It was a huge relief when I was finally offered an apprenticeship as...
I had applied to so many companies without any success./ I had been looking for an opportunity for years.
... and so I wrote a rave review.
I had heard so many great things about the show./ people had been telling me to see it for months.
... so I was feeling a bit down.
my friends had left without saying goodbye. / I had been hoping for a better outcome.
We ended up stranded at the airport because ...
the flight had been cancelled. / it had been snowing hard and we couldn't take off.
... so I picked up the bill for the meal.
they had forgotten their wallet. / they had been saying they’d treat me, but I decided to pay.
He was sleeping rough. He told me that...
he had lost his job and home. / he had been struggling to find a place to stay for weeks.