Ex. 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Perfect Continuous or the Past Continuous. 1. It was very noisy next door. Our neighbours (to have) a party. 2. We talked about what we (to do) since we left school. 3. I was sad when I sold my car. I (to have) it for a very long time. 4. Nick said that he (to write) all day. 5. The sun was shining, but the ground was very wet. It (to rain). 6. James was out of breath. He (to run). 7. We (to play) tennis for half an hour when it started to rain. 8. You (to wait) for an hour before the taxi came.

Ex. 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Perfect Continuous or the Past Continuous.

1. It was very noisy next door. Our neighbours were having a party.

2. We talked about what we had been doing since we left school.

3. I was sad when I sold my car. I had been having it for a very long time.

4. Nick said that he had been writing all day.

5. The sun was shining, but the ground was very wet. It had been raining.

6. James was out of breath. He had been running.

7. We had been playing tennis for half an hour when it started to rain.

8. You had been waiting for an hour before the taxi came.

Краткое объяснение:

• Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing) используется для обозначения действия, которое происходило в определённый момент в прошлом. Например: were having (устраивали вечеринку).

• Past Perfect Continuous (had been + V-ing) используется для обозначения действия, которое продолжалось в течение некоторого времени до определённого момента в прошлом. Например: had been writing (писал весь день), had been raining (шёл дождь до этого момента).

Важно: В предложении № 3 глагол have в значении владения обычно не употребляется в Continuous. Поэтому грамматически правильный вариант — had had it for a very long time (владел ею очень долго). В данном упражнении, несмотря на указанную инструкцию, здесь требуется Past Perfect Simple.