Past Perfect

Functions of the past perfect

The past perfect refers to a time earlier than before now. It is used to make it clear that one event happened before another in the past. It does not matter which event is mentioned first - the tense makes it clear which one happened first.

Forming the past perfect

The Past Perfect tense in English is composed of two parts: the past tense of the verb to have (had) + the past participle of the main verb.

STRUCTURES

Affirmative

Subject + auxiliary had + verb in participle + complement

negative

Subject + auxiliary had not + verb in participle + complement

interrogative

Auxiliary had + subject + verb in participle + complement + ?

Examples – Past Perfect Simple

-After Sofie had finished her work, she went to lunch.

-I washed the floor when the painter had gone.

-Harold had known about it for a while.

-I didn’t say anything until she had finished talking.

-After she had moved out, I found her notes.

Negative

I had not eaten at that restaurant before today.

Samantha hadn’t had time to explain her side of the story.

My friends hadn’t ever gone to France.

My friends had never gone to the USA either.

Yes/No Questions

Had you cleaned up the mess by the time they came home?

Had Adam ever spoken to the CEO before he was fired?

Wh- Questions

What had they said that made him so angry?

Why had he agreed to work for that salary?

How much had he drunk before you got to him?

Tag Questions

John had known about the cancer for a couple of years, hadn’t he?

They had been in business together, hadn’t they?

Jenifer hadn’t spoken to you about it, had she?

They had never eaten a proper Indian meal, had they?

Practice with this Quiz