2. She started cooking. The telephone rang.

She had scarcely started cooking when the telephone rang

1. She closed the door. The baby started crying. 2. She fed the baby. The dog began barking. 3. She put the dog out. The cat stole the meat. 4. She rescued the meat. The soup boiled over. 5. She cleaned the mess. The guests arrived. 6. The guests sat down. She served dinner. 7. We reached home. The rain began. 8. I told her the news. She burst out crying. 9. I entered the shop. The shop-assistant offered his help. 10. We ran into difficulty. Jacob knew how to overcome it. 11. He thought about Mary. She rang him up. 12. I switched on the TV set. It broke down. 13. Nick finished fixing the TV set. An interesting programme began. 14. She laid the table. Her friends came. 15. The plane took off. The man sitting next to me began to smoke. 16. I turned on the radio. They began to broadcast the latest news.

Exercise 10. Combine the two sentences using the conjunction no sooner than.

Model: She typed one letter but then the boss gave her another.

She had no sooner typed one letter than the boss gave her another.

1. He started business, but then the war began. 2. She arrived at the hotel, and then she began complaining loudly. 3. I started my holiday, but then I felt ill. 4. He met Mary, and fell in love with her. 5. He saw the policeman. He decided to escape immediately. 6. The music began to play. Young couples began to dance. 7. The plane took off. The old lady began to feel airsick. 8. John received a telegram. He rushed to the railway staton. 9. Robert won a car in the lottery last month. Soon he had an accident. 10. We made ourselves confortable at the table. The waiter came. 11. I began to read a detective novel. I guessed the end at once. 12. Five years ago he got a job in the Oil Industry Centre. Last week he became its Director. 13. They bought the new furniture. The prices went up. 14. She told him the news. He grew pale. 15. The boss began the meeting. his secretary entered the room. 16. We entered the hall. The lights went out.

Exercise 11. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple or past perfect.

1. We (hardly) start when the car (get) a flat tyre. 2. The game scarcely (begin) when it (start) to rain. 3. No sooner she (open) the drawer than she (find) the photo which she (think) she (lose) long before. 4. Hardly he (touch) the pillow when he (fall) asleep. 5. Scarcely he (arrive) when he (leave) again. 6. We no sooner (sit) down than we (find) it was time to go. 7. The play hardly (start) when there (be) a power cut. 8. I scarcely (sit) down to eat when the phone (ring). 9. No sooner I (start) mowing the lawn than it (start) raining. 10. He hardly (reach) the door of his office when two young men (stop) him. 11. He no sooner (arrive) than the accident (take) place. 12. He hardly (arrive) in Rome when he (get) a telegram from home that his father was seriously ill. 13. Hardly he (ask) his question when she (answer) it. 14. Scarcely I (finish) my work when my friends (arrive). 15. Hardly he (enter) the room when he (switch on) the TV set. 16. He no sooner (leave) the room than another man (come) in.

Exercise 12. Translate into English using hardly ... when, scarcely ... when, or no sooner ... than.

1. Он не прочел и трех страниц, как его прервали. 2. Едва я успел попрощаться с ними, как поезд тронулся. 3. Не успел я дойти до угла, как услышал чьи-то шаги сзади. 4. Не успел он пообедать, как ему позвонил приятель. 5. Едва дверь закрылась за ней, как я вспомнил, что я хотел сказать ей. 6. Не успел он приехать в город, как встретил своих школьных друзей. 7. Едва мы закончили писать граммати-ческий тест, как прозвенел звонок на перемену. 8. Не успела она добежать до станции метро, как пошел сильный дождь. 9. Едва я вошел в комнату, как увидел записку на столе. 10. Не успели мы сесть за стол, как погас свет. 11. Не успел преподаватель закончить объяснение нового правила, как студенты начали задавать вопросы. 12. Удва закончился дождь, как туристы поехали осматривать достопримечательности города. 13. Только он ушел, как зазвонил телефон. 14. Не успел я прийти, как секретарь пригласил меня к директору. 15. Едва он открыл книгу и начал читать, как он уснул. 16. Не успел я войти в зал, как лекция началась.

Exercise 13. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple, present perfect or past perfect.

