Nina_Nia Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Past perfect progressive
Hello,
When is it possible to use past perfect instead of past perfect progressive to show that the action is still in progress ?
I had been eating dinner, when the doorbell rang.(The action is still in progress now, or has just ended)
I had eaten dinner, when the dorrbell rang.(A finished action)
I had been cleaning my place when she arrived.(The action is still in progress now, or has just ended)
I had cleaned my place when she arrived.(A finsihed action)
I had eaten and I had cleaned imply that the actions have finished, but I need to show that they are still in progress.
I think I should remove 'now' and write that the action was still in progress at that moment in the past and it didn't finish or finished just before it or just finished.
Thanks
When is it possible to use past perfect instead of past perfect progressive to show that the action is still in progress ?
I had been eating dinner, when the doorbell rang.(The action is still in progress now, or has just ended)
I had eaten dinner, when the dorrbell rang.(A finished action)
I had been cleaning my place when she arrived.(The action is still in progress now, or has just ended)
I had cleaned my place when she arrived.(A finsihed action)
I had eaten and I had cleaned imply that the actions have finished, but I need to show that they are still in progress.
I think I should remove 'now' and write that the action was still in progress at that moment in the past and it didn't finish or finished just before it or just finished.
Thanks
Top answer
You seem to have a clear understanding of the proper usage of these two tenses. I don't understand why you want to do what you asking us. In answer to your first question, I'd say ' Never '.
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You seem to have a clear understanding of the proper usage of these two tenses.
I don't understand why you want to do what you asking us.
In answer to your first question, I'd say 'Never'.
Rover
You seem to have a clear understanding of the proper usage of these two tenses.
I don't understand why you want to do what you asking us.
In answer to your first question, I'd say 'Never'.
Rover
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I was just looking for more examples like the one below where either form can be used.
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