Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksExport to PDFBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======The past perfect continuous====== =====Introduction===== <html><p><img height="150" id="247" style="width: 124px; height: 113px;" alt="Image" src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/247_78b92786f45d7b00e0f503774e5628ac.jpg"> <span lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><strong>He'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been waiting </span>for twenty minutes when his train arrived.</strong></span><br> </p></html> =====Definition===== <html><p><strong><font face="arial">The past perfect continuous is a tense for talking about activities that started sometime in the past and continued up to a specified point in the past. <span style="color: rgb(112, 48, 160);"></span> </font></strong></p> <p><strong></strong> </p></html> =====Construction===== <html><P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>affirmative: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>subject + 'had' + 'been' + present participle</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>I'<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">d been sending </SPAN>emails.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>negative: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>subject + 'had' + 'not' + 'been' + present participle</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">hadn't been sending </SPAN>emails.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>interrogative: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>'had' + subject + 'been' + present participle </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 78.0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #0000cc" lang=EN-US>Had </SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>you<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc"> been sending </SPAN>emails?</SPAN></B></P><BR></html> =====Uses===== <html><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>Usually, when we tell a story in the past, we use the <span style="color: rgb(112, 48, 160);">past simple</span> and <span style="color: rgb(112, 48, 160);">past continuous</span> but if we want to mention something which happened before the main narrative, we use the past perfect. For example, this is a story of something that happened two months ago, so all events before that are in the past perfect:</span></b></p> <p class="ecxmsonormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p class="ecxmsonormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I met Sandra for lunch a couple of months ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been wondering</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> how she was."</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"Where did you go?"</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: red; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"To that new Italian place in the High Street. The food was amazing and it was good to catch up - I <u>hadn't seen</u> her for two years."</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"And how was she?"</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"Really happy. She'</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>d been planning</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 51, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>a trip to Japan. She'<u>d decided </u>which cities to visit and <u>had</u> just <u>registered</u> for a Japanese course."</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"<u>Had</u> she <u>booked</u> her flights?"</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>"No she'</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>d been comparing</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'>prices and <u>hadn't decided</u> which airline to go with."</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;'></span></p> <p> </p> <p><b><span lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>It is used to talk about an action which started in the past and continued until a specified point in the past.<br></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>It can be useful in the following situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: red;"></span></span></b></p> <p> <table style="border: currentColor; border-collapse: collapse; mso-border-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" table=""> <tbody> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td width="319" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt medium medium 1pt; border-style: solid none none solid; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>Situation</span></b></p></td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="background: rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: 1pt 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid solid none none; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>Examples</span></b></p></td></tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>When we talk about the duration of an activity</span></b></p></td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been playing </span>tennis since I was a child.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>It<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);"> had been snowing </span>for two days.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p></td></tr> <tr> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: medium medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none none solid; border-color: rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>In order to focus on activity rather than completion</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p></td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: medium 1pt medium medium; border-style: none solid none none; border-color: rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>I couldn't sleep because I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been drinking </span>a lot of coffee. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p></td></tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>To explain something at a specified time in the past - it often answers the question, 'why?'</span></b></p></td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>I was tired because I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been working </span>hard and I <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">hadn't been sleeping </span>well.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>"Why were your clothes so dirty?"</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>"I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been playing </span>football."</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p></td></tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: medium medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>To talk about temporary situations<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);"></span></span></b></p></td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: rgb(240, 240, 240) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(79, 129, 189) rgb(240, 240, 240); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>I'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been driving </span>to work because of the train strike.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>He'<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">d been working </span>at our head office in London to learn more about our operations there.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></b></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></b> </p></html> =====Stative verbs===== <html><P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #0000cc" lang=EN-US>Note</SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> that we usually avoid using <SPAN style="COLOR: #7030a0">stative verbs </SPAN>in continuous forms and use the simple instead: </SPAN></B></P> <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 Table> <TBODY> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 196.8pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=262> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I'd often felt that he was dishonest. <IMG style="WIDTH: 22px; HEIGHT: 15px" id=39 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg" height=21></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 1cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=38> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 212.6pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=283> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I'd often been feeling... <IMG style="WIDTH: 16px; HEIGHT: 16px" id=40 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg" height=26></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 41.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=55> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD></TR> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 196.8pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=262> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I'd always wanted a Porsche. <IMG style="WIDTH: 22px; HEIGHT: 15px" id=39 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg" height=21></SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 1cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=38> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 212.6pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=283> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I'd always been wanting... <IMG style="WIDTH: 16px; HEIGHT: 16px" id=40 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg" height=26> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 41.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=55> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD></TR> <TR> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 196.8pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=262> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>He'd never believed me. <IMG style="WIDTH: 22px; HEIGHT: 15px" id=39 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg" height=21> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 1cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=38> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 212.6pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=283> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>He'd never been believing... <IMG style="WIDTH: 16px; HEIGHT: 16px" id=40 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg" height=26></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 41.