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The use of the past. Past Perfect - Past Perfect Tense in English

past perfect- past perfect tense. Its peculiarity is that it is not used in speech on its own and is necessarily attached to another action. Why do the British need it? The reason lies in their love for order and organization. In Russian, we use the same tense to express all past actions. We list a few events, then return to another event that happened before all the others. An Englishman in his speech will never allow such "chaos". If he forgot about important event that happened before everyone else, he will report it at the time specially designated for this - past perfect.

How is the Past Perfect formed?

Statement

Predicate in past perfect consists of two parts: auxiliary verb had and the third form of the main verb (we add the ending to the regular verb - ed, and we take the form of the wrong one from the third column).

Negation

In a negative sentence between an auxiliary verb had and the particle appears as the main verb not.

As in many other times, past perfect there are abbreviated forms that are used in colloquial speech. In an affirmative sentence had combined with a pronoun, in the negative - with a particle not. For example:

• I'd done.
• You'd decided.
• I hadn't done.
• You didn't decide.

Question

An interrogative sentence begins with an auxiliary verb had, followed by the subject and the main verb.

In order to consistently study past perfect, we have divided all its functions into three levels. In the green block you will find what you need to know at the beginner level, in the yellow block for the intermediate level, in the red block for the advanced level.

Using the Past Perfect

First level

past perfect always goes hand in hand with another action in the past. past perfect shows an action that happened before another action or a specific moment in the past. Another action in the past is most often indicated past simple, while special words can be used: by... (to some time/moment), after(after), before(before, before) when(When), earlier(earlier), first(first, first).

We arrived at the station at 7.30, but the train had left. We arrived at the station at 7:30, but the train had already gone. (first the train left, then we arrived at the station)

He had been a usual clerk before he became a successful businessman. - He was ordinary clerk before that, How became a successful businessman.

Often past perfect explains the reason: we want to show that the action expressed past perfect, caused another action to occur.

He was hungry. He hadn't eaten for eight hours. - He was hungry. He did not eat eight hours.

She couldn't buy a new pair of shoes as she had lost her credit card. She couldn't buy a new pair of shoes because lost credit card.

Time past perfect similar in meaning to Present Perfect with the difference that the time of the action does not occur in the present (now), but in the past (then).

They are not at home. They have gone shopping. → They were not at home. They had gone shopping.
Their No Houses. They gone go shopping. → Their did not have Houses. They gone go shopping.

Other common feature Present Perfect And past perfect- adverbs just(just now), already(already), yet(already, still).

They were moving to another country, but they hadn't told their parents yet. - They moved to another country, but haven't said yet about it to your parents.

The most common mistake made with past perfect- use this time where it is not necessary, most often instead of past simple. For example, when we talk about a simple action that happened a long time ago. remember, that past perfect works only when there are two actions.

I learned English at school. - I learned English at school.
I had learned English before I entered the university. - I learned English before that, How entered the University.

Where else is the Past Perfect found?

Average level

1. past perfect shows that the action began in the past and continued until a certain point in the past. Prepositions already familiar to us are often used here. for(during) and since(since).
   

   He didn't want to drive that car anymore. He had driven it for 30 years. He didn't want to drive that car anymore. He drove her 30 years old.

   Her speech was impressive. She had worked on it since Monday. Her speech was impressive. She worked over it since Monday.

   This function is not fully applicable to past perfect she belongs by right Past Perfect Continuous . past perfect in this sense is used with state verbs (), i.e. verbs that cannot "last".

   Before we talked, Mary had been upset for three days. She had been crying all this time. Before we talked, Mary was frustrated for three days. She cried all this time.

2. IN past perfect, As in Present Perfect, there is a function with which we talk about personal experience. The difference is that past perfect we use when talking about our experiences in the past.
   

   The last week of my holidays was the worst week I had ever had. The last week of my vacation was the worst week I have ever had. was.

   By the time I moved to Dublin I had written seven books and I was working hard on the eighth. – By the time I moved to Dublin, I wrote seven books and was actively working on an eighth.

Difficult cases of using Past Perfect

High level

1. past perfect used after if in conditional sentences of the third type (). This type of conditional shows regret for the past. We could do something in the past if we fulfilled the condition, but in the present we can no longer change the situation.
   

   If I had known about your problem, I would have helped you. - If I knew about your problem, I would help you.