1. Thank you, I’m not hungry. I just (have) dinner. 2. You (have) dinner before you (go) to the library? 3. Roy (come) home after he (travel) about Europe for four years. 4. I (finish) my test paper. May I go out? 5. I (finish) my test paper before the bell (ring). 6. I recognize the story. I already (hear) it. 7. I was sure I (hear) that story some months before. 8. By the time Anita got to the church, the wedding already (begin). 9. I (not to pay) for my ticket yet. How much do I own you? 10. The hotel manager discovered that a guest (leave) without paying his bill. 11. I always (want) to visit Japan, and now I have the chance, I (decide) to take it. 12. He already (speak) to our secretary about it. 13. She said that she (speak) to the Dean about our problem. 14. I can’t help thinking that I (see) your face before. 15. After he (see) “My Fair Lady” he (tell) all his friends that he never (see) a better misical. 16. By five o’clock yesterday Steve (write) an English composition. 17. John (write) five letters since 5 o’clock. 18. Who is that woman? I never (see) her before. 19. I didn’t know who the woman was. I never (see) her before. 20. The house was dirty. They (not to clean) it for weeks.

Exercise 14. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: present perfect, past perfect or past simple.

Well, you see, Officer, I (drive) down the dual carriageway, when this hige lorry (overtake) me. I (travel) at 70 miles an hour, so I’ve no idea what speed the lorry (go). I never (see) a lorry travelling so fast. Two miles futher down the road I (see) flames and smoke rising. The idiot (crash) into the roudabout. Obviously he (swerve) to avoid this boy on his bicycle. You (speak) to the boy yet? I think he’s all right. When you (arrive), I (try) to free the lorry driver. I could smell alcohol on his breath. I think he (drink). He (break) one of his legs, but apart from that he’s not too bad.

Exercise 15. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple or past perfect.

1. She (tell) me his name after he (leave). 2. He (do) nothing before he saw them. 3. He thanked me for what I (do). 4. After I had heard the news, I (hurry) to see my friends. 5. She told me her name after I (ask) her twice. 6. He had already learnt English before he (leave) for America. . The river became deeper after it (rain) heavily. 8. The house was very quiet when I got home. Everybody (go) to bed. 9. I felt very tired when I got home, so I (go) straight to bed. 10. I had been looking for my textbook for an hour when at last I (find) it in the laboratory. 11. Mary looked happy. She said she (find) her ring. 12. Julia (not to finish) work when Jim got to the office. 13. I (finish) my homework at 6 and went out for a walk. 14. Jane (wash) the dishes, (dry) them and (put) them into the cuopboard. 15. Tom called me this afternoon and invited me to go out for a walk, but I couldn’t as I (not to finish) my report yet. 16. Nora woke up with a terrible headache because she and Arthur (hold) a party the night before.

Exercise 16. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple or past perfect.

1. The little boy (refuse) to admit he (break) the window. 2. As it (be) Sunday, we (go) to the seaside and (spend) the whole day there. 3. She (not to know) what they (tell) her father but she (see) that he (be) very upset. 4. Mario (feel) very nervous when he first (drive) in Britain because he (not to drive) on the left before. 5. When I (find) my wallet I (discover) that somebody (take) the credit cards out of it. 6. Mary (go) to the door and (lock) it, and (return) with the key. 7. The students (enter) the class-room five minutes after the bell (ring). 8. He (make) tea and (eat) the biscuits which Mrs. Andrew (bring) him. 9. It (be) all so sudden that for a moment no one (know) what (happen). 10. He (tell) me that they (be) at the same public school and (be) friends ever since. 11. The little boy (tell) a lie five minutes after he (promise) to tell the truth. 12. Near the door he (see) the man he (notice) at the station. 13. The house (be) much smaller than he (think) at first. 14. The students (do) the exercise very well after the teacher (show) them how to. 15. She (feel) sick after she (eat) a whole box of chocolates. 16. After she (spend) all her money, she (ask) her father to help her.

Exercise 17. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple or past perfect.

