Past perfect
Congratulations on reaching the World Cup final! It's great to hear about the atmosphere in Turin. It sounds like everyone was pretty pleased!
You mention that you forgot to eat during half-time and only remembered when you woke up this morning! You say, 'I realised that I wasn't been eating anything for more than 20 hours...', describing something that happened in the past (not eating) BEFORE another thing in the past (realising). When describing two things that happen in the past, one before the other, you can use the 'past perfect' verb form for the earlier action. For example, 'I realised I hadn't eaten anything...' (had + third form of the verb/past participle). The past perfect is common in English after past verbs of saying or thinking, for example:
- I thought I had seen the film before
- He told me that the exam had finished
- I wondered who had forgotten to tell her
In these examples, we are describing things which happen BEFORE the thinking or saying takes place.
My sister manages a theatre in York and says that people who work in theatre are often very superstitious. Some things that theatre people believe may bring bad luck are: peacock feathers, whistling, blue-coloured clothes, dropping make-up on the floor, knitting, fresh flowers, candles and cats (!) on stage. Another dangerous thing to do is to wish an actor 'good luck'. So instead of saying 'good luck with your exam tomorrow', I'll say the theatrical alternative, 'break a leg!'.
Rachel
Comments
It's the first for me to use blog. I am glad to find this place to say something because I am eager to communicate with others in English. I am an architect and in my daily life, almost no one tries to use English, so I think it is difficult to study English by myself. But I don't feel lonely now because I can freely express my thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Dear all, the first question for this month's competition is now available. We are very sorry for the delay in posting it.
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