Introduktion
Udvidet førdatid beskriver en handling, der havde været i gang i en periode før (in progress over a period of time before) en anden begivenhed i fortiden. Den understreger varigheden af aktiviteten frem til et tidspunkt i fortiden.
Grundled+had been+verbum-ing
- The nurse had been working for twelve hours when she finally sat down.
- He was exhausted because he had been running.
- When I arrived, they had been waiting for an hour.
Anvendelse og sammenhæng
Brug udvidet førdatid til at forklare, hvorfor noget var tilfældet i fortiden, eller til at understrege, at en aktivitet var i gang før et bestemt tidspunkt i fortiden.
| Brug | Eksempel |
|---|---|
| Varighed før en fortidig begivenhed | He had been studying for years before he passed. |
| Årsag til en fortidig situation | Her eyes were red - she had been crying. |
| Igangværende handling afbrydes | They had been watching TV for two hours when the power went out. |
Førdatid og udvidet førdatid
Forskellen svarer til forskellen mellem førnutid og udvidet førnutid: fuldførelse eller varighed.
| Past Perfect (afsluttet handling) | Past Perfect Continuous (varighed/forløb) |
|---|---|
| She had written three emails. (afsluttet) | She had been writing emails all morning. (aktivitet) |
| He had eaten dinner. (gjort) | He had been eating for an hour when I called. (aktivitet frem til et tidspunkt i fortiden) |
| They had lived in Spain for years. (faktum) | They had been living in Spain for years. (fremhæver varigheden) |
Øvelser
She ___ for twelve hours when she finally stopped.
Her eyes were red - she ___ crying.
Which sentence emphasises an ongoing activity interrupted by another past event?
'She had written three emails' focuses on ___, while 'She had been writing emails all morning' focuses on ___.
He was exhausted because he ___ running.
When I arrived, they ___ waiting for an hour.
'Her eyes were red - she had been crying.' What does 'had been crying' explain?
He had eaten dinner. vs He ___ eating for an hour when I called.
They had lived in Spain for years. vs They ___ living in Spain for years.
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