The Past Perfect

Ex. 272. Comment on the use of the Past Perfect in the following sentences

1. The programmer had done the work by four o'clock. 2. The policeman asked if there had been any witnesses. 3. By the time we got to the shopping centre it had closed. 4. The students had written the test and were now checking them up. 5. Mike phoned Rosie, but she hadn'1 returned home yet. 6. We had discussed the news arid were now thinking about it. 7. She complained that she was penniless as she had spent all her money. 8. When I came back home, my family had already had dinner and were now watching the film. 9. It turned out that Dick was ill and he had been ill for a fortnight. 10. We learnt that they had been close friends for many years. 11. Hardly had I turned on the television, when I heard shocking news. 12. No sooner had he opened the door than the children rushed to meet him. 13. Scarcely had the inspector opened the envelope when he understood everything. 14. By next morning, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last class of the term was cancelled. 15. She had a stock of excuses, as usual, when in fact she had overslept as usual.

Ex. 273 Use the right form of the verbs in brackets

1. She (talk) about the party she (arrange) for the children who (attend) her Sunday-school classes- 2. Emma suspected he (arrive) at the truth years ago3. Jack and Amelia were the only family she ever (have). 4. She got dressed in the cotton shorts and top she (wear) the day before. 5. Mari glanced over at the clock. It (be) nearly nine. She recently (learn) to tell the time. 6. Her words had touched the core of me, and I realized with a small shock how badly I (behave), I (think) only of myself. 7. They (be) truly good friends again, closer that they ever (be). 8. It was lovely to hear her laugh again. He not (hear) her laugh in years. 9. The police cordoned off the street where the bomb (go off). 10. The suspect refused that he (assault) a policeman. 11. The prisoner (spend) almost a month digging a tunnel before the guards (discover) it. 12. He said he (be) awfully sorry for the things he (do). 13. She seated herself in the chair Bill (pull) out for her. 14. The tense, worried expression he invariably wore, (disappear). Now it (be) smooth, free of pain and concern. 15. Roger guessed that she just (make) a dreadful slip of the tongue. 16. Before the mid-nineteenth century, no dentist (use) anesthesia.

 

Ex 274. Read and translate the sentences Pay special attention to use of the Past Perfect in the subordinate clauses of time

1. After they had shaken hands, Steve said, "Thank you." 2. Champagne was poured, and after they had all clinked glasses, Bill asked, "So are you here on business?" 3. Once she had applied a little make-up and sprayed on perfume, she ran downstairs to prepare lunch for David. 4. On Sunday morning, after she had drunk a quick cup of coffee, Vanessa dialed the Commodore Hotel. 5. After they had entered the church, they stood quietly for a moment, adjusting their eyes to the dim light. 6. After she had given the note to the front desk, her son led her outside. 7. Later that afternoon when Winston had left, she moved in the direction of the office. 8. When she had finished her cup, my mother put it down and started talking. 9. As soon as the last course had been served, the servants left the dining room. 10. After I had had my cup of tea, I went back to the library. 11. Once he had put everything away, Jake went back to the living room. 12. Once he had settled himself in the driver's seat, he said, "It's time to go home." 13. When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could, they rose and left the pub.

 

Ex. 275. Translate into English

1. После того, как он увидел это собственными глава­ми, он поверил, что чудо действительно произошло. 2. Это было нечто, о чем мы никогда не слышали.

3. Эрик очень удивился, когда узнал, что Эрика влюблена в него и влюблена уже много лет. 4. После того, как дети ушли в школу, в доме стало тихо. 5. В про­шлом году я впервые посетила Ирландию. Я не бы­вала там прежде. 6. Нам не пришлось стоять в оче­реди, потому что мы купили билеты заранее. 7. Когда Таня позвонила Рите, та уже легла спать. 8. До 1893 года ни один врач не оперировал на сердце. 9. После того как неловкий момент прошел, все расслабились. 10. Он представлял себе вещи, которые не произош­ли. 11. Я никогда не занимался водными лыжами раньше. В первый раз я сделал это во время поездки на Кипр. 12. Виктор был измучен, устал. Он плохо спал уже несколько ночей. Его бессонница не была чем-то новым. 13. С острой болью Нина вдруг поняла, как же она соскучилась по детям! 14. Возможно, Эмма и была одержима властью (to be power-ridden). Но конечно же жизнь сделала ее такой. Андрей знал это, так как по­чти тридцать лет был ее финансовым консультантом. 15. После того, как она совершила храбрый поступок, она стала героиней в глазах всех.

