Past Perfect Simple

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Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Simple
Describes an action that was completed before another past action or a
specific point in the past.
Indicates the earlier action or event.
Uses "had" + past participle form of the main verb.
Example:
"They had already left when I arrived."

Past Perfect Continuous

Describes ongoing actions that were in progress before another past action or a
specific point in the past.
Indicates the continuous duration leading up to that point.
Uses "had been" + present participle (-ing form) of the main verb.
Example:
"He had been working all day before he took a break."

Key Differences
Completion vs. Continuity:
Past Perfect: Describes completed actions before another past action.
Past Perfect Continuous: Describes ongoing actions leading up to another past action.
Time Reference
Past Perfect: Indicates an action completed before another past action.
Past Perfect Continuous: Indicates an ongoing action leading up to another past action.

Verb Structure
Past Perfect: Uses "had" + past participle form of the
main verb.
Past Perfect Continuous: Uses "had been" + present
participle (-ing form) of the main verb.
Usage
Past Perfect: Used to describe an action completed before another past action or a
specific point in the past.
Past Perfect Continuous: Used to describe ongoing actions leading up to another past
action or point in the past.
Let’s Compare
The builders had put up the scaffolding around the house.

Past perfect simple emphasises the completion of the action

(the scaffolding is up)
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The builders had been putting up the scaffolding when the roof fell in.

Past perfect continuous emphasises a continuing or ongoing action.

She’d always lived with her parents.

We don’t know how long.
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She’d been living with her parents.
Suggests a temporary situation.

Some verbs are not used very often in the continuous form.

We don’t use the continuous form with some verbs of mental process (know,
like, understand, believe) and verbs of the senses (hear, smell, taste):
We’d known for a long time that the company was going to close.
Not: We’d been knowing …

We’d tasted the milk and had decided it was bad, so we threw it away.
Not: We’d been tasting the milk …

We don’t use the continuous form with actions that are completed at a single
point in time (start, stop):
Had they started the game on time?
Not: Had they been starting the game on time?

Exercise no.1
Explain the difference between these two sentences.
I hadn’t been playing guitar for months until yesterday.

I was not playing guitar.

 Past Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous
What is Their Main Difference?
The main difference between past continuous and past perfect continuous is that
past continuous tense refers to ongoing action in the past, while past perfect
continuous talks about actions in the past that occurred before another action.

Uses and Comparison

1. Past Actions
While both tenses tend to talk about past actions, there is a tiny detail you need to
consider. When we want to talk about ongoing activities in the past, we use past
continuous tense. Now to talk about longer actions in the past before another
action in the past we use past perfect continuous.

Example:
I was working at the office.
we are talking about an action that was in process in the past.

I had been working in the office.

we are referring to an action that happened in the past while another took place.

2. Frequent Actions
When we want to talk about something that happened several times before a point
in the past and continued after that point, we use past perfect continuous. When
we want to talk about an action that happened frequently in the past, we use past
continuous with adverbs or adverb phrases to indicate the repetition of actions.

Example:
I was staying overtime everyday for months.
we are referring to a past action that used to be a routine.

I had been staying overtime everyday since April.

we are indicating the duration of an ongoing action in the past.
3. Narration
When we want to narrate a past action or tell a story in the past tense, we tend to
start with past continuous to give a general background.

Example:
The Redhood was going to her grandmother when the wolf saw her.
Here, we are giving a background knowledge before moving on with the story.

The Redhood had been going to her grandmother when the wolf saw her.
Here, we do not have a typical story telling pattern.

Exercise 2
Fill in the gaps with the most appropriate narrative tenses of the verbs in
brackets: past simple, past continuous or past perfect simple.
This story is based on true events that _________(happen) many, many
years ago in Scotland. One day, Mr Clark _________(walk) home with a
smile on his face. He _________(carry) something very valuable in his
hand: tickets for a long, long journey.
After many years working and saving, Mr Clark _________(save) all the
money he needed to take all his family to the United States. Earlier that
afternoon he _________(buy) all the tickets that now he _________(hold) in
his hand. It was the opportunity of their lives. “The United States of
America,” he repeated aloud just to see how nice it _________(sound) in his
ears.
A few days before their departure, Mr Clark’s son _________(play) in the
street when a dog _________(bite) him. The doctor _________(go) to their
home and _________(treat) the child’s wound. Then he_________(hang) a
yellow sheet on their front door. That yellow sheet meant that they
_________ (just/be) quarantined. They _________(have) to stay at home
for two weeks because of the possibility of rabies.
Five days later, Mr Clark was at the docks. He _________(leave) the house
and now he _________(watch) their ship leave to the United States without
him or his family. When the ship _________(disappear) in the horizon, he
_________(stand up) and _________(go) back home, crying.
A few days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland - the mighty
Titanic _________(sink), taking hundreds of lives with it.
 Reading&Vocabulary
What is a healthy diet?
Eating a healthy diet is not about strict limitations, staying unrealistically
thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling
great, having more energy, having a balanced diet, improving your health,
and boosting your mood.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated. If you feel

overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there,
you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food
is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. The truth is
that while some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a
beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most
important. The cornerstone of a healthy diet should be to replace
processed, junk food with real, nutritional food whenever possible. Eating
food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a huge
difference to the way you think, look, and feel.

While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of
protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to
sustain a healthy body and prevent obesity. You don’t need to eliminate
certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest
options from each category.

Protein gives you the energy to get up and go—and keep going—while also
supporting mood. Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney
disease, but the latest research suggests that many of us need more high-
quality protein, especially as we age. That doesn’t mean you have to eat
more animal products—a variety of plant-based sources of protein each
day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.

to ensure: sağla-
Fat: Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase
your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In
fact, healthy fats—such as omega-3s—are vital to your physical and
emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help improve
your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline.

Fiber: Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and
beans) can help you stay regular and lower or even reduce your risk for
heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even
help you to lose weight.

Calcium: As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in

your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties.
Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to include calcium-rich foods in
your diet, limit those that deplete calcium, and get enough magnesium and
vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job.

Carbohydrates are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most
should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains,
fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Cutting back on white bread,
pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar,
fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around
your waistline.

Moderation: important to any healthy diet

What is moderation? In essence, it requires eating only as much food as

your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not
stuffed. For many of us, moderation means eating less than we do now. But
it doesn’t mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast
once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it
with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of
donuts and a sausage pizza.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain
foods, it’s natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if
you give in to temptation. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods
and not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods,
you may find yourself craving them less.

Think smaller portions. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes.
Your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards
and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a
traditional light bulb. By serving your meals on smaller plates or in bowls,
you can trick your brain into thinking it’s a larger portion. If you don’t feel
satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy greens or round off the meal
with fruit.

Take your time. It’s important to slow down and think about food as
nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings
or on the way to pick up the kids. It actually takes a few minutes for your
brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly and stop
eating before you feel full.

Limit snack foods in the home. Be careful about the foods you keep at hand.
It’s more challenging to eat in moderation if you have unhealthy snacks and
treats at the ready. Instead, surround yourself with healthy choices and
when you’re ready to reward yourself with a special treat, go out and get it
then.

Control emotional eating. We don’t always eat just to satisfy hunger. Many
of us also turn to food to relieve stress or cope with unpleasant emotions
such as sadness, loneliness, or boredom. But by learning healthier ways to
manage stress and emotions, you can regain control over the food you eat
and your feelings.

Finally, with learning how to eat correctly to fuel your body and soul; you
can be a self-esteem person who recognizes what is good for itself. Now
attempt to have a balanced diet and stay active. You won’t be able to
recognize yourself in a few months.
Exercise 3
Choose the past perfect, or the past perfect continuous.

1) When we arrived the film ______________(start).

2) She ______________(work) in that company for twenty years

when she was made redundant.

3) I felt ill because I ______________(drink) six cups of coffee.

4) I ______________(study) all day, so I was tired.

5) How long ______________(you / live) in London when your

daughter was born?

6) When I arrived at the airport, I realised I ______________(forget)

my passport.

7) I ______________(break) my ankle, so I couldn't go skiing last

year.

8) She ______________(study) English for three years when she

took the exam.

9) I ______________(run), so I was hot and tired.

10) I didn't go to the class because I ______________(not / do) my

homework.
Exercise 2 Exercise 3
1. was walking 1.had started
2. was carrying 2. had been working
3. had saved 3. had drunk
4. had bought 4.had been studying
5. was holding 5. had you been living
6. sounded 6.had broken
7. was playing 7. had forgotten
8. bit 8. had been studying
9. went 9. had been running
10. treated 10. had not done
11. hung
12. had just been
13. had Vocabulary+Notes
14. had left
15. was watching
16. disappeared
17. stood up
18. went
19. had sunk