4. Reported speech
Use 1: Duration of a Past Action

The main use of the Past Perfect Continuous is to express actions or situations that were in
progress before some other actions or situations.
• The boys had been quarreling for half an hour when we arrived home.
• I had been dating Angelina for 3 years before we got married.
Use 2: Showing Cause
Use this tense to show cause of an action or situation in the past.
• John was in a detention because he had been misbehaving.
• The road was wet because it had been raining.
• I had to go on a diet because I had been eating too much sugar.
• Jessica got sunburnt because she had been lying in the sun too long.
Use 3: Third Conditional
Remember that this tense is also used in third conditional sentences.
• If it hadn't been raining, we would have gone to the park.
Use 4: Reported Speech
This tense also appears in Reported speech.
• She said she knew Charlie had been lying to her.

EXERCISE 1:
Exercise on Past Perfect Progressive
Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect progressive).
1. We (sleep) for 12 hours when he woke us up.
2. They (wait) at the station for 90 minutes when the train finally arrived.
3. We (look for) her ring for two hours and then we found it in the bathroom.
4. I (not / walk) for a long time, when it suddenly began to rain.
5. How long (learn / she) English before she went to London?
6. Frank Sinatra caught the flu because he (sing) in the rain too long.
7. He (drive) less than an hour when he ran out of petrol.
8. They were very tired in the evening because they (help) on the farm all day.
9. I (not / work) all day; so I wasn't tired and went to the disco at night.
10. They (cycle) all day so their legs were sore in the evening.

Exercise on Past Perfect Progressive
Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect progressive).
1. We had been sleeping for 12 hours when he woke us up.
2. They had been waiting at the station for 90 minutes when the train finally arrived.
had been slee
3. We had been looking for her ring for two hours and then we found it in the bathroom.
4. I had not been walking for a long time, when it suddenly began to rain.
5. How long had she been learning English before she went to London?
6. Frank Sinatra caught the flu because he had been singing in the rain too long.
7. He had been driving less than an hour when he ran out of petrol.
8. They were very tired in the evening because they had been helping on the farm all day.
9. I had not been working all day; so I wasn't tired and went to the disco at night.
10. They had been cycling all day so their legs were sore in the evening.
Do the exercises below on the past perfect simple and continuous and click on the button to
check your answers.
(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on the past perfect simple and
continuous)
Write the past participle of the following irregular verbs.
1. speak -
2. catch -
3. eat -
4. understand -
5. begin -
Complete the sentences in past perfect simple (affirmative form.)
1. I lost the key that he (give) to me.
2. He told me that he (see) the film .
3. I went outside as I (hear) a noise.
4. When they came home, Liza (cook) dinner.
5. We could not send you a postcard because we (lose) your address.
Complete the sentences in past perfect simple (negative).

1. The waiter served something that we (not / order) .
2. He went to the country which he (not / visit) before.
3. She picked out the red dress, which she (not / wear) for ages.
4. He (not / swim) in the beach before that day.
5. His mother was angry because he (not / do) the shopping for her.
Complete the questions in past perfect simple.
1. (you / finish) your homework before you went to the cinema?
2. Why (you / not /clean) the bathroom before you took a bath?
3. (you / have) breakfast before you left the house?
4. (she / manage) to find a place to stay when she went to London?
5. Where (she / stay) before she moved to live with her friend?
Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect or the simple past)
1. The storm (destroy) the house that they had built .
2. The children (clean) the blackboard they had used to do the mathematics exercise.
3. When she went out to play, she (do / already) her homework.
4. She (eat) all of the food that we had made .
5. He took off the jacket he (put on) before.
Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense (past perfect simple or continuous.)
1. I (try) to get tickets for that play for months before my friend finally got them.
2. When I arrived at the theater, my friend (pick, already) up the tickets.
3. He was really angry because he (wait) for more than half an hour when I arrived.
4. When the play started, I (already, apologize) to my friend.
5. We (watch) the play when the lights went off.
Do the exercises below on the past perfect simple and continuous and click on the button to
check your answers.
(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on the past perfect simple and
continuous)
Write the past participle of the following irregular verbs.
1. speak - spoken
2. catch - caught

