English Learning for Curious Minds [Bonus] The 2008 Financial Crisis and Housing Bubble – Past Perfect Continuous (English Grammar Lesson)
Apr 3, 2025
In this discussion, Tom Wilkinson, host of the Thinking in English Grammar podcast, dives into the past perfect continuous tense using the 2008 financial crisis as a fascinating backdrop. He delves into how irresponsible banking practices led to the collapse, making grammar lessons engaging through this historical lens. The episode also highlights Michael Burry, the analyst who predicted the crisis years in advance, tying together the lessons of finance and language in a compelling narrative.
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Using Past Perfect Continuous
- Use the past perfect continuous tense to describe an action that started in the past, continued for some time, and ended before another past event.
- It emphasizes the duration or ongoing nature of that action before the interruption.
Housing Market Boom Pre-2008
- The US housing market had been in a boom with rapidly rising prices and widespread home buying before 2008.
- Banks had been lending to almost anyone, including risky loans to people who could not afford them, fueling the bubble.
Risky Loans and Investor Behavior
- Financial institutions had been aggressively pushing risky subprime loans despite warning signs.
- Investors continued buying these risky securities assuming the housing market would keep growing.