1. When I (meet) Mrs. Fogg, I (understand) why Fogg (marry) her. 2. First she (open) the parcel, and then she (read) the letter. 3. After she (open) the parcel, she (read) the letter. 4. He quickly (forget) all he (learn) at school. 5. I (be) sure he (do) everything he (can) to help me. 6. He (be) deeply ashamed of what he (do). 7. I (not to fall asleep) yet when I (hear) the sound of the bell. 8. I (speak) to the woman because I (think) I (meet) her somewhere before. 9. As soon as they (go), I (go) straight to bed. 10. John (realize) to his astonishment that he (set) a new world record. 11. The clerk (work) hard after the director (criticize) him. 12. After we (see) this new film, we (have) an interesting discussion about it. 13. Mary (discover) that Charlie (take) all her money. 14. When he (look) around he (understand) that he (get off) at the wrong station. 15. Peter suddenly (realize) that he (leave) his cap in the train. 16. As soon as the choldren (finish) breakfast, they (run out) to play.

Exercise 18. Put the verbs into the correct form: past simple, past continuous or past perfect.

1. We (drive) along the road when we (see) a car which (break) down, so we (stop) to see if we could help. 2. Yesterday afternoon Sharon (go) to the station to meet Paul. When she (get) there, Paul already (wait) for her. His train (arrive) early. 3. When I (get) home, Bill (lie) on the sofa. The television (be) on but he (not to watch) it. He (fall) asleep and (snore) loudly. I (turn) the television off and just then he (wake up). 4. Last night I just (go) to bed and (read) a book when suddenly I (hear) a noise. I (get up) to see what it (be) but I (not to see) anything, so I (go) back to bed. 5. I (make) a cake when the light (go out). I (have) to finish it in the dark. 6. He (have) a bath when the phone (ring). Very unwillingly he (get) out of the bath and (go) to answer it. 7. When Peter (go) along the street he (see) a friend of his whom he (not to meet) for a long time. 8. Jack (do) his work by 8 o’clock. He (get) out into the street. The weather (be) fine. It (stop) snowing and the moon (shine) high in the sky. 9. Then she (get) up and (go) to the kitchen and (open) the fridge. 10. My mother (make) sandwiches in the kitchen and (not to hear) the bell. 11. After he (leave) school he could not find a job and (decide) to go to New York. 12. She (go) back to take her gloves and bag which she (leave) on the hall table. 13. What you (do) with this electric drill? - I (put up) some bookshelves in my room. 14. What you (do) with this electric drill? - I (put) it back in its box in the tool cupboard. 15. When Elizabeth I (die) in 1603, she (reign) for over thirty years. 16. James (inherit) a small fortune from his father, but a year later he (not to have) a penny because he (spend) it all on cars and women. 17. I (study) politics at university. 18. He (study) the effects of radiation when he suddenly (die). 19. Henry (come) home from holiday to find that someone (break) into his house. 20. As the (walk) along the road they (hear) a car coming from behind them. Tom (turn) round and (hold) up his hand. The car (stop).

Exercise 19. Translate into English using the correct form of the verb: past simple, past continuous or past perfect.

1. Когда я пришел к Виктору, его не было дома. Он ушел на вокзал встречать своего приятеля. 2. Собрание еще не началось, когда мы пришли. 3. Он уехал в тот день, когда я приехал. 4. Когда мы вышли на улицу, ярко светило солнце. 5. Когда мы пришли на остановку, автобус уже ушел. 6. Я часто ходил в этот кинотеатр, когда работал в этом районе. 7. С кем вы разговаривали по телефону, когда я вошла в комнату. 8. Вчера весь день мы работали в библиотеке. 9. К тому времени, как мы верну-лись, они уже достигли соглашения. 10. Когда он кончил работать, он сел на диван и стал читать газету. 11. Вчера в шесть часов вечера я ждал сестру на вокзале. 12. Когда вы здесь были в последний раз? - Три года назад. 13. Когда я вернулся из театра, гости уже ушли. 14. Как только она включила свет, она увидела в комнате незнакомца. 15. Я был удивлен, когда узнал, что Роберт не здал экзамены. 16. К пяти часам все уже собрались в столовой. 17. Где ты отдыхал прошлым летом? - На Кавказе. - Сколько времени ты там пробыл? - Около месяца. 18. Вчера я встретил своего приятеля, который только что вернулся из Индии.

19. Вчера в это время я слушала интересную лекцию по литературе. 20. Пока дети спали, бабушка готовила обед.

