The Past Perfect tense is used to talk about actions that were completed before something else in the past. It is formed using "had" plus the past participle of the main verb. There are two main uses - to refer to a completed action that happened before another past action, and to indicate that something started in the past and continued up until another past time or event. Specific time words can be used with the Past Perfect, but are not always necessary. It is sometimes possible to use either the Past Perfect or simple past tense.

1. the
Past Perfect
tense
What is this tense . . .
. . . and when do we use it in English?

2. Meaning:
Use 1: Completed Action Before Something in the Past
•The Past Perfect expresses the idea that
something occurred before another action in
the past.
•It can also show that something happened
before a specific time in the past

3. Examples:
~Use 1: Completed Action Before
Something in the Past
1. She only understood the
movie because she had
read the book.
2. I had never seen such a
beautiful sunset before I
went to Hawaii.

4. Meaning of Past Perfect:
~Use 2: Duration Before Something in the Past
•We can also use the Past Perfect to show
that something started in the past and
continued up until another action in the past.

5. Examples:
~Use 2:
Duration Before Something in the Past
1. We had owned our car
for 10 years before it
finally died.
2. They had been married
for 5 years when they
had their first child.

6. Meaning of Past Perfect:
~Important Note:
Specific Times with the Past Perfect
•Unlike with the Present Perfect Tense, it is
possible to use specific time words or phrases
with the Past Perfect.
•Although this is possible, it is usually not
necessary.

7. Examples:
• The class had started
before I arrived.
• By the time I got to
the station, the train
had left.
• After I had read the
book, I saw the movie.

8. Often, you can use the
simple past OR the past
perfect.
1.She had visited the U.S.
once in 2000 before she
moved here in 2005.
2. She visited the U.S.
once in 2000 before she
moved here in 2005.

9. Past Perfect tense
How do we make the
present perfect tense
in English?
Can you think of the
grammar rule?

10. He had left when she called

11. Form:
This grammar has 2 parts:

12. Negative Form:
had not + verb (past participle)
OR
hadn’t + verb (past participle)
Example:
The teacher hadn’t finished
correcting papers when the
students started to arrive.

13. Karen ____________ (finish)
making dinner by the time her
husband came home.
When I arrived at the store, it
_________________ (close /
already).

14. The End