   If you had read the morning newspaper, you would have agreed with me. - If You read morning paper, you would agree with me.

2. past perfect used in structures hardly ... when And no sooner ... than. These constructions show that one action happened immediately after another. The peculiarity is that they use the reverse word order, as in the question. Such sentences are translated into Russian using the words “as soon as”, “I didn’t have time”, “barely I”.
   

   hardy had the plane landed at the Miami airport, when it started to rain. - Barely airplane landed at the Miami airport How it started to rain.

   No sooner had I chewed my sandwich than somebody knocked at the door. - Did not have time I chew your sandwich How someone knocked the door.

3. In modern English past perfect are increasingly being replaced by past simple, especially in American English. We can use past simple instead of past perfect if the sequence of events is clear from the context. In such sentences there are words after(after), before(before), earlier(earlier), first(first, first), etc.
   

   After he had finished repairing his car, he took a shower. = After he finished repairing his car, he took a shower. - After He finished fix the car, he took a shower.

   I agreed to meet her though I was angry with her as we had quarreled earlier. = I agreed to meet her though I was angry with her as we earlier. - I agreed to meet her, although I was angry with her, because we had a fight.

   This rule does not work with the union when(when): with the change of tense, the meaning of the whole sentence may change.

   When we came home, she had cooked already prepared dinner. (Past Perfect means dinner was done before we got home)

   When we came home, she cooked dinner. When we got home, she prepared dinner. (Past Simple shows that first we came home and then she cooked dinner)

The more complex time seems, the less meaning it has. This rule also applies to past perfect. The main thing to remember is next to past perfect there must be another action in the past. To better remember this time, take the test and download the table, in which you can always peep and refresh your knowledge.

(*.pdf, 183 Kb)

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Test

Past Perfect - Past Perfect Tense in English

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The British are very scrupulous about the distinction between time intervals. If Russian grammar is limited to the past, present and future tenses, then the English language system has divided each of these traditional forms into four more subforms. As a result, 12 time groups were obtained, with a clearly defined scope of each type of structure. Today we will consider the category of the past completed tense, study its meaning and give for the past perfect examples use in sentences and dialogues. Despite the fact that in Russian there is no analogue of this tense, the topic does not cause any particular difficulties.

Briefly about the use of Past perfect

The main purpose of this category of time is to express the sequence of events in the past, previous experience. The predicate of the action that ended earlier is put in Perfect Past, and the verb of the second sentence usually has the form Past Simple. The completion of an event can also be expressed by a specific time indicator.

• She remembered that she had met these children beforeSherememberedWhatshemetthesechildrenearlier.
• I had written this report by 8 o'clock – Icompletedthisreportto 8hours.

In rare situations, the continuous tense may be used instead of the simple past. This is necessary if they want to emphasize the incompleteness of the second act, at the time of the end of the events preceding it.

• By that time I had read the book and was watching TV – TOto thattimeIfinished readingbookAndalreadywatchedTV.

In sentences with Past Perfect Tense, the reverse rule applies. The Past Perfect Continuous form cannot be used with verbs of feelings, possessions, states, relationships, therefore, a simple paste perfect is used with such predicates.

• I had owned thecar for 8 years already when I decided tosellit I had owned this car for 8 years when I decided to sell it.

And the last situation in which it is necessary to use this tense is the presence in the statement of the phrases " scarcely…when», « nosooner…than», « hardly…when". Such a sentence is translated into Russian by the words " barely... how; didn't make it... how". Note the slight design change: had stands before the subject.

• Scarcely had she entered apartments, when the telephone rank – BarelysheenteredVapartment,Howrangtelephone.

Having remembered the cases of using the past perfect, we will consider examples of sentences and learn how to independently create such constructions of time.

Past perfect examples

In this section, we will analyze the rules and examples of the use of this tense category in various everyday situations.

So, if we need to make an expression in the Past Perfect in the form of a statement, then we should use the auxiliary verb had and the third form of the verb, which is participle II.

In this case, the event that follows in meaning can stand both in the first and in the second place.

• It was the best film I (1) had (2) ever watched (3)- It was the best movie I have ever seen.

Interrogative sentences require a slight change in construction, namely the introduction of an auxiliary had to the fore.

• Had (1) you (2) cleaned(3) the room by 11 o'clock? – Youremovedroomto 11hours?

