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1. Match the sentence halves. Complete sentences a-f with the past perfect continuous.

1   My hand was hurting because I …

2   Jenny had tears in her eyes because she …

3   They had to give their dog a bath because it …

4   Beth felt confident about her exams because she …

5   We got evicted from our flat because we …

6   Tom decided not to go out because he …

a   ……………………… (write) postcards all morning.

b   ……………………… (play) in a muddy field.

 ……………………… (not feel) well.

d   ……………………… (not pay) our rent.

e   ……………………… (watch) a hilarious film.

 ……………………… (work) hard all term.

Answer

1 a, had been writing   2 e, had been watching

3 b, had been playing   4 f, had been working

5 d, hadn’t been paying   6 c, hadn’t been feeling

2. Invent your own endings for these sentences. Use the past perfect continuous.

1   Eva’s hair and clothes were wet because ………………………………….. .

2   Darren was angry with his sister because ………………………………….. .

3   We were exhausted because ………………………………….. .

4   The house was a mess because ………………………………….. .

Answer

Your own answers

3. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence. Use the past perfect simple.

 I ate my dinner, then I went upstairs.

     After …I’d eaten my dinner, I went upstairs. …….

 I had a shower, then Susie arrived.

     When Susie ………………………………………… .

 We swapped numbers, and the next day he called.

      The day after ………………………………………… .

 She tidied her room, then she went out.

      After she ………………………………………… .

 She missed the class, so she didn’t do the homework.

      Because she ………………………………………… .

 He finished his dinner and washed up his plate.

      When he ………………………………………… .

Answer

 arrived, I had had a shower

 we had swapped numbers, he called

 had tidied her room, she went out

 had missed the class, she didn’t do the homework.

 had finished his dinner, he washed up his plate

4. Choose the correct tense. Tick ✓ a, b or both (if both are correct).

1   Sara hadn’t heard me knock at the door because she ……………………… to music.

     a   had listened      b   had been listening

2   Before their goalkeeper was sent off, Chelsea ……………………… easily.

     a   had won      b   had been winning

3   Ben ……………………… so much during the meal that he hadn’t eaten his food.

     a   had talked      b   had been talking

4   We didn’t know what homework we had to do because we ……………………… attention to the teacher.

     a   hadn’t paid      b   hadn’t been paying

5   I was really annoyed that I left my book on the train because I ……………………… reading it.

     a   hadn’t finished      b   hadn’t been finishing

Answer

1 b   2 b   3 a and b   4 a and b   5 a

5. Complete the sentences with the past perfect simple or past perfect continuous form of the verbs in the box.

enjoy      go      have      look      spend      win

 I was annoyed when the DVD player stopped working because I ……………………… the film.

 Selina had to come home early from her holiday because she ……………………… all her money.

 According to the police, the accident happened because both cars ……………………… too fast.

 In the first round he played Nadal, who ……………………… the tournament three times already.

 My dad retired early from his job because he ……………………… a bad back for years.

 I found five coins down the back of the sofa, although in fact I ……………………… for my keys.

Answer

1 had been enjoying   2 had spent   3 had been going

4 had won   5 had had   6 had been looking

Challenge!

Complete these sentences with your own ideas. Use the past perfect simple in 1 and 2, and the past perfect continuous in 3 and 4.

1   Police arrested the 85-year-old woman because …………………………………….. .

2   By the time we reached the hotel, …………………………………….. .

3   Luke refused to spend another moment at home because …………………………………….. .

4   Elsie suddenly realised her mistake: she …………………………………….. .

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