GRAMMAR

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

Examples:

We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.

They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years.

Although the above use of Past Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.

IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect

Unlike with the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.

Example:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

MOREOVER

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when "before" or "after" is used in the sentence. The words "before" and "after" actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct.

Examples:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996

GRAMMAR

If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used.

Examples:

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct

She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

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

Examples:

You had previously studied English before you moved to New York.

Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license. Active

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. Passive

Simple Past / Past Perfect

I can't believe I (get) that apartment. I (submit) my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) before me. Most of them (fill, already) out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.

I (try) to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) at my credit report. I really lucked out!

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Simple Past / Present Perfect / Past Perfect

1

. When I (arrive) home last night, I discovered that Jane (prepare) a beautiful candlelight dinner.

2. Since I began acting, I (perform) in two plays, a television commercial and a TV drama. However, I (speak, never even) publicly before I came to Hollywood in 1985.

3. By the time I got to the office, the meeting (begin, already) without me. My boss (be) furious with me and I (be) fired.

4. When I (turn) the radio on yesterday, I (hear) a song that was popular when I was in high school. I (hear, not) the song in years, and it (bring) back some great memories.

5. Last week, I (run) into an ex-girlfriend of mine. We (see, not) each other in years, and both of us (change) a great deal. I (enjoy) talking to her so much that I (ask) her out on a date. We are getting together tonight for dinner.

6. When Jack (enter) the room, I (recognize, not) him because he (lose) so much weight and (grow) a beard. He looked totally different!

7. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the Yucatan; however, their culture (disappear, virtually) by the time Europeans first (arrive) in the New World.

8. I (visit) so many beautiful places since I (come) to Utah. Before moving here, I (hear, never) of Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, or Canyonlands.

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Past Perfect / Past Perfect Continuous

I'm sorry I left without you last night, but I told you to meet me early because the show started at 8:00. I (try) to get tickets for that play for months, and I didn't want to miss it. By the time I finally left the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet, I (have) five cups of coffee and I (wait) over an hour. I had to leave because I (arrange) to meet Kathy in front of the theater.

When I arrived at the theater, Kathy (pick, already) up the tickets and she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait) for more than half an hour. She said she (give, almost) up and (go) into the theater without us.

Kathy told me you (be) late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss) several movies because of your late arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time!

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Present Perfect and Simple Past

Present Perfect and Simple Past

1	Joji ________ in Tokyo for five years, but he left in 1993.
		<>	lived
		<>	have lived
2	The Titanic ________ in 1912.
		<>	sank
		<>	has sunk
3	Somebody ________ my bicycle! Now I'll have to walk home.
		<>	stole
		<>	has stolen
4	Gerry ________ off his bike three times this month.
		<>	fell
		<>	has fallen
5	Chika ________ from university last July.
		<>	graduated
		<>	has graduated
6	I ________ the movie Titanic three times. I'm going to see it again tonight.
		<>	saw
		<>	have seen
7	I ________ to work every day for the last six weeks!
		<>	walked
		<>	have walked
8	When Young Hee was a child, she ________ in Seoul.
		<>	lived
		<>	has lived
9	Ouch! ________ my finger!
		<>	I cut
		<>	I've cut
10	I ________ my key yesterday, so I couldn't get into the house. Eventually, I found it in my jacket pocket.
		<>	lost
		<>	have lost

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PRACTICE

Malaria? In Canada?

Enter the correct form of the verbs in parentheses

Have you ever had malaria? If you have, the chances are that you (get) the disease in a hot country. Malaria is most common in tropical countries, especially those with wet and humid climates, where the mosquitos which carry the disease can flourish. However, recently, malaria (become) more common in Canada. According to a recent report, over 1000 people (contract) the disease in Canada in 1997, and the number (rise) every year since 1994. This is an alarming trend.

Why is the incidence of malaria rising here? The answer is travel. More and more Canadians travel abroad every year, and some of them catch malaria. However, when a Toronto woman (become) sick last year, her doctor (discover) that she (never travel) abroad in her life. She must have been bitten by a mosquito which (get) the disease from another sick Canadian

Present Perfect and Past Simple

Make the phrases

1. You / ever / live / Paris / ? (Note -- this is a question!).________________________________________________________
2. I / live / Paris / when / I / be / child ___________________________________
3. You / go / Louvre / when / you / live / Paris / ? ________________________________________________________________
4. Yes / I / go / many times ________________________________________________________________
5. I / never / visit / Louvre ________________________________________________________________

ORDERING THE PUZZLE

1) ? bacon Canadian ever had have real you

2) ? breakfast did eggs for have morning this you

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