□ Exercise 29. Warm-up.

(Chart 3-7)
Which sentence (a. or b.) logically follows each statement? Discuss the meanings of the verbs
in blue.

1 . I have been working outside for almost an hour. ____

2 . I had been working outside for almost an hour. ____ _
a. It’s hot. I think I ’ll go inside.
b. But I got too hot and came inside.

3. I have been waiting for Jack since 5:00. ____

4. I had been waiting for Jack since 5:00. ___ _
a. Then I left.
b. And I ’m still here.

3-7 Past Perfect Progressive

(a) Eric finally cam e at six o'clock. 1 h a d The past perfect progressive
o o been w a itin g for him since four-thirty. emphasizes the duration o f an activity
CO O that was in progress before another
(b) The police h a d been lo o k in g for the
activity o r time in the past.
----- X
1
— criminal fortwo years before they
n ote: The past perfect progressive is
^ 1 caught him.
used infrequently com pared to other
duration
o f waiting verb tenses.

(c) W hen Judy got home, her hair was still This tense also may express an
wet because she ha d been swimming. activity in progress close in time to
---- X— X
i
— (d) 1 went to Ed’s house after the funeral.
another activity o r time in
i the past.
His eyes were red because he h a d
close
been cryin g .
in time

(e) A ctual spoken words: 1have been w a itin g for you. The past perfect progressive also
(f ) Reported words: Lia to ld m e th a t she h a d been w a itin g for me. occurs in reported speech. S ee
Chart 3-5, exam ples (g) and (h).

□ Exercise 30. Looking at grammar. (Charts 3-4 and 3-7)

Complete the sentences. Use the present perfect progressive or the past perfect progressive
form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. We (wait) ____ have been waiting__________________ for Nancy for the last two hours, but
she still hasn’t arrived.

2. We (ivait) ____ had been waiting___________________ for Nancy for over three hours before
she finally arrived yesterday.

3. It is midnight. I (study) _______________________________________ for five straight hours.

No wonder I ’m getting tired.

Perfect and Perfect Progressive Tenses 55