The document discusses when and how to use the past perfect tense in English. The past perfect is used to talk about an action that occurred before another past action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had" plus the past participle of the main verb. Examples are provided to illustrate using the past perfect in affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences, such as "It had snowed during the night" and "Had you been there before?" The past perfect places two past actions in order and is used when already discussing an event in the past.

1. PAST PERFECT
Level 6 – on line
Laboratorio de Idiomas
Facultad de Filosofía y Letras – U.B.A.

2. WHEN DO WE USE THE PAST
PERFECT?
• Use the Past Perfect when you are already talking about the past and want to talk
about an earlier past action.
• E.g. When I woke up the garden was all white. It had snowed during the night. = It
snowed before I woke up.
• E.g. They got to the cinema late and the film had already started. = The film started
before they arrived.

3. HOW DO WE FORM THE PAST
PERFECT?
• We make the Past Perfect with:
had / hadn’t (auxiliary) + past participle of the verb.
• The form of the past perfect is the same for all persons.
E.g. He / She / They had left when I arrived.
• Had can be contracted to ‘d. Had not is contracted to hadn’t.

4. EXAMPLES
• Affirmative form:
- I suddenly realised that I had left my mobile in the taxi.
• Negative form:
- We got home just in time – the match hadn’t started.
- When she got to class, she realised that she hadn’t brought her books.
• Interrogative form:
- A I went to Paris last weekend. I really loved it.
B Had you been there before?
A No, I hadn’t.