Continuous Verb Tenses

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Slide 85

Sam gained weight because

He had been overeating.

Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class.

Slide 86

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the next slide below to understand the difference.

Slide 87

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

Past Continuous

.

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he was exercising at that exact moment.

Past Perfect Continuous

This sentence emphasizes that he was tired because he had been exercising over a period of time. It is possible that he was still exercising at that moment OR that he had just finished.

He was tired because he was exercising so hard

He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.

Slide 88

Past perfect continuous ADVERB placement

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived.

Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?

Slide 89

Past perfect continuous

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common.

active

Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.

passive

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.

Slide 90

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS 1.They (shout) for a few hours before their parents arrived. 2.They (eat) noisily for a few hours before their parents arrived. 3. They (play) music at full volume for a few hours before their parents arrived.

4. They (jump )on their parents' bed for a few hours before their parents arrived. 5. They (try) on Mary's clothes for a few hours before their parents arrived.

Slide 91

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS 1.They had been shouting(shout) for a few hours before their parents arrived. 2.They (eat) noisily for a few hours before their parents arrived. 3. They (play) music at full volume for a few hours before their parents arrived.