According to this scheme, the so-called general issues. There are also statements with special interrogative words, negative questions, as well as expressions of doubt. We will not give separate schemes for them, a little later we will be told about the situations of such use of the past perfect by the examples given at the end of the material.

Negative sentences do not change the word order of the affirmative phrase, but are also associated with the verb had. To make a negation, the word not is added to this verb. Often there is a reduction in shape, and the overall design looks like hadn't.

• My daughter(1)hadn't(2+3)done(4)her homework yet when I cameMydaughtermoreNotdidmyhomework when I arrived.

Regardless of the type of sentence, many examples of the past perfect often contain time indications ( words) introduced by words by, since, just, for, already, never, yetbeforeuntil.

Let's consolidate the ability to build this structure correctly by analyzing the most typical examples of its use.

Situation	Translation
No sooner had Mary gone at work than children ran to play in the yard.	Before Mary left for work, the children ran to play in the yard.
Hadn't Jack switched off the TV set when he left the house?	Didn't Jack turn off the TV when he left the house?
We were surprised when we learned that this movie won't a prize.	We were surprised when we learned that this film won the prize.
I hadn't watched the film by 3 o'clock because the guests arrived.	I hadn't finished watching the movie by three o'clock because the guests had arrived.
Yesterday you gave me the beautiful flowers of your garden. Who had grown the flowers? I think you had done it , didn't you ? Yes, I had .	Yesterday you gave me beautiful flowers from your garden. Who grew these flowers? I think you did it, didn't you?
Did you call your girlfriend? I called her, but she hadn't come home yet. Why didn't she come home yet? (colloquial form) = why had she not come home yet? (official form) She was very busy with work.	Did you call your girlfriend? I called her, but she hasn't come home yet. Why hasn't she come home yet? She was very busy at work.
Do you speak to your neighbors again? Yes, they apologized for the words that they had said then .	Are you talking to your neighbors again? Yes, they apologized for the words they said then.
Mother had known the truth before I told her it hadn't she ? yes, she had .	Mom knew the truth before I told her, didn't she? Yes, I knew.
yesterday, we hadn't done this exercise. Translate the text today.	We didn't do this exercise yesterday. Translate text today.
Had your sister cooked a pie or a cake when you returned? She had cooked a cake and ten muffins.	When you came back, did your sister make a pie or cake? She made a cake and 10 cupcakes.
Did they buy their car last week? No, they didn't. They had bought it the week before .	Did they buy their car last week? No, they bought it the week before last.

We looked at examples of various sentences in the past perfect, and learned how to compose them according to grammatical patterns. In order for the new information not to be forgotten after 30 minutes, but firmly settled in our head, it is necessary to complete several. Good luck in improving your English and see you soon!

Past perfect (Paste perfect) - past perfect tense in English. At its core, it almost repeats Present perfect, but there are 3 differences:

1. Present perfect is used in simple sentences,
Past perfect - in complex-subordinate(i.e. consisting of 2 parts).

2. Present perfect is formed with "have",
Past perfect - using "had":

Present Perfect

past perfect

The secret to understanding the Past perfect lies in the verb "had". Becoming auxiliary, "had" loses its meaning "had" and acquires the meaning "already". You can read more about Past perfect education on the page Education of the past tense in English.

Rule 1 The task of the Past Perfect is to show the sequence of events. The event that happened first in time is used in the Past Perfect. The one that happened second is in Paste simple. If you use the Past simple in both parts of the sentence, it is not always clear which event happened first. Let's demonstrate this with examples.

Consider one proposal in three options:
The first time - without using the Past perfect,
the second and third - using the past perfect in different parts offers.

Past perfect examples

	first part of the sentence	second part of the sentence
	She prepared dinner	when he came home.
	She cooked dinner	when he came home.
		come-came-come (3 forms of irregular verb)
	past simple	past simple
	The sequence of events is not clear. With the use of the past perfect, the sequence of events became clear:
	She had prepared dinner	when he came home.
	She's already cooked dinner	when he came home.
	past perfect	past simple
	She prepared dinner	when he had come home.
	She cooked dinner	when he came home.
		come-came-come
	past simple	past perfect

Rule 2 There is a situation where the past perfect tense cannot be replaced by any other tense. It occurs in sentences with the word "if", but not always, but only in past tense. In English grammar, this situation is called subjunctive in the past tense (conditional 3). In practice, it is quite rare.

