Een langer verhaal vertellen: de vier verleden tijden samen

Voorbeelden

1. We had been waiting for an hour when they finally called our name.

   We wachtten al een uur toen ze eindelijk onze naam riepen.

2. She was reading the letter again when she noticed what it had not said.

   Ze was de brief opnieuw aan het lezen toen ze zag wat er niet in stond.

3. By the time the engineer arrived, the water had reached the second step.

   Tegen de tijd dat de monteur kwam, had het water de tweede trede bereikt.

4. He had been complaining about the noise for months before he wrote to us.

   Hij klaagde al maanden over het geluid voordat hij ons schreef.

Veelgemaakte fouten

• ✗Fout: When I arrived, the meeting already started.

  ✓Goed: When I arrived, the meeting had already started.

  De vroegste van twee gebeurtenissen in het verleden krijgt de past perfect.

• ✗Fout: We were driving for three hours when it broke down.

  ✓Goed: We had been driving for three hours when it broke down.

  Een tijdsduur VÓÓR een gebeurtenis in het verleden krijgt de past perfect continuous.

• ✗Fout: I had gone to the shop and had bought the milk and had come home.

  ✓Goed: I went to the shop, bought the milk and came home.

  Gebeurtenissen op volgorde krijgen de past simple; de past perfect is alleen om terug te stappen.

Oefenvragen

Probeer elke vraag eerst zelf en open dan „Toon antwoord” voor de oplossing en de reden.

1. 1Kies de juiste zin.

   1. ABy the time we get there, the shop had closed.
   2. BBy the time we got there, the shop closed.
   3. CBy the time we had got there, the shop closed.
   4. DBy the time we got there, the shop had closed.
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: D By the time we got there, the shop had closed.

   Het sluiten gebeurde eerst en krijgt dus de past perfect.

2. 2Kies de juiste zin.

   1. AShe has been working there for ten years when the factory shut.
   2. BShe was working there for ten years when the factory shut.
   3. CShe had been working there for ten years when the factory shut.
   4. DShe worked there for ten years when the factory had shut.
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: C She had been working there for ten years when the factory shut.

   Tien jaar VÓÓR een gebeurtenis in het verleden is de past perfect continuous.

3. 3Kies de juiste zin.

   1. AI was reading when the lights went out.
   2. BI had read when the lights went out.
   3. CI read when the lights were going out.
   4. DI have been reading when the lights went out.
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: A I was reading when the lights went out.

   Het lezen was bezig rondom de ene gebeurtenis.

4. 4Vul het gat in.

   They _____ the road before the snow started, so we got through.

   1. Ahad cleared
   2. Bwere clearing
   3. Chave cleared
   4. Dcleared
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: A They had cleared the road before the snow started, so we got through.

   Het ruimen was klaar vóór de sneeuw, dus past perfect.

5. 5Vul het gat in.

   She _____ for the bus when she realised she had left her purse at home.

   1. Awas waiting
   2. Bwaited
   3. Chas waited
   4. Dhad waited
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: A She was waiting for the bus when she realised she had left her purse at home.

   Het wachten is de achtergrond rond het moment van beseffen.

6. 6Vul het gat in.

   We _____ about the change until the letter arrived in June.

   1. Ahad not heard
   2. Bhave not heard
   3. Cdid not hearing
   4. Dwere not hearing
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: A We had not heard about the change until the letter arrived in June.

   Tot een moment in het verleden niets weten is de past perfect.

7. 7Vul het gat in.

   The engine _____ strangely for weeks before it finally failed.

   1. Ahas been sounding
   2. Bhad been sounding
   3. Chad sounded
   4. Dwas sounding
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: B The engine had been sounding strangely for weeks before it finally failed.

   Een tijdsduur die naar een gebeurtenis in het verleden toeloopt: past perfect continuous.

8. 8Vul het gat in.

   While the inspector _____ the notes, nobody in the room spoke.

   1. Ahad read
   2. Bread
   3. Cwas reading
   4. Dhas read
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: C While the inspector was reading the notes, nobody in the room spoke.

   Na while krijgt de langere achtergrondhandeling de continuous.

9. 9Deze zin klopt niet. Kies de verbetering.

   Welke zin is fout?

   1. ABy the time she called, I had already left.
   2. BBy the time she called, I already left.
   3. CShe called after I had left.
   4. DI had left before she called.
   Toon antwoord

   Antwoord: B By the time she called, I already left.

   De eerdere gebeurtenis heeft de past perfect nodig, niet de past simple.

10. 10Deze zin klopt niet. Kies de verbetering.

    Welke zin is fout?

    1. AWe had been living there for two years when the lease ended.
    2. BWe had been living there since 2019 and we still live there.
    3. CWe have been living there since 2019.
    4. DWe lived there for two years.
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: B We had been living there since 2019 and we still live there.

    De past perfect continuous kan niet tot NU doorlopen; dat is de present perfect continuous.