|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Ask for help > Past Continuous or Past Perfect
Past Continuous or Past Perfect
|
zvonka.rink
|
Past Continuous or Past Perfect
|
|
Dear colleagues,, Can you explain the difference between these two sentences, please: When I arrived at the bus stop only one person was waiting for the bus. When I arrived at the bus stop only one person had been waiting for the bus. Thank you in advance. |
30 Mar 2020
|
|
|
|
maryse pey�
|
|
The 1st sentence points out the fact that the person was waiting at the very moment you arrived. You were struck by the fact that there was only one person. The length of the wait does not matter. WHEREAS The 2nd sentence points out that your feeling is that the only person waiting had been spending a long time yet since one�s arrival at the bus stop. The length is important in this sentence. You don�t know it but you wouldn�t like to wait for as long. Native speakers, am I right ?
|
30 Mar 2020
|
|
|
redcamarocruiser
|
|
Although I am a native speaker, I don�t feel like there is any difference between the two sentences.
However, the second sentence feels like it could have something added like ...but now there are ten.
|
30 Mar 2020
|
|
|
douglas
|
|
The second sentence can also mean the person is no longer there. But it is mostly used to emphasize the period of time s/he waited vs the fact they were waiting. For the second sentence I would be expecting a follow-up sentence saying how long they had waited, the first sentence not so. Maryse explained it better than me :)
Be safe, Douglas
|
31 Mar 2020
|
|
|
zvonka.rink
|
|
Thank you all. Redcamarocruiser, the link is really useful :) |
31 Mar 2020
|
|
|