3. eat - eaten
4. understand - understood
5. begin - begun
Complete the sentences in past perfect simple (affirmative form.)
1. I lost the key that he (give) had given / 'd given to me.
2. He told me that he (see) had seen / 'd seen the film.
3. I went outside as I (hear) had heard / 'd heard a noise.
4. When they came home, Liza (cook) had cooked / 'd cooked dinner.
5. We could not send you a postcard because we (lose) had lost / 'd lost our address book.
Complete the sentences in past perfect simple (negative).
1. The waiter served something that we (not / order) had not ordered / hadn't ordered .
2. He went to the country which he (not / visit) had not visited / hadn't visited before.
3. She picked out the red dress, which she (not / wear) had not worn / hadn't worn for ages.
4. He (not / swim) had not swum / hadn't swum in the beach before that day.
5. His mother was angry because he (not / do) had not done / hadn't done the shopping for
her.
Complete the questions in past perfect simple.
1. (you / finish) Had you finished your homework before you went to the cinema?
2. Why (you / not /clean) had not you cleaned / hadn't you cleaned the bathroom before you
took a bath?
3. (you / have) Had you had breakfast before you left the house?
4. (she / manage) Had she managed to find a place to stay when she went to London?
5. Where (she / stay) had she stayed before she moved to live with her friend?
Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect or the simple past)
1. The storm (destroy) destroyed the house that they had built.
2. The children cleaned cleaned the blackboard they had used to do the mathematics exercise.
3. When she went out to play, she (do / already) had already done / 'd already done her
homework.
4. She (eat) ate all of the food that we had made.
5. He took off the jacket he (put on) had put on / 'd put on before.

Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense (past perfect simple or continuous.)
1. I (try) had been trying to get tickets for that play for months before my friend finally got
them.
2. When I arrived at the theater, he (pick, already) had already picked / 'd already picked up
the tickets.
3. He was really angry because he (wait) had been waiting for more than half an hour when I
arrived.
4. When the play started, I (already, apologize) had already apologized / 'd already apologized
to my friend.
5. We (watch) had been watching / 'd been watching the play when the lights went off.
Complete the sentences in the Past Perfect Progressive.
1. Laura needed a break because she (study) all morning.
2. When Lorraine moved to England, she (learn) English for 12 years.
3. I did not go out last night because I (work) all day.
4. Orla felt fit for the marathon because she (exercise) a lot.
5. When I went to see Ms Winter, her secretary told me that she (speak) on the
phone for two hours.
6. You got sick because you (eat) all the time.
7. When the musician became director of the opera house, he (live) in this
town for ten years.
8. We (go) out together for two years before I met his family.
9. The passengers (wait) for four hours before the ground staff could finally
give them information on the delay of their flight.
10. When I noticed my mistake, I (drive) for an hour in the wrong direction.
Complete the sentences in the Past Perfect Progressive.
1. Laura needed a break because she had been studying all morning.
2. When Lorraine moved to England, she had been learning English for 12 years.
3. I did not go out last night because I had been working all day.
4. Orla felt fit for the marathon because she had been exercising a lot.
5. When I went to see Ms Winter, her secretary told me that she had been speaking on the

phone for two hours.
6. You got sick because you had been eating all the time.
7. When the musician became director of the opera house, he had been living in this town
for ten years.
8. We had been going out together for two years before I met his family.
9. The passengers had been waiting for four hours before the ground staff could finally give
them information on the delay of their flight.
10. When I noticed my mistake, I had been driving for an hour in the wrong direction.
EXERCISE 2:
Now complete these sentences using the Past Perfect Continuous:
• 1 - We apologised because he (wait) for a long time.
• 2 - Tom (watch) TV for two hours when I arrived.
• 3 - She (play) trumpet for 3 years before she joined a band.
• 4 - He was confident because he (rehearse) hard for the show.
• 5 - How long (she/ learn) English with EC before she went abroad?
• 6 - They took their baby to the doctor because she (cry) all night.
Exercises – Past Perfect Progressive
Fill in the correct form of the Past Perfect Progressive or Past Simple as in the examples
1. I‘d been trying to sell my car for six months before I found a buyer (try/find)
2. Sheila had not been dieting for long when she began to lose weight. (not diet)
3. How long had the fire been burning before the firefighters arrived? (burn/arrive)
1. Dylan ______ chess for several years before he _______ his first tournament (study/enter)
2. Before I _______ to work here, who ______ the client’s account? (start/ manage)
3. Although they _______ the house for two years, it still _____ ready. (build/not be)
4. Mario _______ well before the exam. (not feel)
5. At last we ______ the movie that everyone _______ about. (see/talk)
6. The students _____ math problems when one of them fainted. (solve)
7. How long _____ he _____ before the accident ______? (drive/occur)
8. Paula and Terry ______ tennis when it _____ to rain. (play/begin)
9. ______ you _______ a long time when you ______? (jog / faint)

10. Our forces _______ in that area until two weeks before then. (not fight)
Answers:
1. had been studying/entered
2. started/managed
3. had been building/wasn’t
4. hadn’t been feeling
5. saw/had been talking
6. had been solving
7. had/been driving/occurred
8. had been playing/began
9. Had/been jogging/fainted
10. hadn’t been fighting
Past Perfect Continuous examples

had + been + verb + -ing

We had been running.
Past Perfect Continuous: Fill in the correct form of the verb.

