MEANING AND USE 1

The Past Perfect

Examining Meaning and Use

Read the sentences and complete the tasks below. Then discuss your observations and read the Meaning and Use Notes to check them. a. b. c. d. I called for help because a tree had fallen across my driveway. She wanted to withdraw from the course after she had enrolled. Hed been on a mountain climbing expedition before he wrote the article. Although Id been terrified, I felt quite brave the next morning.

Think about the two events in each sentence. 1. Underline the clause that expresses the earlier event. 2. What verb form is in the clause that expresses the earlier event? 3. What verb form is in the clause that expresses the later event?

Meaning and Use Notes

Order of Events in the Past 1A

The past perfect expresses the relationship in time between two past events. It shows that one action or state occurred before another action or state in the past. The past perfect expresses the first (or earlier) event. The simple past often expresses the second (or later) event. Past Perfect (1st Event)
I had just completed the exam.

Simple Past (2nd Event)

I felt so relieved.

1B

The past time can be recent or distant. Recent Time

Miguel called me this morning, but I wasnt there. Id gone to a meeting.

Distant Time
Miguel wrote me last year, but I never got the letter. Id moved away.

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The Past Perfect and Past Time Clauses 2A

The past perfect is often used in sentences containing past time clauses. The past perfect is used to indicate the first event. The simple past is used to indicate the second event. Before, by the time, when, until, and after introduce the time clause. Past Perfect (1st Event)
The thief had escaped We had calmed down He had been upstairs We hadnt noticed After I had called the police,

Simple Past (2nd Event)

before I called the police. by the time the police came. when we came home. until we heard the footsteps. we realized the thief was gone.

2B

In sentences with before, after, by the time, and until, the past perfect is sometimes replaced by the simple past with no difference in meaning. This is especially common with before and after. Past Perfect and Simple Past Simple Past Only
Id gone inside before I took off my coat. = I went inside before I took off my coat. After Id gone inside, I took off my coat. = After I went inside, I took off my coat.

Expressions Used with the Past Perfect 3A

The past perfect is often used with the same adverbs and prepositions that are used with the present perfect: already, yet, still, ever, never, for, since, and just. These expressions help to clarify the sequence of past events.
By lunchtime, we had already discussed the new budget and written a report. We hadnt written the new vacation policy yet. I had lived in Texas for 12 years before I moved to California. A: Had she ever eaten a hot dog before she came to the United States? B: No, shed never had one!

3B

By + a time can be used with the past perfect to express the later time in the sentence.
We had finished by then. By noon, we had hiked two miles.

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C1

Listening for Meaning and Use

Listen to the sentences. For each pair of past events below, choose the event that happened first. 1. a. The patients condition improved. b. The doctor came. 2. a. We got to the airport. b. The plane landed. 3. a. I entered the building. b. I took off my hat. 4. a. The emergency crew arrived. b. The building collapsed. 5. a. I saw Betty. b. She heard the news. 6. a. He became vice president. b. He worked hard. 7. a. I called my mother. b. I spoke to my sister. 8. a. She hurt her wrist. b. She went to work.

Notes 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B

C2

Expressing the Order of Past Events

Notes 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B

Read the pairs of sentences and order the events. Number the first event with a 1 and the second with a 2. Then make a sentence with the word(s) in parentheses that includes both events. Use the past perfect and the simple past where appropriate. 1.

2 The sink overflowed.

He graded the exam. (before)

1 I left the water running.

He read the answers carefully.

(after) The sink overflowed after I had left the water running. 2.

3.

They were married for five years. (when)

They got divorced.

4.

The car collided with a truck. (after)

Someone called the police.

5.

The doctor said she was very healthy. (until)

She was worried.

6.

She slept for ten hours. (by the time)

I decided to wake her up.

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C3

Discussing Previous Accomplishments

Work with a partner. Read each situation and look at the picture. Tell what things had been done already and what had not been done yet. Use the expressions in parentheses and the past perfect with already and not . . . yet. 1. Sonia was hoping to move into her new apartment a few days early. Yesterday she went to see if it was ready yet. (paint the apartment) They had already painted the apartment. (clean the carpet) They hadnt cleaned the carpet yet. (fix the window) (repair the lock)

Notes 1A, 3A

2. Martin checked to see if he had completed the requirements for graduation. (complete the English requirement) (take the math courses) (pass the writing test)

3. Your cousin has been looking for a job for a month. You spoke to her a few days ago. (look at the classified ads) (go to an employment agency) (write her rsum)

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C4

Describing New Experiences

Notes 1A, 3A

A. These situations describe new experiences. Use the phrases below and the past perfect with never and before to describe the things that the people had never done before. Then add one of your own ideas. 1. Brian and Jo Ann have just had their first child. a. diaper a baby They had never diapered a baby before. b. bathe a baby c. 2. Irina started college last fall. a. live on her own b. sleep in a dormitory c. 3. Dominick got his first summer job at a supermarket. a. use an electronic cash register b. get a paycheck c. 4. Nora took her first driving lesson. a. drive a car b. be so scared c. B. Think of something you did for the first time. Describe the aspects of the experience that were new to you. Write four sentences using the past perfect and never. Then tell your class about your new experience. New Experience: I decided to have a surprise party for my friend. 1. I had never cooked for 30 people before. 2. 3. 4.

