TEACHER’S NOTES

WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S Past Perfect Continuous Sentence Flip

Activity Type Introduction

Grammar and Speaking In this past perfect continuous game, students listen to sentences
Game: forming sentences and race to change them into past perfect continuous sentences
from prompts, controlled with time conjunctions.
practice (group work)
Procedure
Focus Divide students into groups of three.
Past perfect continuous
with time conjunctions Give each group a set of cards

Ask the students to shuffle the cards and place them face-down
Aim in a pile on the table.

To practice constructing Explain that the students are going to play a game where they
past perfect continuous listen to a sentence or a pair of sentences and race to change each
sentences with time sentence or pair into a complex past perfect continuous sentence.
conjunctions.
Students take turns picking up a card from the top of the pile and
reading out the sentence or sentences on the card along with the
Preparation time conjunction shown in brackets.
Make one set of cards for
each group of three and The other students listen and race to create a past perfect
cut as indicated. continuous sentence using the time conjunction.

The first student to say the correct sentence written at the bottom
Level of the card in bold or a similarly grammatically correct sentence
wins and keeps the card, e.g. 'I had been driving for 14 hours by
Upper-intermediate (B2) the time I reached my destination'.

Variations on the structure shown on the cards are acceptable,

Time e.g. 'By the time I reached my destination, I had been driving for
25 minutes 14 hours'.

If nobody is able to make a correct sentence, the answer is

revealed, and the card is placed in a separate pile on the table.

The game continues until all the cards have been used.

The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

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 PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S Past Perfect Continuous Sentence Flip

I drove for 14 hours before reaching my I tossed and turned for hours, then I finally
destination. (BY THE TIME) fell asleep. (AFTER)

By the time I reached my destination, I After I'd been tossing and turning for
had been driving for 14 hours. hours, I finally fell asleep.

Jake moved in with his girlfriend last month. Sam moved back to the UK last year. Prior
Prior to that, he lived alone. (BEFORE) to that, he lived in Rome. (BEFORE)

Before moving in with his girlfriend last Before moving back to the UK last year,
month, Jake had been living alone. Sam had been living in Rome.

I sat in the waiting room for an hour, then the The rice simmered for 20 minutes, then I
doctor called me in. (AFTER) added a bit of salt. (WHEN)

After I'd been sitting in the waiting room When the rice had been simmering for
for an hour, the doctor called me in. 20 minutes, I added a bit of salt.

He worked for the company for 20 years, then I joined a yoga class last month. Before
decided to retire. (WHEN) that, I practiced alone. (UNTIL)

When he'd been working for the company Until I joined a yoga class last month,
for 20 years, he decided to retire. I'd been practicing alone.

They operated for four hours before They dated for two years, then Mario finally
finishing the surgery. (BY THE TIME) proposed. (AFTER)

By the time they finished the surgery, After they'd been dating for two years,
they had been operating for four hours. Mario finally proposed.

Lara bought a van last year. Prior to that, I slept for 10 hours, then the doorbell rang.
she drove a Mini. (BEFORE) (WHEN)

Before she bought a van last year, Lara When the doorbell rang, I had been
had been driving a Mini. sleeping for 10 hours.

Hanna got a laptop last month. Before that, We waited for nearly an hour before the
she wrote her essays by hand. (UNTIL) pizza arrived. (BY THE TIME)

Until she got a laptop last month, Hanna By the time the pizza arrived, we had
had been writing her essays by hand. been waiting for nearly an hour.

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 PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S Past Perfect Continuous Sentence Flip

Jose struggled with maths all term before Anna switched to law last year. Before that,
finally asking for help. (AFTER) she studied politics. (UNTIL)

After he'd been struggling with maths Until she switched to law last year,
all term, Jose finally asked for help. Anna had been studying politics.

We chatted for over an hour, then we hung Lee became a French teacher last term.
up the phone. (BY THE TIME) Prior to that, he taught English. (BEFORE)

By the time we hung up the phone, we Before becoming a French teacher last
had been chatting for over an hour. year, Lee had been teaching English.

I bought an electric oven last year. Prior to I knocked on the door for 10 minutes, then
that, I cooked with gas. (BEFORE) she finally let me in. (AFTER)

Before buying an electric oven last After I'd been knocking on the door for
year, I had been cooking with gas. ten minutes, she finally let me in.

The plane took off at dawn. Before that, we We waited outside for an hour, then the
sat on the runway for an hour. (WHEN) bank opened. (BY THE TIME)

When the plane took off at dawn, we had By the time the bank opened, we had
been sitting on the runway for an hour. been waiting outside for an hour.

Ben bought a washing machine. Before that, We sat in the sun for an hour, then we
he did his laundry by hand. (UNTIL) moved into the shade. (WHEN)

Until he bought a washing machine, Ben When we had been sitting in the sun
had been doing his laundry by hand. for an hour, we moved into the shade.

We stood for 30 minutes, then they told us Tina became self-employed in June. Prior to
we could sit down. (AFTER) that, she worked as a receptionist. (BEFORE)

After we'd been standing for 30 minutes, Before becoming self-employed in June,
they told us we could sit down. Tina had been working as a receptionist.

We climbed for over an hour, then we It rained for six days straight, then the river
stopped for a cup of tea. (WHEN) flooded. (AFTER)

When we had been climbing for over an After it had been raining for six days
hour, we stopped for a cup of tea. straight, the river flooded.

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