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=55> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD></TR> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 3"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 196.8pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=262> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>Had you had a lot of different jobs? <IMG style="WIDTH: 22px; HEIGHT: 15px" id=39 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg" height=21></SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 1cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=38> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 212.6pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=283> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>Had you been having..? <IMG style="WIDTH: 16px; HEIGHT: 16px" id=40 alt=Image src="http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg" height=26></SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 41.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=55> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></html> =====Words and expressions commonly used with the past perfect continuous===== <html><P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">1.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></B><B><U><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>How long..? For/since</SPAN></U></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>We use 'How long..?' to ask about duration.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto" class=ListParagraph><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>How long <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">had</SPAN> they <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">been</SPAN> learning English?<U></U></SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>How long <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">had</SPAN> you <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">been working </SPAN>in that department?</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>We can specify duration with either 'for' or 'since'. We use 'for' with a period of time and 'since' with a specific point in the past.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>They'<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">d been learning </SPAN>English for two years.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>I'<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">d been working </SPAN>in that department since February.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>Some more examples:</SPAN></B></P> <TABLE style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184" border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 Table> <TBODY> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #4f81bd 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 239.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BACKGROUND: #4f81bd; BORDER-TOP: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=319> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: white" lang=EN-US>For</SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 239.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BACKGROUND: #4f81bd; BORDER-TOP: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #4f81bd 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=319> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: white" lang=EN-US>Since</SPAN></B></P></TD></TR> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #4f81bd 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 239.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=319> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>five minutes</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>two hours</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>days</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>three weeks</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>a long time</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 239.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #4f81bd 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #4f81bd 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" vAlign=top width=319> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>the day/week/month/year before</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>the previous day/week/month/year</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>October</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>1974</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>I was a child</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #0000cc" lang=EN-US>Note that </SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>in negative sentences with 'for' or 'since', there are different possible meanings between the past perfect continuous and the <SPAN style="COLOR: #7030a0">past perfect simple</SPAN>. The past perfect continuous is less likely to be heard. For example:</SPAN></B></P> <TABLE style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext" border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 Table> <TBODY> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 231.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=308> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>I hadn't been to the theatre for ages - so I was really happy when Susan invited me to see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Phantom of the Opera</I>.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 16.2pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>[There was a long time between my last visit and Susan's invitation.]</SPAN></B></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 231.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=308> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>I <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">hadn't been going</SPAN> to the theatre for ages when I decided to start going again.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 16.2pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>[I used to go to the theatre regularly, then I didn't go for a long time and then I started going again. This structure is much less likely to be heard than the simple form.]</SPAN></B></P></TD></TR> <TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 231.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=308> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>I hadn't spoken to Patty since Monday - she was on a business trip until Thursday. </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 16.2pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>[We had no contact between Monday and Thursday.]</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US></SPAN></P></TD> <TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; WIDTH: 231.05pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0cm; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt" vAlign=top width=308> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>I <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">hadn't been speaking</SPAN> to Patty since Monday but she apologised on Thursday and everything is OK now. </SPAN></B></P> <P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 16.2pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB" lang=EN-US>[When we 'are not speaking to someone', it means we are deliberately not communicating because of an argument. So this means that between Monday and Thursday, we chose not to have any contact.]</SPAN></B></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class=ListParagraphCxSpFirst><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">2.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></B><B><U><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>Just</SPAN></U></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P> <P style="TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto" class=ListParagraphCxSpLast><B><U><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"></SPAN></SPAN></U></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>We use 'just' in affirmative sentences and questions to suggest an activity that's very close in time to a specified point in the past:</SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>I'<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">d</SPAN> just <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">been reading </SPAN>your report when you arrived. </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #0000cc" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Had</SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> you just <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">been smoking</SPAN>? I could smell cigarettes.</SPAN></B></P> <P style="TEXT-INDENT: -1cm; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class=ListParagraph><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">3.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></B><B><U><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>By</SPAN></U></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US></SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 1cm; tab-stops: 42.55pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US>We often use the word 'by' when we want to specify a time at or before which something was done or achieved. For example:</SPAN></B></P> <P style="TEXT-INDENT: -14.2pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42.55pt; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto" class=ListParagraphCxSpFirst><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>We drove from Scotland to Italy last summer. By the end of the first day, we'<SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">d been travelling </SPAN>for 14 hours and the children <SPAN style="COLOR: #0000cc">had been arguing </SPAN>all day so we decided to stop for a rest. </SPAN></B></P> <P style="TEXT-INDENT: -14.2pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 42.55pt; tab-stops: 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto" class=ListParagraphCxSpLast><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #0000cc" lang=EN-US>Note that</SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'" lang=EN-US> these words and expressions can also be used with some other tenses.</SPAN></B></P><BR></html> [[en:grammar:home|{{ :file_-_back_3_.png?150 }}]]