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MEANING AND USE 2

The Past Perfect Continuous

Examining Meaning and Use

Read the sentences and complete the task below. Then discuss your observations and read the Meaning and Use Notes to check them. Match each illustration to the sentence that best describes it.

1.

2.

a. We arrived at 9:30 P.M. Julia had been eating her dinner. (Dinner was just ending.) b. We arrived at 9:30 P.M. Julia had eaten her dinner. (Dinner was over.)

Meaning and Use Notes

Order of Events in the Past with Continuing Actions 1A

Similar to the past perfect, the past perfect continuous shows that one action occurred before another action or state in the past. However, the past perfect continuous emphasizes that the first event was ongoing, and continued up to or just before the second event. Past Perfect Continuous (1st Event)
Keiko had been studying all night.

Simple Past (2nd Event)

She was exhausted at breakfast.

1B

For and since show how long a situation lasted before the second past event. Simple Past (2nd Event)
Marie left her office at 6:00 P.M.

Past Perfect Continuous (1st Event)

Shed been working since 8:00 A.M.

1C

The past perfect continuous is often used in sentences containing past time clauses. Past Perfect Continuous (1st Event)
Marie had been working for nine and a half hours

Simple Past (2nd Event)

by the time she left her office.
(Continued on page 136)

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Contrasting the Past Perfect and the Past Perfect Continuous 2A

Certain common verbs can be used with the past perfect and past perfect continuous with little or no difference in meaning. Remember, though, that using the continuous can show a more intense or emotional situation. Past Perfect
Mr. Ortiz had lived there since 1960. Id waited for an hour.

Past Perfect Continuous

Mr. Ortiz had been living there since 1960. Id been waiting for an hour! I was so angry.

2B

The past perfect can express a completed action that may or may not have occurred recently. In contrast, the past perfect continuous suggests that an action was continuing up to or ended just before a specific time in the past. Past Perfect
Hiro had watered the garden before I arrived. (Hiro may have watered it a

Past Perfect Continuous

Hiro had been watering the garden before I arrived. (Hiro watered the garden a

few minutes or many hours before I arrived.)

few minutes before I arrived.)

A sentence with the past perfect continuous usually does not tell how many times an action is repeated. Past Perfect
Id read it three times before.

Past Perfect Continuous

*Id been reading it three times before. (INCORRECT)

Adding Background Information to a Sentence 3

Both the past perfect continuous and the past perfect are often used to provide background information about earlier events. They are used to give reasons with because and express contrasts with although or even though. They are also used to draw conclusions. Reasons
She looked very tired because she had been studying all night. because she had studied all night. although she had been sleeping for 12 hours. even though she had slept for 12 hours. he had been criticizing my work. he had just criticized my work.

Contrasts
She looked very tired

Conclusions
I realized that

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D1

Listening for Meaning and Use

Note 2B

Listen to the two events in each sentence. Check () Just Before if the context makes it clear that the first event happened right before the second. Check () Unclear if the context does not specify how close together in time the two events were.
JUST BEFORE UNCLEAR

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

D2

Talking About Continuing Past Actions

Notes 1A1C

Write two different sentences that tell how long each situation lasted. Use the past perfect continuous with for and since and simple past time clauses with when. 1. Elena worked from 1992 to 1994. Then she went back to school. When Elena went back to school, she had been working for two years. When Elena went back to school in 1994, she had been working since 1992. 2. Brigitte began to work at C & M in 1997. Her fianc joined the company in 1999. 3. The chicken started baking at 5:30. The electricity went off at 5:45. 4. Lisa went to sleep at 11:00 P.M. The phone woke her up at 2:00 A.M. 5. Paulo and Celia started dating in 1998. They got married in 2000. 6. Kate studied from 1996 to 2002. She graduated from medical school in 2002. 7. Carlos lived in Mexico City from 1998 to 2000. He moved to Paris in 2000. 8. Eric started taking piano lessons in January of 2000. He gave his first recital in July of that year.

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D3

Expressing Reasons and Results

Notes 2A, 2B, 3

A. Work with a partner. Complete each sentence with a because clause in the past perfect or the past perfect continuous. Then write one more main clause in the simple past and ask your partner to complete it using because. 1. He looked very tired because he had been sleeping poorly. 2. The student was expelled from school 3. She quit her job 4. B. Now complete each sentence with a main clause in the simple past. Then write one more because clause and ask your partner to complete it with a main clause. 1. He didnt hear the doorbell 2. 3. Because she hadnt listened to her parents, 4. because he had been taking a shower. because we had been exercising.

D4 Expressing Contrasts
A. Complete each sentence with a clause using although or even though in the past perfect or the past perfect continuous. 1. I passed the exam although I hadnt studied. 2. She was able to answer the question 3. 4.

Notes 2A, 2B, 3

, everyone became sick. , he wanted to quit his job.

