2. Uses
Past Perfect Tense
We use the Past Perfect for an action which was completed
before a special point of time in the past.
e.g. She stayed up all night because she had received bad news.
To show that an action happened before a specific time in the
past. e.g. He had never played football until last week.
* Keep in mind that past perfect tense makes it clear that one thing happened before another in the past.
The order of events does not matter since the tense makes it clear which event happened first.
3. Form - Affirmative
Past Perfect Tense
To form the past perfect tense you use the past tense of the verb "to have," which is
had, and add it to the past participle of the main verb. For example: subject + had + past
participle = past perfect tense.
4. Form - Negative
Past Perfect Tense
To form the past perfect tense [negative] we simply add not between
the auxiliary verb had and the past participle.
* These forms are not commonly used
5. Form - Question
Past Perfect Tense
The formula for asking a question in the past perfect tense is had +
[subject] + [past participle].
6. Past Perfect Tense
Exercises
She_______to the symphony before last night (to be / never).
I didn’t have any cash because I ________my purse (lose).
They ____________ to Mexico once before (to be).
_________in California before moving to Texas? (live).
The cat ________the bird before it flew out of the yard (chase)
7. Before vs. After
Past Perfect Tense
Before Simple Past + Past Perfect
a) Before I visited my friend, I had eaten dinner.
b) Before I watched TV, I had done my homework.
After Past Perfect + Simple Past
a) After I had arrived in Peja, I visited my cousin.
b) After I had left school, I met with my friends.
8. Before vs. After
Exercises
We had painted the bedroom_______they arrived.
He called her _______she had called him first.
He told him the news _________ he had seen him.
He had been tutored _______ he passed the exam.
They returned home _____ their mom had texted them.
He had lived in Texas _______ he moved to Miami.
