Practice Makes Perfect

9. They are breaking windows.


10. Juanita writes her a letter.

Circle the boldface word that best completes each sentence.

1. Mike has borrowed/borrowingmy dictionary.


2. We have been/went driving all day.


3. Does/Hasshe made fresh bread?


4. Marie did/hasfound your wallet.


5. I have been listening/listenedto the radio.


6. They have going/beenhome all day.


7. My sister has going/beenworking in the city.


8. She/Theyhave taken my money.


9. We have been hurried/hurryingto catch the bus.


10. Have you wrote/writtenthe postcards?

The Past Perfect Tense

To express an action that began in the past and ended in the past use the past perfect tense. It

has two formations similar to the present perfect tense. But in the past perfect tense, the verb to

haveis conjugated in the past tense (had):

to work had worked/had been working

to carry had carried/had been carrying

to speak had spoken/had been speaking.

You can form a question in the present perfect or past perfect tenses by inverting the verb and

the subject:

You have spoken. Have you spoken?

He had learned. Had he learned?

You can form the negative by placing notafter haveor had:

You have spoken. You have not spoken.

He had learned. He had not learned.

exercise 5-16

36 Practice Makes Perfect: English Grammar for ESL Learners

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