Exercise 20. In the story below, use the appropriate verb tense (past simple, past continuous, past perfect, present perfect) for the verbs in brackets.

Some people attend all their high school reunions, but Al (not to go) back to his school since he (graduate) ten years ago. Five years ago, he (make) arrangements to go to his five-year high school reunion, but two days before the reunion he (break) his leg. He (paint) his house on a tall ladder when he (lose) his balance. So he (not to go) to his five-year reunion.

Al (not to visit) his hometown for ten years and his new wife, Marta, never (be) there. Al and Marta (get) married about a year and a half ago and they (not to be) married long when some of Al’s high school friends (come) to visit them last year. So at least Marta (meet) a few of Al’s old friends, even though she (not to be) to his hometown.

THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE) TENSE

HAD BEEN + V + ING

Exercise 1. Comment on the use of the Past Perfect Continuous in the following sentences. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. When she arrived I had been waiting for three hours. 2. Dave had been driving for an hour when his car broke down. 3. I had been working hard all day, so I was very tired last night. 4. When I came, he had been sleeping for two hours. 5. He felt tired when he came home as he had been playing football. 6. Ken gave up smoking two years ago. He had been smoking for 30 years. 7. Her eyes were red. I saw she had been crying. 8. How long had you been waiting when the bus finally came? 9. When the boys came into the house, their clothes were dirty, their hair was untidy and one of them had a black eye. They’d been fighting. 10. Hastings had been staying at the hotel for a week when his friend arrived. 11. Someone had been writing with my pen. That was why there was no ink in it. 12. Jacob said he had been noticing strange things.

Exercise 2. Read the situation and make your own sentence for them using the Past Perfect Continuous.

Model: It was three o’clock when Jill went out to look for her son and six o’clock when she found him.

Jill had been looking for her son for three hours before she found him.

1. Roger Morgan got his job in the film industry when he was 20. He made his first film when he was 25. 2. Steve arrived at the airport at 7 o’clock, but his plane took off only at noon. 3. Martha is a very shy person. She moved into the apartment house in 1980. She began to speak to her neighbours only two years later. 4. Robert began to write poetry at 9. His first book of poetry was published when he was 25. 5. John started working at the bank at 20. He asked for his first raise only 12 years later. 6. We played tennis yesterday. half an hour after we began playing, it started to rain. 7. I had arranged to meet Tom in a restaurant. I arrived and waited for him. After 20 minutes I suddenly realized that I was in the wrong restaurant. 8. Sarah got a job in a factory. Five years later the factory closed down. 9. I went to a concert last week. The orchestra began playing. After about ten minutes a man in the audience suddenly began to shout. 10. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins went to live in the south of France. Six months later Mr. Jenkins dies. 11. When I arrived Carry was still waiting for me. But she was annoyed with me because I was forty minutes late. 12. Nelly got the job of a sales manager in a big company. After two years she was promoted. 13. We walked for an hour. Then we understood that we had taken the wrong road. 14. He worked at the laboratory for five years. Then he changed his job. 15. My friend Walter was courting his girlfriend Alice. Five years after they got acquainted he asked her to marry him. 16. The factory was producing toys for children. After ten years the management decided to change the assortment completely.

Exercise 3. Respond to the following statements giving your reasons in the Past Perfect Continuous. Use the prompts in brackets.

Model: John was short of breath.(run all the way)

John was short of breath because he had been running all the way.

1. His hands were dirty.(work in the garden) 2. There was nobody in the room but there was a smell of cigarettes.(somebody/smoke/in the room). 3. She looked upset when I saw her last month.(look for a job for four months) 4. She passed all her examinations very well.(study hard) 5. He was behind the class.(not study properly) 6. There was paint in Roy’s hair.(paint the fence) 7. When Mary came back from the beach, she looked very red from the sun.(lie in the sun too long) 8. Her eyes were red.(cry) 9. She got used to his strange ways.(live together for a long time) 10. When I looked out into the street yesterday morning the ground was wet.(rain at night) 11. When I met her last week she looked very tired.(look after her sick mother) 12. She looked half asleep.(rest) 13. Susan woke up in the middle of the night. She was frightened and didn’t know where she was. (dream) 14. It turned out that my type-writer was broken.(somebody/ use) 15. Lisa caught a cold.(walk in the rain) 16. Roger was red in the face.(his mother/scold)

Exercise 4. Translate into English using the Past Perfect Continuous.

