English grammar
Steal something, rob someone: crime words in a past perfect story
Tell the story of a crime with steal, rob and the past perfect.
From the scene Stop, thief!
In short
You steal a thing but rob a person or place. Use had + participle for what happened first: someone had stolen it.
Your turn
Which one goes with rob + the person?
Options: you can't rob a man · someone had stolen it · it was a theft
Show answer
rob + the person → you can't rob a man
How it works
You steal a thing, but you rob a person or a place: someone had stolen his wallet; you can't rob a man who never carries money.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
I grabbed him. When the police arrived, we had already (blank) him.
Options: catched · catch · caught
Show answer
I grabbed him. When the police arrived, we had already caught him.
Yo lo agarré. Cuando llegó la policía, ya lo habíamos atrapado.
Good to know
Theft is taking something without violence; a robbery uses force or threats.
Good to know
The past perfect steps back to what had already happened: the criminal had already escaped.
steal + the thing someone had stolen it
Tomás
A robbery! Don Ramón reached for his wallet... and someone had stolen it!
¡Un atraco! Don Ramón buscó su cartera... ¡y alguien se la había robado!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A robbery! Don Ramón reached for his wallet... and (blank)!
Options: you can't rob a man · it was a theft · someone had stolen it
Show answer
Tomás
A robbery! Don Ramón reached for his wallet... and someone had stolen it!
¡Un atraco! Don Ramón buscó su cartera... ¡y alguien se la había robado!
rob + the person you can't rob a man
Elena
He's perfectly calm. You can't rob a man who never carries money.
Está tan tranquilo. No se puede robar a un hombre que nunca lleva dinero.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
He's perfectly calm. (blank) who never carries money.
Options: You can't rob a man · Someone had stolen it · It was a theft
Show answer
Elena
He's perfectly calm. You can't rob a man who never carries money.
Está tan tranquilo. No se puede robar a un hombre que nunca lleva dinero.
no force: a theft it was a theft
with force or threats: a robbery that wasn't a robbery
Your turn
What goes with that wasn't a robbery?
Options: rob + the person · with force or threats: a robbery · steal + the thing
Show answer
that wasn't a robbery → with force or threats: a robbery
before another past moment the criminal had already escaped
Tomás
When Ramón shouted, the criminal had already escaped.
Cuando Ramón gritó, el criminal ya había escapado.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
When Ramón shouted, (blank).
Options: someone had stolen it · you can't rob a man · the criminal had already escaped
Show answer
Tomás
When Ramón shouted, the criminal had already escaped.
Cuando Ramón gritó, el criminal ya había escapado.
Common mistake
Not robbed or stole here. It = the wallet.
A robbery! Don Ramón reached for his wallet... and someone had stolen it!
¡Un atraco! Don Ramón buscó su cartera... ¡y alguien se la había robado!
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| steal + the thing | someone had stolen it |
|---|---|
| rob + the person | you can't rob a man |
| no force: a theft | it was a theft |
| with force or threats: a robbery | that wasn't a robbery |
| before another past moment | the criminal had already escaped |
More lines from the story
- TomásI grabbed him. When the police arrived, we had already caught him.Yo lo agarré. Cuando llegó la policía, ya lo habíamos atrapado.
- TomásDoña Elena had seen it all. When he ran past her... whack, with the umbrella!Doña Elena lo había visto todo. Cuando pasó huyendo... ¡golpe de paraguas!
- ElenaIt wasn't an attack. It was in defence of public safety.No fue un ataque. Fue en defensa de la seguridad.