Past Perfect Continuous is used for duration ('had been living'), Past Simple for completed actions ('moved'), and Present Perfect Passive for an uncompleted result ('hasn't been sold yet').
Se usa el Pasado Perfecto Continuo para la duración ('had been living'), el Pasado Simple para acciones completadas ('moved'), y el Presente Perfecto Pasivo para un resultado no completado ('hasn't been sold yet').
| Task | They ________ (to live) in that house for 3 years. They ________ (to move) to Denver about a year ago. But their house _______ (yet / not / to sell). |
|---|---|
| Answer | 4 |
| a | had lived / moved / hasn't been sold yet |
| b | had been living / moved / hadn't been sold yet |
| c | had been living / had moved / hasn't been sold yet |
| d | had been living / moved / hasn't been sold yet |
| comment | 1. We use the Past Perfect Continuous to emphasize the duration of the action which started in the past and continued up to some moment in the past. 2. We use the Past Simple to talk about short simple actions which were finished in the past. Here: the Past Perfect would show that they moved before 'they had been living'. This is simply illogical. 3. We use the Present Perfect to emphasize the result of the action which started in the past and continued up to the present. |
| topic | past tenses |
| level | 2 |
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