1. Я два года работал на заводе, прежде чем смог поступить в университет. 2. До нашего приезда два дня шел сильный снег. 3. Она посмотрела на часы. Было около двенадцати. Она работала над докладом в течение 6 часов. 4. Туристы ждали автобуса очень долго, и когда он подошел, было уже очень поздно, и им уже не хотелось никуда ехать. 5. Когда я позвонил Николаю, я узнал, что он уже две недели болеет. 6. У тебя покраснели глаза. Ты плакала? 7. Она отложила в сторону книгу, которую читала, и подошла к окну. 8. Я знал, что они уже много лет переписываются. 9. Сколько времени вы пели в хоре до того, как начали заниматься в музыкальной школе. 10. Я очень устал, так как переводил статью с раннего утра. 11. Она была больна уже два дня, когда послали за доктором. 12. У него было такое чувство, что он живет здесь очень давно. 13. Я почти два часа искал свой учебник, когда вы прзвонили и сказали, что обнаружили мой учебник в своем портфеле. 14. Когда ты позвонил, я уже работал два часа. 15. Когда я добрался до деревни, я почувствовал себя очень усталым, так как я шел в течение двух часов и нес тяжелый чемодан. 16. Он был уверен, что она живет в Москве с 1985 года.

Exercise 5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past continuous or past perfect continuous.

1. Tom was leaning against the wall, out of breath. He (run). 2. I tried to catch Tom but I couldn’t. He (run) very fast. 3. Jim was on his hands and knees on the floor. He (look for) his cigarette lighter. 4. We (walk) along the road for about 20 minutes, when a car stopped and the driver offered us a lift. 5. When I arrived everyone was sitting round the table with their mouths full. They (eat). 6. When I arrived, Ann (wait) for me. She was rather annoyed with me because she (wait) for a long time. 7. When I came home he (sleep). He (sleep) for some time. 8. It (rain) when they left the house. It (rain) hard during the whole morning. 9. She (go) to this school for several years when the war broke out. 10. They (sit) on the platform for 15 minutes before the train arrived. 11. It was very noisy next door. Our neighbours (have) a party. 12. When I arrived, everyone was sitting round the table and talking. Their mouths were empty but their stomachs were full. They (eat). 13. Mary was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She (run). 14. We were extremely tired at the end of the journey. We (travel) for more than 24 hours. 15. It (not to rain) when we went out. But it (rain), so the ground was wet. 16. Ann (sit) in an armchair watching television. She was tired because she (work) very hard.

Exercise 6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past perfect or past perfect continuous.

1. We were good friends. We (know) each other for a long time. 2. Jack (fish) for three hours before he caught his first fish. 3. I knew the facts of the case because I (read) the report. 4. My eyes ached because I (read) for three hours. 5. He said he (look for) a flat for five weeks and he (not to find) one. 6. They (stay) at the seaside for two days when the weather suddenly changed for the worse. 7. He already (park) the car when I arrived. 8. He (drive) all day, so he was very tired when he arrived. 9. I (finish) cleaning the car before 1 o’clock. 10. What you (do) in the garden before we came. 11. I (live) in Germany before I came to Russia. 12. The child (sleep) for an hour before his father came. 13. I (stand) there for nearly an hour when I realized I was at the wrong bus stop. 14. Edward went to Baghdad last week. He (plan) this trip for three months. 15. My watch (keep) good time before I dropped it. 16. By that time he already (change) his mind. 17. When we finally got there, the children (wait) for hours. 18. His hair was damp. He (swim) again. 19. She danced better now. Her brother (teach) her probably. 20. I felt very cold because I (stand) outside for over two hours.

Exercise 7. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple, past continuous, past perfect or past perfect continuous.

