O Level Section
English
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
Name: _____________________________________ Class: VII-O ___ Date: ____________
USAGE:
● It is used for actions that started in the past and continued till another action in the past.
● It is also used to show cause and effect of some actions that happened in the past.
STRUCTURE: subject + had been + ing form of the verb
TASK 1: Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect progressive).
1. We (sleep).................................................................... for twelve 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 party at
night.
10. They (cycle) ……………………………...all day so their legs were sore in the evening.
TASK 2: Use the past perfect or past perfect continuous tense of the verbs in brackets:
1. I ………………………… (wait) for hours, so I was really glad when the bus finally arrived.
2. Why was the baby’s face so dirty? He ……………………….. (eat) chocolate.
3. I saw John yesterday, but he ……………………………. (run) so he was too tired to chat.
4. It …………………………….(rain) and the pavement was covered with puddles.
5. When I arrived, it was clear that she ………………………..(work). There were papers all
over the floor and books everywhere.
6. They …………………………..(study) all day so, when we met, they were exhausted.
7. The boss ………………………. (talk) to clients on Skype for hours, so she wanted a break.
8. I ………………………. (drink) coffee all morning. In the end, I felt really strange.
9. Lucy ……………...(hope) for a new car, so she was delighted when she got one.
10. I ………………………… (dream) about a holiday in Greece! I couldn’t believe it when my
father booked one as a surprise!
