This document discusses the past perfect tense in English grammar. It provides examples of using the past perfect tense in affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. It also explains when to use the past perfect versus the past simple tense, including examples comparing actions that occurred before or after another action in the past. The key uses of the past perfect outlined are to describe actions that were completed before something else in the past happened or to talk about repeated actions in the past before a particular past time.

1. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST PERFECT
Affirmative
I
You
He, she it
had started
(‘d started)
had taken
(‘d taken)
We
You
They
had started
(‘d started)
had taken
(‘d taken)
S + had (‘d) + Past Participle
When I arrived at the office, the meeting had finished.
By the time the police arrived, the thief
had already left.
1

2. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST PERFECT
Negative
I
You
He, she it
had not started
(hadn’t started)
had not taken
(hadn’t taken)
We
You
They
had not started
(hadn’t started)
had not taken
(hadn’t taken)
S + had not (hadn’t) + Past Participle
When they finally met, they realised they hadn’t forgotten each other.
2

3. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST PERFECT
Interrogative Short answers
Had
I
you
he, she it
we
you
they
started ?
taken?
Yes, I
you
he, she it
we
you
they
had.
No, hadn’t
Had + s + past participle?
Had the film started when you entered the cinema?
3

4. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST PERFECT. Use
4
PRESENTPAST
“I have never been on a
plane before now”
She said she had
never been on a
plane before then.

5. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST PERFECT. Use
5
PRESENTPAST
“We don’t need to queue
because I’ve already
bought the tickets”
Jack bougth the
tickets for the
cinema.
LAST
SATURDAY
“We didn’t need to
queue because
I had already bought the
tickets”

6. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST SIMPLE OR PAST PERFECT.
6
PAST PRESENT
I saw a beautiful bird
in my garden.
I went to get my camera.
The bird flew away.
I returned with my camera.
“When I returned with my
camera, the bird had flown
away”

7. Unit 2. Grammar (I). The past tense
PAST SIMPLE OR PAST PERFECT.
7
PAST PRESENT
I saw a beautiful bird
in my garden.
I went to get my camera.
I returned with my
camera.
The bird flew away.
“When I returned with my camera,
the bird flew away”