The document discusses the past perfect tense, emphasizing its use to indicate an action that was completed before another past action. It explains the grammatical structure, illustrates its application in various contexts such as reported speech and formal writing, and introduces the past perfect progressive tense. Additional examples highlight how these tenses are used in both informal and formal contexts.

1. PAST PERFECT
BY LIZBETH LÓPEZVENANCIO

2. WARM-UP
• Look at the verbs in blue.Which event happened first?
• 1.The teacher stood up. Someone had knocked on the classroom door.
• 2. I looked at the board.The teacher had written my name there.

3. PAST PERFECT

4. THE PAST PERFECT EXPRESSES AN ACTIVITYTHATWAS COMPLETE
BEFORE ANOTHER ACTIVITY ORTIME INTHE PAST.
2
Ann had left when Sam came.
1

5. PAST PERFECT GRAMMAR STRUCTURE
• I I I
• You You you
• We We we
• They had left They had not left Had they left ?
• He He (hadn’t left) he
• She She she
• It It it

6. PAST PERFECT: BYTHETIME
• By the time Sam came,Ann had already
left.
In (a): 1st:Ann left.
2nd: Sam came.
Adverb clauses with by the time are
frequently used with the past perfect in the
main clause.

7. BEFORE OR AFTER
• (c) Sam had left before Ann came.
• (d) Sam left before Ann came.
• (e) After the guests had left, I went to bed.
• (f) After the guests left, I went to bed.

8. THE PAST PERFECT IS COMMONLY USED IN
REPORTED SPEECH.
(g) Actual spoken words: I lost my keys.
(h) Reported words: Jenny said that she had lost her keys

9. THE PAST PERFECT IS OFTEN FOUND IN MORE
FORMAL WRITING SUCH AS FICTION.
• Written: Bill felt great that evening. Earlier in the day,Annie had caught one fish, and he
had caught three.They had had a delicious picnic near the lake and then had gone
swimming again. It had been a nearly perfect vacation day.

10. HAD IS OFTEN CONTRACTEDWITH PERSONAL
PRONOUNS IN INFORMAL WRITING.
• I'd left.
• You'd left.
• We'd left.
• They'd left.
• She'd left.
• He'd left.
• It'd left.

11. THE PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE EMPHASIZES THE DURATION OF AN
ACTIVITY THAT WAS IN PROGRESS BEFORE ANOTHER ACTIVITY OR TIME IN
THE PAST.
Eric finally came at six o'clock. I
had been waiting for him since
four-thirty.

12. EXAMPLE
THE POLICE HAD BEEN LOOKING FORTHE
CRIMINAL FORTWOYEARS BEFORE THEY
CAUGHT HIM.

13. THIS TENSE ALSO MAY
EXPRESS AN ACTIVITY IN
PROGRESS CLOSE IN TIME
TO ANOTHER ACTIVITY OR
TIME IN THE PAST.
WHEN JUDY GOT HOME, HER HAIR WAS STILL WET
BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN SWIMMING.

14. EXAMPLE
IWENTTO ED'S HOUSE
AFTERTHE FUNERAL. HIS
EYES WERE RED BECAUSE
HE HAD BEEN CRYING.

15. THE PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE ALSO OCCURS IN
REPORTED SPEECH.
(e) Actual spoken words: I have been
waiting tor you.
( f) Reported words: Lia told me that
she had been waiting for me.

16. Criterio de evaluación
Use appropiate grammar
Use correct spelling of words
Use vocabulary that allows you to express your
ideas clearly
Accomplish the task completely (5 to 10
sentences.)
Total