Past Perfect Tense

Basic form Subject + HAD + Verb (past participle form)

Quick examples

I had written the letter before you came home If she had studied hard! she would ha"e passed the #n$lish lan$ua$e e%am I wish I had been bra"e enou$h &ary loo'ed as if she had not slept for () hours *e use the Past Perfect tense to emphasi+e that an action in the past finished before another action in the past started ,his tense is also used in reported speech! third conditional sentences! or to show dissatisfaction with the past

Use
/ 0 ( .ompleted action before another action in the past ,hird conditional sentences 1eported speech Dissatisfaction with the past

Use 1: A completed action before another action in the past

,he first use of this tense is to emphasi+e that one action in the past happened before another action in the past I had finished my homewor' before I went playin$ football 2ohn had ne"er been to 3ondon before we went there last year

Good to know
4eople (especially nati"e spea'ers) do not use the 4ast 4erfect in abo"e sentences "ery often 5or e%ample! they will say6

After I washed my car! I went to fill up 1ather than6 After I had washed my car! I went to fill up

,his is because 7after7 and 7before7 tell the listener which action happened first Still! 'eep in mind that it is better to use the 4ast 4erfect! especially in written #n$lish or when writin$ e%ams ,o understand this use better! watch this interacti"e animation6 &y son 2ulius had ne"er seen a camel before we went to$ether to the +oo in summer -889

Explanation
In this cartoon! you can see a man who says6 7&y son! 2ulius! had ne"er seen a camel! before we went to$ether to the :oo in summer -889 7 Why is the Past Perfect used in this example? .lic' on the button labled 7e"ent -7 ,he father as's his son! 2ulius! the followin$ ;uestion6 7Ha"e you e"er seen a camel<7 2ulis replies that he has ne"er seen it In the ne%t scene! they are in the :oo! watchin$ the animal =otice that the e"ent - occured before e"ent / It means that the use of 4ast 4erfect is correct here

Use 2: Third conditional

>se the 4ast 4erfect with third conditional sentences If we had $one by ta%i! we wouldn?t ha"e been late If &ary had studied harder! she would ha"e passed the e%am ,his use is the so@called hypothetical past6 we are tal'in$ about thin$s that never happened

I wish I had fixed my umberella (but I didn?t) If only I had known the answer to that ;uestion (but I didn?t)

Use 3: Reported speech

>se the 4ast 4erfect with sentences in reported speech &ary said she had already seen this film

He as'ed if I had read Harry Potter

Use 4: issatisfaction !ith the "ast

*e often use the 4ast 4erfect to show our dissatisfaction with the past Such sentences typically start with 7I wish 7 or 7If only 7 I wish I had ta'en more food I?m hun$ry now If only I had ta'en more food I?m hun$ry now The Past Perfect is also used with e%pressions such as 7as if7 and 7as thou$h76

2ohn loo'ed as if he had done somethin$ terrible She loo'ed as thou$h she hadn?t slept all ni$ht

Form
,o form a sentence in the 4ast 4erfect! what you need is6 1. ,he proper conju$ation of the auxiliary verb "to have" in the past form 2. ,he Past Participle of your "erb

1. uxiliary verb "to have" ,he past form of the au%iliary "erb 7to ha"e7 is 7had76 &ary had finished her homewor' before &i'e came home

!. The Past Participle ,he past participle of a "erb is a "erb form that appears with the perfect tenses ,he past participle can be either re$ular or irre$ular ,he re$ular "erbs are formed by addin$ 7@ed7 to the "erb6

#erb

"ast "articiple

talk

talked

explain

explained

use

used

deliver

delivered

include

included

achieve

achieved

,he formation of the irre$ular "erbs does not follow one rule ,herefore! they should be memori+ed

#erb

"ast "articiple

$earn more

be

been

be

become

become

become

see

seen

see

go

gone

go

eat

eaten

eat

#erb

"ast "articiple

$earn more

grow

grown

grow

"ositi%e &entences
&ub'ect +
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

(A +

#erb )past participle form*

e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

E+A,"$E& Before I went to the park, I had finished my work. If he had made the right choice, he wouldn't be unhappy now. Mary said she had already seen this movie before. I wish I had had enough courage to kiss her

U&E )-$.-/ T0 REA *

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Questions
(A +
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

&ub'ect +

#erb )past participle form*

e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

E+A,"$E& !ad she eaten the dinner before she went to the cinema"

U&E )-$.-/ T0 REA *

1e2ati%e &entences
&ub'ect
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

(A 13T + +

#erb )past participle form*

e.g. gone, taken, done, etc.

E+A,"$E& I had not seen this movie before we went to the cinema yesterday to see it. If he hadn't made the mistake, he would be happy now. Mary said she had not visited her father for a long time. I wish I hadn't done it

U&E )-$.-/ T0 REA *

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