B. Complete each sentence with a main clause in the simple past. 1. Even though I had been calling for days, she never called me back. 2. before. 3. Although we had been good friends, 4. Even though I had been trying as hard as I could, although I had gone grocery shopping two days

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Beyond the Sentence

Adding Background Information in Longer Discourse
Both the past perfect and the past perfect continuous are often used in a story to give details and background information about an earlier past time. These verb forms usually appear near the beginning of the story. Then the story often continues in the simple past.
We finally landed in London at 9:30 a.m. We had been traveling for thirteen hours and the whole family was exhausted and cranky, especially me. The seat had been uncomfortable, and I hadnt slept at all. I tried not to be too unpleasant, but it was difficult because nothing seemed to be going right. When we got to the baggage claim area, two suitcases came through quickly, but the other two were missing. . . .

D5 Adding Background Information

A. Read each introductory statement. Then write two or three past perfect or past perfect continuous sentences that provide background information. 1. I was in my favorite restaurant that Sunday afternoon.

We had gathered for a family reunion in honor of my parents 25th wedding anniversary. My brother and I had been planning this event for months.
2. I remember the day I moved here. 3. Ill never forget that afternoon. We were stuck in heavy traffic on a bridge. 4. I entered my apartment and immediately felt that something was strange. B. Write a paragraph. Choose one of the items in part A as the beginning of your paragraph. Add some background information in the past perfect or the past perfect continuous. Then complete the paragraph using the simple past to explain more about what happened in the first sentence.

I was in my favorite restaurant that Sunday afternoon. We had gathered for a family reunion in honor of my parents 25th wedding anniversary. My brother and I had been planning this event for months. We had been e-mailing each other almost daily with plans, menus, and guest lists. As they had been doing for 25 years, my parents arrived exactly on time. When they saw everyone . . .

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REVIEW

E
E1

Combining Form, Meaning, and Use

Thinking About Meaning and Use

Read each sentence and the statements that follow. Write T if the statement is true, F if it is false, or ? if you do not have enough information to decide. Then discuss your answers in small groups. 1. After he had eaten a sandwich, he ate a salad.

F a. He ate the salad first. Then he ate the sandwich. F b. He ate the salad and sandwich together.
2. He had left before the play ended. a. The play ended. Then he left. b. He was gone by the end of the play. 3. He had known her for many years when they started to work together. a. He met her at work. b. He knew her a long time. 4. Tom didnt lose weight until he went on a diet. a. Tom didnt lose weight. b. Tom went on a diet. 5. It was lunchtime. I looked out the window, and I saw that it had rained. a. It had rained just before I looked out the window. b. I looked out the window after the rain stopped. 6. He left his job because he had found a better one. a. He left his job. Then he looked for a better job. b. He left his job after he found another job.

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7. The hospital didnt lose power, although there had been a power failure in the city. a. The hospital had a power failure. b. The city lost power. 8. The two men had been working on a project together when I met them. a. They worked together before I met them. b. They finished the project.

E2 Editing
Find the errors in these paragraphs and correct them, using either the simple past or the present perfect. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norkay had been the first climbers to reach the top of Mount Everest. Since then, many people had climbed Mount Everest, especially in recent years. Before 1953, no human had ever stood on top of the worlds highest peak, although some had tried. George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, for example, had died almost 30 years earlier on a perilous path along the North Ridge. Since 1953, many more people had set world records. In 1975, Junko Tabei of Japan had become the first woman on a mountaineering team to reach the top. In 1980, Reinhold Messner of Italy had become the first person to make the climb to the top alone, without other people and without oxygen. In 1995, Alison Hargreaves of Scotland had duplicated Messners triumph. She became the first woman to climb Mount Everest solo and without oxygen. Each climber faces frigid winds, storms, avalanches, and most dangerous of all, the serious effects of the high altitude on the heart, lungs, and brain. So why had many hundreds of people tried to climb Mount Everest in recent years? In 1998, for example, 650 people had tried to reach the top, and on one single day, 12 people actually succeeded. The only way to explain these numbers is to understand that the climb up Mount Everest represents the ultimate challenge of reaching the top of the world.

were

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Beyond the Classroom

Searching for Authentic Examples
Find examples of English grammar in everyday life. Choose one of the tasks below. Be prepared to discuss your findings. A. Look in a newspaper, in a magazine, or on the Internet. Write down five examples of the past perfect and the past perfect continuous and bring them to class. Why do you think the past perfect or the past perfect continuous was used? Where in the article did you find the examples? Could you substitute the simple past instead? B. Find examples of the past perfect and the past perfect continuous in a short story and bring them to class. Why do you think the past perfect and the past perfect continuous were used? Where in the story did you find the examples? Could you substitute the simple past instead?

Speaking
In small groups, follow these steps to prepare a description of a famous mystery person. 1. Think of a famous person in history or sports who accomplished something that had never been done before. You are going to role-play that person by describing yourself and your accomplishment without revealing your identity to your group. You may wish to find out more about this person in the library or on the Internet. 2. Prepare a description of your mystery person using the first person. Give background information using the past perfect, the past perfect continuous, time clauses, and other tenses, where appropriate. 3. Present your description to your group and ask them to guess who you are. The group may wish to ask more questions.

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