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ESL forum >
Message board > DOUBT ABOUT A VERB TENSE
DOUBT ABOUT A VERB TENSE
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JUANBEGI
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DOUBT ABOUT A VERB TENSE
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What verb tense better suits this sentence? The instructions of the exercise tells me to use the correct perfect tense, simple or continuous.
My older brother has been taking driving lessons from Christmas. He ........ (hope) to have passed his test by now but that hasn �t happened yet.
Thanks, Juan
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24 Oct 2012
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JUANBEGI
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I made a mistake when writing:
My older brother has been taking driving lessons SINCE Christmas. He ........ (hope) to have passed his test by now but that hasn �t happened yet.
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24 Oct 2012
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yanogator
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Juan,
You say that it has to be a perfect tense. If that is the case, I would say "He had hoped...", but I agree with Lynne that "He was hoping..." is the best choice. |
24 Oct 2012
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JUANBEGI
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yes, the instructions say: use the correct PERFECT TENSE, simple or continuous. That gap is getting on my nerves!! Thank u |
24 Oct 2012
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mjpa
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I would also use the past perfect Juan.
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24 Oct 2012
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yanogator
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Yes, Juan, "He had hoped..." is definitely correct. Bruce |
24 Oct 2012
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PhilipR
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I was hoping
or
he had hoped
BTW, does nobody find the preposition weird? I �d say that he �s been taking driving lessons since Christmas, not from Christmas.
Unless his driving instructor is called Christmas of course :-))
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24 Oct 2012
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yanogator
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Philip, be sure to read the previous posts before replying. Juan changed that in his next post. |
24 Oct 2012
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cunliffe
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Yes, fair enough: had hoped. In my time (back in the Punic Wars, ahem!!!), that tense was called the pluperfect, now it is termed the past perfect (I think!). I understood the choice to be between �hoped � (past simple) and �was hoping, � (past continuous.)
May I say - it is quite an awkward sounding sentence? I �m pleased I don �t have to do some of these exercises! I might not get full marks!  Edit: What about:He�d been hoping???
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25 Oct 2012
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cassylou
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Most definitely "He had hoped." Not awkward at all. |
25 Oct 2012
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