We’d Been Hoping for a Romantic Trip – Past Perfect Continuous. Explore Past Perfect Continuous through an Instructional Video and Transcript.
We’d Been Hoping for a Romantic Trip – Past Perfect Continuous.
We’d Been Hoping for a Romantic Trip – Past Perfect Continuous.
Have you ever wanted to express the idea of actions that were ongoing in the past, continuing up until another point in the past? If so, you’re in for a treat! In this blog post, we’re going to delve into the intricacies of the past perfect continuous tense. This unique tense allows us to paint a vivid picture of actions that were happening in the past and their connection to other past events. By the end of this journey, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of the past perfect continuous tense, its formation, and its practical applications.
Understanding the Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past before another specific past event occurred. This tense emphasizes the duration and continuity of actions. It’s formed by using the past perfect form of “to have” (had) along with the present participle form of the main verb (ending in -ing).
For example:
- She had been studying for hours before the phone rang.
- They had been traveling all day before they finally arrived.
Exploring Formation and Usage
The past perfect continuous tense is a dynamic blend of the past perfect tense and the present continuous tense. This unique combination allows us to express the idea that an action started in the past, continued for a while, and was still ongoing when another event occurred.
Key characteristics:
- Had + been + present participle: This is the formula for forming the past perfect continuous tense.
- Duration: This tense emphasizes the duration of an action.
- Connection to Past Events: It highlights the relationship between two past actions, with one action happening before another.
Practical Applications
The past perfect continuous tense is valuable for various situations:
- Narrating Stories: Use it to provide detailed background information for a story set in the past.
- Explaining Causes: Describe why a certain situation or event occurred.
- Actions Before a Specific Point: Express actions that were ongoing up until a certain point in the past.
Mastering the past perfect continuous tense opens up a world of possibilities in expressing actions that span across time. Whether you’re sharing stories, explaining causes, or describing events leading up to a certain point, this tense gives depth to your language. By understanding its formation and usage, you’ll be able to craft richer narratives and communicate with greater precision. So, embark on this linguistic journey and unlock the power of the past perfect continuous tense!
We’d Been Hoping for a Romantic Trip – Past Perfect Continuous
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Transcript
Charlotte: So tell me about the trip Maya how was New York City? Did you and Carl get to know each other better?
Maya: Yes we did the trip was… okay. ever since Carl invited me to New York City I had been marking the days off the calendar. Well I had been hoping to have a romantic trip with Carl, but you know that Lucy decided to come along.
Charlotte: Yes I know, you told me. Did she ruin the trip?
Maya: Kind of, but I know she didn’t do it on purpose. Anyway, I had been worrying things might not turn out the way I wanted ever since Lucy invited herself to come along.
Charlotte: I have to admit that I’d been getting a little worried too. I’d been thinking that something like that might happen. Please tell me about it.
Maya: First Carl and I wanted to have a romantic dinner, so we made a reservation at a fancy restaurant. I had been encouraging Lucy to go to a Broadway show so that Carl and I could be alone. Lucy bought a ticket for the show but then said she needed to get dinner.
Charlotte: Tell me she didn’t go to the same restaurant as you!
Maya: Not at first. She said she wanted to try food from a street vendor she had seen. We went our separate ways, then when Carl and I sat down to dinner, Lucy showed up. She had been walking around for a while trying to find something to eat. She decided she didn’t want to eat food from a street vendor, so she came to check out the restaurant. We had been enjoying our time together so much before she showed up.
Charlotte: Did you get any alone time with Carl?
Maya: I tried! I had been waiting for Carl to get up from the table as I didn’t want to embarrass Lucy in front of him. When he went to the bathroom I told Lucy I had been looking forward to spending time with Carl on the trip.
Charlotte: Was Lucy understanding?
Maya: I thought she was at first. She nodded and told me that she had been watching Carl and I together, and we seemed like the perfect match.
Charlotte: What happened next?
Maya: I had been keeping an eye on the time and I told her that she didn’t want to
be late to the show. Lucy left the restaurant to go to the Broadway show. Carl and I enjoyed the rest of our dinner together, then we decided to take a romantic walk on the Hudson river. We had been dreaming about seeing the Statue of Liberty all lit up at night, for a long time. We walked in that direction
Charlotte: That sounds so romantic. I’m glad you finally got some alone time with Carl.
Maya: We had been walking for some time when Carl took my hand; he had been leaning towards me trying to kiss me, when Lucy called. She didn’t like the Broadway show, so she left early. She had been riding the subway when she had the idea to call me. She asked where Carl and I were so I told her. She decided that she would visit the statue of liberty with us. Carl had been getting more and more irritated with Lucy, but that was too much for him.
Charlotte: Why didn’t you just tell Lucy that you wanted more alone time with Carl?
Maya: IÂ couldn’t because Carl had been standing there and had been listening to everything I said. i was way too embarrassed to say all that in front of him.
Charlotte: So did you two ever get to kiss?
Maya: Yes… sort of. It was kind of funny. The next day, Lucy wanted to go to
central park. She’d been looking for things to do when she saw a carousel. She thought that it would be fun for all of us to ride it. Carl and I climbed onto the carousel next to each other and Lucy chose to ride right behind us.
Charlotte: And you kissed on the carousel? I had been hoping for a more romantic story than that!
Maya: The ride had ended and I had been trying to get off the carousel but my leg was stuck on the horse! Carl came over to help me. He tugged on my shoe trying to get it unstuck. Lucy had been watching, then she wanted to help and tried to push me off. She pushed me into Carl and we both fell on the ground.
Charlotte: is that when you kissed?
Maya: Yes we kissed by accident. I would have liked a more romantic moment but it was okay. The rest of the trip, Lucy followed us. Every place I said I wanted to go, Lucy said she had been planning on visiting too.
Charlotte: Wow, so I guess Lucy was with you the whole time! At least she helped you have your first kiss with Carl.
Maya: Yes, she’s a great friend and a very nice person, and I’m sure she meant well, but good
intentions can sometimes do more harm than good. Next time I plan a romantic trip, I’ll make sure I don’t tell anybody about it.
Vocabulary bank:
- marking the days off – Counting down the days
- Broadway – A place where plays and theatre is performed
- ‘Tell me she didn’t’ – ‘I don’t believe it!’
- We went our separate ways – To go in different directions. To split up.
- showed up – Arrived
- alone time – Time on your own, or with just one other person.
- spending time – Doing something.
- Understanding – Caring.
- perfect match – Two things/people who are meant to be together.
- keeping an eye – Watching carefully.
- all lit up – Covered in bright lights.
- subway – Underground railway
- Carousel – A spinning merry-go-round with fake horses that you can ride.
We’d Been Hoping for a Romantic Trip – Past Perfect Continuous
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