Ex. 276. Read and translate the sentences Comment on the use of tenses in past-time contexts

1. She sat staring at the page she had written last night in New York. How swiftly and drastically her life had changed since she had made that entry. 2. And for the first time in more than twenty years she had found herself living in the city where she had been born 3. They walked toward the house. It had been months since they had been there. They felt comforted by the charm of the house. It had always been a peaceful place. Ever since they had first set eyes on it, they had thought of it as a living thing. 4. It crossed her mind that she had not been able to go out much since she had arrived almost five weeks ago. 5. Scott was definitely worried by something. It had been a long time since I had seen him in such a difficult mood. 6. The children loved Mat. They had felt safe with him from the very first time they had met on the moors. 7. She remembered that once, long ago, her mother had said that Maxim was like a cat with nine lives. How many of his had he used up?

 

Ex 277. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets.

1. The three of them became inseparable. A great deal of camaraderie (develop) between them in the short time they (know) each other. 2. He admitted that it (be) too long since he (see) them. 3. My life was hectic. And indeed it (be) a stormy life I (live) ever since. 4. Joe saw that Nel was worried. She (live) with a problem for the last few days, ever since the baby (be) born. 5. Mrs. Loveday liked Maggie. In the few weeks she (know) the girl she never (see) her ruffled. Nor she ever (hear) her raise her voice at the children. 6. He painted mostly in the red barn. It (become) a refuge for him since he (move) into the house. 7. She looked up at Charles. She (be) acutely conscious of him from the moment he (arrive). 8. The Berlin, she (be born) in, and where she (grow up), no longer existed.

 

Ex 278. T ranslate into English

1. Он вынужден был признать, что прошло много лет с тех пор, как он брал отпуск. 2. Они обожали этого ребенка. Он был их утешением с того момента, как родился. 3. Ее мысли все еще были о матери. Она не видела ее с тех пор, как Ирина уехала в Лондон. Она

не только дала ей и ее брату любовь и поддержку, но и всегда вдохновляла их на достижение всех жела­ний. Она всегда была им матерью и отцом. 4. Она по­жаловалась, что сколько она знала своего мужа, он всегда был трудоголиком. 5. Оксана знала стихотво­рение наизусть, так как мать научила ее много лет назад. И все это время оно было у нее в памяти (to stay in the mind). 6. Он объявил, что был влюблен в нее с тех пор, как впервые увидел ее. 7. Было ясно, что у мамы не было ни минуты отдыха, с тех пор как мы взяли двух щенков и кошку. 8. Ей было очень жаль, что она много лет не была в городе, в котором родилась. 9. Его владение английским было безуко­ризненно (flawless). Он воспитывался и получал об­разование в Англии с тех пор, как его семья перееха­ла туда. 10. Он выглядел как человек, который толь­ко что получил миллион долларов.

Ex. 279. A. Which of the following things have you done by your sixteenth birthday? Use the Past Perfect tense to answer.

Model: By my sixteenth birthday, I had smoked

cigarettes and decided that I was never going to smoke again.

smoke a cigarette

learn to drive

go on my first date

get drunk

study calculus

study physics

fall in love

have my first kiss

learn how to support myself

live apart from my parents

learn everything there is to know about life

be on an airplane

learn to speak another language well

get a job

decide what I wanted to do for a living

B. Now ask a classmate the same questions

Model: By your sixteenth birthday, had you smoked cigarettes?