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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Past continuous or past perfect continuous, please

Hi dear members: I have a question regarding the use of "past continuous" tense, please. Could anyone explain to me why the past continuous tense is used in the sentence given below? Shouldn't that be "had been driving" (the past perfect continuous)? 

The sentence: 

- He crashed his car because he ____ too fast. 

The answer, as per the author of the exercise from which the sentence has been taken, is "was driving". But I was wondering if "had been driving" is also possible. 

Thanks to all. 
  

Top answer

Anonymous I have a question regarding the use of "past continuous" tense, please. Could anyone explain to me why the past continuous tense is used in the sentence given below? Except in the world of miracles or science fiction, causes always precede effects, so it is not necessary to spell out the temporal sequence by choosing the past perfect here.

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous I have a question regarding the use of "past continuous" tense, please.
  • Could anyone explain to me why the past continuous tense is used in the sentence given below?
  • Except in the world of miracles or science fiction, causes always precede effects, so it is not necessary to spell out the temporal sequence by choosing the past perfect here.
  • You can, however, if you wish.
  • CJ
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4 Answers
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AnonymousI have a question regarding the use of "past continuous" tense, please. Could anyone explain to me why the past continuous tense is used in the sentence given below?
Except in the world of miracles or science fiction, causes always precede effects, so it is not necessary to spell out the temporal sequence by choosing the past perfect here. You can, h
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Thank you very much, dear CJ, for your quick reply.
I have another situation given below. I am not sure if I can use use the past continuous or the past perfect here. Could you please help me?

I called a friend of mine to inform her about something, but she didn't receive or responded to the phone calls. After a while, I called her again and - this time - she receives the call. In t
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I called a friend of mine to inform her about something, but she didn't receive or responded to the phone calls. After a while, I called her again and - this time - she receivesd the call. In this situation, should I say "I called you many times, but you didn't respond to my call
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fivejedjonThere is no reason for a past perfect there.
Thank you, teacher, for your response. So, when is the past perfect continuous preferred to the past continuous tense when talking about something is the past, please?
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