1. He (read) his evening newespaper when a friend of his (call) him on the telephone. 2. By the end of the summer he (learn) a lot of English words. 3. He (read) before the fire for half an hour when the telephone (ring). 4. When we (come) to their place last night, they (play) chess; they (say) they (play) since six o’clock. 5. When I first (meet) him, he (lecture) at Cambridge University for ten years. 6. She (feel) chilly after she (swim) for an hour. 7. She (look) at him since they (sit) down; and he wondered what she (think) about all the time. 8. They (tell) me that Bill still (swim). 9. The boys (play) football and (not to hear) their mother calling them from the window. 10. The boys (be) tired because they (play) hockey. 11. I (be) pleased to see my old college friends at the conference last week as we (not to see) each other since we (finish) out college. 12. We (miss) our train, so by the time we (reach) the theatre, the play (end) and the audience (leave) the theatre. 13. At the end of their meal they (find) they couldn’t pay the bill because they (not to bring) any money with them. 14. When I (come) of the cinema I (find) that a thief (take) my car radio. 15. At first the authorities (think) the athlete (take) drugs, but they soon (realized) they (mix up) the results of the tests. 16. When we (reach) the city we couldn”t find a parking space, so we (decide) to go by bus the next time. 17. Mary (meet) her husband while she (work) in the States. 18. Maggie (take) a hot bath because she (work) in the garden all afternoon. 19. He (look) at the fire and (think) of something. 20. He (look) three or four minutes at the fire and then (turn) his face to me.

Exercise 8. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form: past simple, past continuous, past perfect or past perfect continuoius.

1. At last I (find) the book, which I (look for) all. 2. He asked me what I (look for). 3. When I (enter) the room my uncle (talk) in a loud voice. 4. They (tell) me that my uncle just (talk) about me. 5. Greta boasted that her boss (give) her an extra half hour for lunch because she (work) very hard all morning. 6. Bruce (go) to hospital because he (cut) his hand while he (try) to mend a broken window. 7. I (be) very pleased when my son (find) my watch because we (look for) it for hours. 8. As Mary (get) out of the boat her foot (slip) and she (fall) into the river. 9. While I (wait) for the bus I (notice) a group of tourists who (listen) attentively to a guide. 10. I (lose) my purse while I (go) to work. 11. How often you (visit) your cousins when you (be) in the States last year? 12. The children (fight) for some time when the door (open) and the teacher (come) into the classroom. 13. The Second World War (begin) in 1939. 14. They (drive) for about half an hour when they (realize) they (be) lost. 15. After Molly (break) her engagement, she (go) abroad. 16. When he (dreess) he (go) downstairs, (write) a long letter to his parents and another to his sister. 17. While I (swim) across the lake somebody (steal) my bicycle. 18. My sister’s birthday (be) the only thing anybody (talk) about for the last two weeks. 19. Clara (prepare) a marvelous meal last night. 20. She (cook) the dinner for half an hour when she (remember) that she (forget) to buy the bread.

Exercise 9. Translate into Englisg using the most suitable form of the verbs: present perfect, past simple, past continuous, past perfect or past perfect continuous.

1. Мэри уехала к родителям до того, как пришла эта телеграмма. 2. Когда последний раз шел снег? - В пятницу. 3. Вы когда-нибудь изучали английский язык? 4. Она надела шляпу и вышла из дома. 5. Я познакомился с этой семьей в 1992 году. С тех пор мы большие друзья. 6. Что она готовила, когда вы вошли в кухню? 7. Мальчики уснули до того, как телевизионная програма закончилась. 8. Я встретился с ней, когда она уже вышла замуж и была замужем пять лет. 9. В комнате пахло дымом. Там кто-то курил. 10. К пяти часам все студенты собрались в актовом зале. 11. Посмотри на мальчиков! Они уже уснули. 12. Вчера он был занят весь день, он чинил телевизор. 13. Мы прожили в деревне два месяца, когда мой брат приехал навестить нас. 14. Мы как раз говорили о нем, когда он вошел. 15. Вчера, когда я мыла посуду, я разбила чашку. 16. Мы прожили у Смитов два дня и вернулись в Лондон поездом. 17. В субботу мы зашли к нему в 10 часов вечера. Он все еще работал. 18. Два года назад он уехал в Саратов и с тех пор там живет. 19. Мы ехали около часа, когда, наконец, мы увидели большое озеро. 20. Я еще никогда не видел ее такой сердитой.