Narrative tenses Past simple Ted arrived at home. First he took off his shoes. Then he changed into a track suit. After that he drank some fruit juice and watched the news on TV. Finally he went out to train in the park.

Narrative tenses Past continuous While he was running in the park, he listened to some music. Suddenly, as he was trying to concentrate on his training, he saw something move behind the bushes.

Narrative tenses Past perfect By the time he had reached the bush, the “thing” had stopped moving.

The Past Perfect Tense 1)Anteriority in the past (trapassato prossimo/remoto) After he had cleared the table, he did the washng up Before he did the washing up he had cleared the table Before doing… After clearing…. As soon as he had finished, he relaxed on the sofa.

The Past Perfect Tense 2) Narration with … It was the first time she had met him She had never seen such a handsome man before He was the most handsome man she had ever seen

The Past Perfect Tense 3) Duration of state in the past He had had his house for 30 years when he decided to sell it.

The Past Perfect Tense 4) Indirect speech (to report all past tenses) She said she had seen Mr Jones the previous night, but she had never met him before. She added she had just heard about the theft. She said: “ I saw Mr Jones last night, but I had never seen him before. I have just heard about the theft”

Duration in the past Past perfect simple DURATION OF STATE + NEGATIVE SENTENCES He had had that car for 15 years when he had an accident. I hadn’t spoken German for a long time, so I didn’t speak very fluently. Past perfect continuous DURATION OF ACTION I had been waiting for half an hour when she finally arrived Paul was tired because he had been working in the garden all afternoon

Impersonal forms It was...SINCE + Past Perfect (beginning or end of action) Erano tre settimane che non mi telefonava It was three weeks since he had called He hadn’t called for three weeks Erano due anni che viveva a Londra It was two years since he had moved to London He had been living in London for two years He had moved to London two years before.

Duration in the future Future perfect simple DURATION OF STATE + NEGATIVE SENTENCES He will have had that car for 15 years next month. In January I won’t have lived in our house for one year, since the earthquake. Future perfect continuous DURATION OF ACTION By the end of the year I will have been working here for 10 years. We will be tired because we will have been walking and sightseeing all day /for three days.