Samuel Morse was originally a painter but became interested in communication technology after experiencing tragedy in his personal life. His wife had died by the time he arrived home after receiving a message about her illness, as it took several days for the messenger to reach him on horseback. This experience disturbed Morse and motivated him to find a faster way to send messages. He had studied science in college before becoming a painter. Morse eventually quit painting and focused his efforts on developing an electric telegraph, which he successfully invented and demonstrated in 1844 after trying several unsuccessful methods.

1. The Past Perfect
An Introduction

2. Samuel Morse

3. Morse’s Early Career
• Although Morse had studied mathematics and
science in school, he became a painter.

4. • In 1825, Morse was away from home when he
received a letter that his wife was dying.
• A messenger had ridden a horse a few days to
bring him the news.

5. • Morse returned home as fast as he could.
• However, by the time Morse returned home,
his wife had already died.

6. • Morse was terribly sad that he had missed the
chance to say goodbye to his wife.
• He was disturbed by how long it had taken for
him to find out about his wife’s illness.
• Also, he wasn’t really satisfied with his success in
art.
• At this time in his life, Morse was still interested
in science although he had become a painter.

7. • And since before his wife’s
death, he had already been
reading and thinking about
creating a faster way to send
messages.
• Morse finally decided to quit
painting and focus on
communication technology.

8. • Morse invented the electro-magnetic
telegraph machine in 1844.

9. • He finally made a successful model in 1844, but
only after he had tried several different methods
that didn’t work.

10. Past Perfect
Form
Subject + had + past participle + rest of sentence
He had already eaten, so he didn’t join us for lunch.
I hadn’t known any Arabic until Galban taught me.
(Wh word) + had + subject + past participle
What had you learned before you started this class?
Had you seen snow before you came to Denver?

11. When do we use past
perfect?
To contrast two states, actions or events in the
past.
To make the order of different past events more
clear.

12. Complete the sentence:
• Before he became an inventor,
Samuel Morse _____________ a
painter.

13. Complete the sentence:
• Before he became an inventor,
Samuel Morse had been a painter.

14. Complete the sentence:
• Sadly, Samuel Morse’s wife
______________
• by the time he arrived home.

15. Complete the sentence:
• Sadly, Samuel Morse’s wife had died
• by the time he arrived home.

16. Complete the sentence:
• Morse was an artist, but he also
understood science because he
_______________ it in college.

17. Complete the sentence:
• Morse was an artist, but he also
understood science because he had
studied it in college.

18. Past Perfect
Which time words are used with
the past perfect?

19. Past Perfect
Which time words are used with the
past perfect?
Before
After
By
By the time

20. Past Perfect
Which time words are used with the
past perfect?
Before + simple past clause, past perfect clause
After + past perfect clause, simple past clause
By + year or time phrase
By the time + simple past clause, past perfect
clause

21. Past Perfect
Before and after can used with
either simple past or past perfect.
Ex: I hadn’t done the homework yet before I
went to class.
Ex: I didn’t do my homework before I went to
class.
Ex: After I had seen the movie, I wrote a
summary.
Ex: After I saw the movie, I wrote a summary.

22. Past Perfect
We ALWAYS use the past
perfect with by and by the
time.
By 1890, the University of Denver had
already opened.
I had already finished my work by the
time he arrived.

23. Practice