This document provides instruction on using the past perfect tense in English. It explains that the past perfect is used to talk about an action that was completed before another past action. It provides examples of the affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms. The document then discusses how to identify which of two past actions came first and how to fill in sentences using the simple past and past perfect appropriately. It concludes with exercises for students to practice using the past perfect.

1. SWOOSH 9
Cláudia Regina Abreu | Cidália Sousa | Vanessa Reis Esteves
PAST PERFECT

2. Past Perfect

3. Had+ past participle
Affirmative
I had played basketball.
He had gone to the concert.
Negative
I hadn’t played football.
He hadn’t gone to the concert.
past part.
Had not
+ +
Interrogative
Had+ Subj.+ past part.?
Had you basketball?
played
Had he to the concert?
gone
Past Perfect

4. • Past action which had started before another past action
I had finished my homework when the film started.
First action: I finished my homework
Present
Past
Action 1
homework
Action 2
film
Second action: the film started
The first action
must be conjugated
in the Past Perfect
Past Perfect

5. • Past action which started before another past action
I had finished my homework when the film started.
• With the expressions “I wish / If only”
If only I had studied. / I wish I had studied more!
Past Perfect
USE

6. Time to
PRACTISE

7. Identify which action in the past took place first in
the past. Then fill in the blanks given the past
simple and the past perfect.
The tennis player won the match.
The tennis player jumped with happiness.
1st
2nd
The tennis player ______ with
happiness because she ________
the tennis match.
jumped
had won

8. I arrived at the party.
John left the party (I didn’t see him).
2nd
1st
When I ______ at the party John
______________.
arrived
had (already) left
Identify which action in the past took place first in
the past. Then fill in the blanks given the past
simple and the past perfect.

9. Peter went home.
Sarah looked for Peter at school.
1st
2nd
Sarah ______ for Peter at school
but he ________ home.
looked
had gone
Identify which action in the past took place first in
the past. Then fill in the blanks given the past
simple and the past perfect.

10. I checked if the door was locked.
My father locked the door.
2nd
1st
Before I went to bed I ________ if
my father ____________ the door.
checked
had locked
Identify which action in the past took place first in
the past. Then fill in the blanks given the past
simple and the past perfect.

11. I arrived at the bank at 6 pm.
The bank closed at 5:30 pm.
2nd
1st
By the time I ______ at the bank it
_________________.
arrived
had (already) closed
Identify which action in the past took place first in
the past. Then fill in the blanks given the past
simple and the past perfect.

12. Complete with the Past Simple and the Past
Perfect of the verbs in brackets.
1. She (study) French before she __(go)___ to
Paris.
2. I (know) London so well because I ___(be)____
there several times.
3. I (never/see) such beautiful monuments before
I ___(go)____ to Paris. It’s a wonderful city!
had studied went
knew had been
had never seen
had gone

13. Complete with the Past Simple and the Past
Perfect of the verbs in brackets.
4. When I (arrive) at the concert, it __(start)
an hour before.
5. Peter (get) a good mark in the test because he
__(study) a lot the week before.
arrived had started
got
had studied

14. To PRACTISE
some more…
Open your
books on
page 125.