the
Past Perfect
tense
What is this tense . . .
. . . and when do we use it in English?
Prepared by: Junaid Iqbal
Meaning of Past Perfect:
~Use 1: Completed Action Before Something in the Past
•The Past Perfect expresses the idea that
something occurred before another action in
the past.
•It can also show that something happened
before a specific time in the past
Examples:
~Use 1: Completed Action Before
Something in the Past
1. She only understood the
movie because she had
read the book.
2. I had never seen such a
beautiful sunset before I
went to Hawaii.
Meaning of Past Perfect:
~Use 2: Duration Before Something in the Past
•We can also use the Past Perfect to show
that something started in the past and
continued up until another action in the past.
Examples:
~Use 2:
Duration Before Something in the Past
1. We had owned our car
for 10 years before it
finally died.
2. They had been married
for 5 years when they
had their first child.
Meaning of Past Perfect:
~Important Note:
Specific Times with the Past Perfect
•Unlike with the Present Perfect Tense, it is
possible to use specific time words or phrases
with the Past Perfect.
•Although this is possible, it is usually not
necessary.
Example:
~Specific Times:
Often, you can use the
simple past OR the past
perfect.
•She had visited the U.S.
once in 2000 before she
moved here in 2005.
2. She visited the U.S.
once in 2000 before she
moved here in 2005.
Past Perfect tense
How do we make the
present perfect tense
in English?
Can you think of the
grammar rule?
Form:
This grammar has 2 parts:
Negative Form:
had not + verb (past participle)
OR
hadn’t + verb (past participle)
Example:
The teacher hadn’t finished
correcting papers when the
students started to arrive.
The structure of the
past
:perfect tense is
subject
+
+
I
You
auxiliary
verb
had
had
main verb
finished
stopped
.my work
before
.me
- .to school
-
She
We
had
had
?
not gone
not .left
?arrived
?
Had
Had
you
they eaten ?dinner
Look at this
.example
After he had taken
his music lesson,
he made a
.telephone call
Ali had repaired
his car
before he went
.fishing
Make similar sentences using after and before.
Finish work-watch
TV
After I had finished
work , I watched TV
Before I watched TV , I
had finished my work.
Make similar sentences using by the time and as
soon as
Eat breakfast-go to school
By the time I went to school,I
had eaten my breakfast.
As soon as I had eaten my
breakfast, I went to school
Make similar sentences using by the time and as
soon as
Police arrive-thief escape
By the time the police arrived,
the thief had escaped.
As soon as the thief had
escaped , the police arrived.
:So it is correct to say
After he had finished the
meeting , he made a
.telephone call
Before he made a telephone
call , he had finished the
meeting.
More Practice:
Complete each sentence with the
past perfect form of the verb given.
Karen (finish)
making dinner by the time
her husband came home.
When I arrived at the store,
it (close)
already.
Eg:1) When I arrived at the cinema, the film [had
started] (start).
2) After they [ ](eat) the cake, they began to feel
sick.
3) The garden was dead because it [ ](be) dry all
summer.
4) The lights went off because we [
](not/pay) the electricity bill.
5) They [ ](not/eat) so we went to a restaurant.
6) When she went out to play, she [ ](do /
already)her homework.
7) The children collected the chestnuts that [
](fall)from the tree.
8 you [ ](not/study) for the test, so you were very
nervous.
The End

The Past perfect tense

  • 1.
    the Past Perfect tense What isthis tense . . . . . . and when do we use it in English? Prepared by: Junaid Iqbal
  • 2.
    Meaning of PastPerfect: ~Use 1: Completed Action Before Something in the Past •The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. •It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past
  • 3.
    Examples: ~Use 1: CompletedAction Before Something in the Past 1. She only understood the movie because she had read the book. 2. I had never seen such a beautiful sunset before I went to Hawaii.
  • 4.
    Meaning of PastPerfect: ~Use 2: Duration Before Something in the Past •We can also use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.
  • 5.
    Examples: ~Use 2: Duration BeforeSomething in the Past 1. We had owned our car for 10 years before it finally died. 2. They had been married for 5 years when they had their first child.
  • 6.
    Meaning of PastPerfect: ~Important Note: Specific Times with the Past Perfect •Unlike with the Present Perfect Tense, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. •Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.
  • 7.
    Example: ~Specific Times: Often, youcan use the simple past OR the past perfect. •She had visited the U.S. once in 2000 before she moved here in 2005. 2. She visited the U.S. once in 2000 before she moved here in 2005.
  • 8.
    Past Perfect tense Howdo we make the present perfect tense in English? Can you think of the grammar rule?
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Negative Form: had not+ verb (past participle) OR hadn’t + verb (past participle) Example: The teacher hadn’t finished correcting papers when the students started to arrive.
  • 11.
    The structure ofthe past :perfect tense is subject + + I You auxiliary verb had had main verb finished stopped .my work before .me - .to school - She We had had ? not gone not .left ?arrived ? Had Had you they eaten ?dinner
  • 12.
    Look at this .example Afterhe had taken his music lesson, he made a .telephone call
  • 13.
    Ali had repaired hiscar before he went .fishing
  • 14.
    Make similar sentencesusing after and before. Finish work-watch TV After I had finished work , I watched TV Before I watched TV , I had finished my work.
  • 15.
    Make similar sentencesusing by the time and as soon as Eat breakfast-go to school By the time I went to school,I had eaten my breakfast. As soon as I had eaten my breakfast, I went to school
  • 16.
    Make similar sentencesusing by the time and as soon as Police arrive-thief escape By the time the police arrived, the thief had escaped. As soon as the thief had escaped , the police arrived.
  • 17.
    :So it iscorrect to say After he had finished the meeting , he made a .telephone call Before he made a telephone call , he had finished the meeting.
  • 18.
    More Practice: Complete eachsentence with the past perfect form of the verb given.
  • 19.
    Karen (finish) making dinnerby the time her husband came home. When I arrived at the store, it (close) already.
  • 20.
    Eg:1) When Iarrived at the cinema, the film [had started] (start). 2) After they [ ](eat) the cake, they began to feel sick. 3) The garden was dead because it [ ](be) dry all summer. 4) The lights went off because we [ ](not/pay) the electricity bill. 5) They [ ](not/eat) so we went to a restaurant. 6) When she went out to play, she [ ](do / already)her homework. 7) The children collected the chestnuts that [ ](fall)from the tree. 8 you [ ](not/study) for the test, so you were very nervous.
  • 21.