Past Perfect

What is It?

The Past Perfect refers to a time

earlier than before now. It is used to
make it clear That one event
happened before another in the
past. It does not Matter which event
is mentioned first.
I had studied.
He had written a letter to
Mara.

Uses
1. We use the past perfect to refer an action
that started in past and its before that another
action also in past. The action happened first it
is in past perfect and the next its in the simple
past.

Examples

Id read the book before I saw the

movie.
Donna had just left when you called.
Had you ever flown before the trip to

2. It used for actions that occurred before a

specific time in the past

Examples
I had already woken up when the
alarm clock rang at 7am.
He hadnt been to France before the
trip in 2008.

3. We use the past perfect for situations that

have started in the past and continued until a
specific time in the past

Examples
She had only owned one
car before she bought her
new BMW. Id been
depressed for a long time
before I changed jobs.

Form
Like the Present Perfect, the past perfect is formed
with the auxiliary verb to have and the past
participle. The auxiliary verb will be in past.

Subject
I, You, He, She, It,
We, They

Auxiliary
Verb
Had

Short Form
Id, youd, hed,
shed, itd, wed,
Theyd

Past Participle
Studied, Visited,
Worked

Estructure
Affirmative

Ha
d

Verb in
Participle

Comp
l

They had studied English

before They went to London

Negative
Verb
in
Participle

+ + +
Ha
d

Not

Comp
l

They had not studied

English before They went to
London

Ha
d

Interrogativ
e
Verb
in
Comp
Participl
l
e

Had They studied English

before They went to London?

Examples
Af
They had
visited a doctor.
He had slept.
I had finished
my work last
year.
It had rained
heavily last
month.
The film had
started before

Neg
They had not
visited a doctor.
He had not slept.
I had not
finished my work
last year.
It had not rained
heavily last
month.
The film had not
started before

Int
Had they
visited a
doctor?
Had he slept?
Had I finished
my work last
year?
Had it rained
heavily last
month?
Had the film