Microsoft Word – FGB§2 verbs

I have been waiting FOR three hours J’attends depuis trois heures
We’ve been living here SINCE 1963 Nous habitons ici depuis 1963
When this tense is expressed by the PLUPERFECT in English, use the IMPERFECT in French:
I had been waiting FOR three hours J’attendais depuis trois heures
We had been living there SINCE 1963 Nous y habitions depuis 1963I
Exercise 31 (use of the perfect tense)
1 I wrote a book.
2 I’ve written a book.
3 I did write a book.
4 Have they come?
5 When did she die?
6 A son has been born.
7 I was born in 1885.
8 Have they returned?
9 I have been ill.
10 She lived from 1900 to 1980.
11 He drove to London.
12 We did follow him.
13 Did you see the queen?
14 He said he drank two litres.
15 They have provided a tent.
16 We have been writing a letter.
17 Have they been to Paris?
18 Haven’t you been working?
19 I’ve been running.
20 We’ve been learning French.
21 I’ve been here since 2 o’clock.
22 We’ve been studying for five hours.
23 They’ve been waiting since this morning.
24 He’s been reading it for hours.
25 We didn’t learn it.
THE PLUPERFECT TENSE
Formation: use the IMPERFECT of avoir or être and the past participle:
J’avais fini I had finished j’étais venu I had come
Use: [a] to express the English pluperfect [I had finished]
[b] to express the English continuous pluperfect [I had been making]
For the use of the pluperfect in temporal clauses, see the section on CONJUNCTIONS OF TIME