The pupils at the computers all morning. (to sit)
Emily for an hour already. (to run)
The Johnsons in Cardiff. (to live)
She German at school. (to learn)
At six o´clock he the dog for a walk. (to take)
The Past Perfect Continuous
Practice 1: Complete these sentences with the word(s) in brackets using the past perfect
continuous. Remember to use contractions ("I'd" not "I had") where possible.
1. He was sad because all day. (it, rain)
2. I thought that English for years. (she, study)
3. I knew that my shampoo. (he, use)

4. We didn't know where to go because . (we, not, listen)
5. Before the accident, ? (he, drink?)
Practice 2: Past Perfect Simple or Continuous? Choose the best tense to complete the following
sentences. Again, remember to use contractions. And remember that simple tenses are used for
states or short, finished actions when we say how many. Continuous is used for long, unfinished
or repeated actions.
1. He was hungry because anything all day. (he, not, eat)
2. Her hand started hurting because computer games all day. (she, play)
3. The milk smelt bad because to put it in the fridge. (I, forget)
4. TV for hours before he fell asleep. (he, watch)
5. She didn't know that her. (I, always, love)
6. She was delighted because her wish true. (come)
7. for 40 years before he decided to stop. (he, smoke)
8. down with a book when the phone rang. (I, just, sit)
9. A Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the past perfect continuous or the past perfect
simple.
1 When the student revolution came, I _____________________________________ there for 6 months.
( work )
2 Before Jim finally decided to go to Thailand, he _____________________________________ about it
for months. ( think )
3 They _____________________________________ all the chocolate cake by the time Michael got to
the party. ( eat )
4 I _____________________________________ Scarlett Johansson on three previous occasions.
Lucky me! ( met )
5 The forensic evidence shows that he _____________________________________ his nose just
before he was murdered. ( pick )
6 When the doctor told him his liver was seriously bad, he _____________________________________
hamburgers for a month. ( eat )
7 Prior to the explosion, the fat man _____________________________________ seven large
chocolate cakes. ( eat )

8 When they cancelled the flight to Alicante, the storm _____________________________________ all
afternoon with no sign of abating. ( rage )
10. B Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the past continuous or the past perfect
continuous.
1 When I asked Carlos if he wanted to go out, he said he couldn't because he
_____________________________________ an assignment. ( finish )
2 Scarlett came into the room panting. She _____________________________________ round the
park. ( jog )
3
Scarlett wasn't in. She _____________________________________ around the park. ( jog )
4 I _____________________________________ a bath when I suddenly had a great idea. ( have )
5 He told me he _________________________ seriously _________________________ about finding
another job soon. ( think )
6 He _____________________________________ about finding a new job for about a year before he
finally got round to it. He´s happy now. ( think )
7 It was obvious from her outrageous behaviour that _____________________________________.
( drink )
8 I _____________________________________ a latte in the Café New York, when I saw a famous
actor walk past the window. ( drink )
A
1 When the student revolution came, I had been working there for 6 months.
2 Before Jim finally decided to go to Thailand, he had been thinking about it for months.
3 They had eaten all the chocolate cake by the time Michael got to the party.
4 I had met Scarlett Johansson on three previous occasions. Lucky me!
5 The forensic evidence shows that he had been picking his nose just before he was murdered.
6 When the doctor told him his liver was seriously bad, he had been eating hamburgers for a month.
7 Prior to the explosion, the fat man had eaten seven large chocolate cakes.
8 When they cancelled the flight to Alicante, the storm had been raging all afternoon with no sign of
abating.
B

1 When I asked Carlos if he wanted to go out, he said he couldn't because he was finishing an
assignment.
2 Scarlett came into the room panting. She had been jogging round the park.
3 Scarlett wasn't in. She was jogging around the park.
4 I was having a bath when I suddenly had a great idea.
5 He told me he was seriously thinking about finding another job soon.
6 He had thinking about finding a new job for about a year before he finally got round to it. He´s happy
now.
7 It was obvious from her outrageous behaviour that she had been drinking.
8 I was drinking a latte in the Café New York, when I saw a famous actor walk past the window.
Now complete the sentences below using the correct form.
• 1) Oh no! I can't pay for the taxi; I have ___ my money at home.
left
been leaving
leaving
• 2) I have never ___ the Great Wall of China before.
see
saw
seen
• 3) I have lived in Cape Town ___ two months.
already
since
for
• 4) Kelly is in her bed, she has ___ for three hours.
been sleep
sleeping
been sleeping
• 5) My teacher is going to be so angry; I haven't finished my homework ___.
yet
already

since
• 6) I am an English student; I have been studying English ___ 2007.
since
just
for
• 7) The builders are very efficient; they have ___ finished the foundations for our
house.
yet
already
since
• 8) I have ___ three ice-creams today.
eaten
eating
been eating
• 9) Katie must be around here somewhere, I have ___ seen her.
just
yet
since