Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous

When, by the time, until, before, after since, for, how long…

 When I got up this morning, my father had already left.

The men had been playing cards for 3 hours when I came.

He had been driving (drive) his car for 10 minutes when he realized it had a flat tire.

Sarah was exhausted. She had been washing (wash) the dishes for more than three hours.

 When he saw her, he knew he had met(meet) her before.

When Ron arrived, the party had already begun (already/begin).

I was very tired when I arrived home. I had been working (work) hard all day.

When I arrived at the party, Tom wasn’t there. He had gone (go) home.

I had to have a break. I     so long.

Right: had been driving
I arrived on Sunday. I     at home for two days.
Right: had not been
The roads were blocked in the morning. It     all night.
Right: had been snowing
His English was perfect. He     it since he started school.
Right: had been studying
I was really hungry. I     anything since the morning.
Right: had not eaten
When we moved to Park Street, the Johnsons     there for ages.
Right: had been living
Carol wanted to fly to Dublin. She had never travelled by plane before.

He felt better in the evening because he   all day.

Right: had been relaxing

The ship landed in Nice after it   for two days.

Right: had been sailing

They were hungry because they   all day.
Right: had been swimming
Sarah decided to study in America after she   about going there for a while.
Right: had been thinking

It was a relief to find the documents. I (look)   for them all afternoon. 

Correct answer: had been looking

It was not the first time I'd met him. We (meet)   many times before. 

Correct answer: had met

He called me at eleven in the evening to tell me that he (find/finally)   a

solution. 

Correct answer: had finally found

When he (finish)   his speech, he waited for the reaction of the audience.
But no one said a word. 

Correct answer: had finished

By the time I came back from my business trip, a lot of things (changed)   
. 

Correct answer: had changed

We (work/already)   on this project for a month before we found a

fundamental flaw. 

Correct answer: had already been working

By the time the shops opened, they had been queuing for nearly an hour.

Had you eaten breakfast before you went out?

had been waiting

I ………………………….. for my friend for an hour when he phoned to say he couldn’t come.

When I met Dean, he ………………………….. as a teacher in Argentina since 2012. had been working

They ………………………….. for their dog for two days when it turned up outside their house. had been
looking

My cousin ………………………….. to drive for over a year before she passed her test. had been learning

When I checked the receipt later, I realised I …………………………. (pay) too much for my shopping.
By the time it ……………………………………….. in the park for an hour. got dark, we had been sitting

It was his first visit to Europe.

He ……………………………………….. Europe before. had never visited / had not visited