Time Past perfect tense in the system of all past tenses demonstrates the following video:

The following illustrated table will help you to see the place Past perfect among 4 types of past tenses "

Learning English grammar is impossible without the Past Perfect. It is only at first glance that this tense seems extremely complicated and incomprehensible - it does not exist in Russian / Ukrainian languages. If you calmly understand these tables and learn how to analyze time intervals, then you will never get confused. Past Perfect is inextricably linked with time and, since it is used to denote an action that has occurred before some other action in the past.

For example:
"I didn't go to the cinema because I had already seen the film." Notice that both actions are in the past tense, but the one that happened earlier (first) - “already saw” is used in Past Perfect - “had already seen”, and the one that happened later (second) - “did not go” - in Past Simple - "didn't go."

The past perfect tense (The Past Perfect) is used:

1. for an action completed by a certain point in the past:
   1. The children cleaned the room by 7 pm.
      Children had cleaned the room by 7 p.m.
   2. My sister left before I called her.
      My sister had gone away by the time I called her.
2. for an event(s) that happened before another in the past:
   1. I couldn't find the magazine he lent me.
      I couldn't find the magazine that he had lent me.
   2. After my son told me his story, he felt better.
      After my son had told me his story, he felt better.
   3. Before I returned, my husband had already cooked dinner.
      Before I came back, my husband had already made dinner.
   4. Her boyfriend left the hall before she sang the song.
      When she sang a song her boyfriend had left the hall.
      (sequence: 1. Her boyfriend left the hall, 2. She sang a song)

      When the sequence of events is obvious, the Past Simple can also be used:
      When she sang a song her boyfriend left the hall.
      (sequence: 1. She sang a song, 2. Her boyfriend left the hall)
      After she sang the song, her boyfriend left the hall. When we finished/had finished the meal, she offered some coffee. After we ate, she offered us coffee.

3. in indirect (indirect) speech:
   1. Maria said that she had bought apples yesterday.
      Mary said she had bought the apples the day before yesterday.
   2. Alice asked if I had been to London.
      Alice asked if I had ever been to London.

Past perfect markers

Markers for The Past Perfect Tense are:

1. adverbs and expressions denoting certain periods of time: just, already, yet, for, since, ever, never, it was the first / second time, it was the most ... For example: “We met again. We hadn't seen each other for several months."

2. subordinate clauses with: when, before, after, until, as soon as, by that time, by the winter, by 5 p.m. For example: "Most of the engineers had arrived by 10 a.m."

To consolidate knowledge about Past Perfect, watch this video carefully:

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

Past perfect tense

affirmative form
+

Interrogative form
?

Wh-?
Special questions

(begin with special words)

Negative form
—

Interrogative-negative form
(Speaking)
?-

Exercise.
Translate into English the sentences in Past Perfect (past perfect tense):

1. The girl was happy because she talked to her mother.
2. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't eaten anything since morning.
3. Most of the children arrived before 9 am.
4. She told me that her friend invited her to the cinema.
5. Unfortunately, we had not read the novel until that time.

1. The girl was happy because she had talked to her mum.
2. I suddenly remembered that I had eaten nothing (hadn't eaten anything) since morning.
3. Most of the children had arrived by 9 a.m.
4. She told me that her friend had invited her to the cinema.
5. Unfortunately, we hadn't read the novel by that time.

Tenses in English.

Education Past Perfect Tense

1. Past Perfect is formed using the past tense auxiliary verb to have (had) and the past participle form (Past Participle) of the semantic verb: I had worked, he had worked.
2. In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject: Had I worked? Had he worked?
3. Negative form formed with the particle not, which is placed after the auxiliary verb: I had not worked, he had not worked.
4. In the interrogative-negative form, the negation of not is placed directly after the subject: Had I not worked? Had he not worked?

affirmative form	Interrogative form	Negative form	Interrogative-negative form
He (she, it) had worked	Had he (she, it) worked? Had they worked?	I had not worked He (she, it) had not worked We had not worked You didn't work They had not worked	Had I not worked? Had he (she, it) not worked? Had we not worked? Had you not worked? Had they not worked?

The following abbreviations are commonly used in colloquial speech:

Time past perfect formed with an auxiliary verb to have in the past tense and the past participle of the significant verb, i.e. its "third form".

To have has only one form in the past tense had.

Second participle, or past participle ( Participle II), can be obtained by adding to the initial form of a significant verb the ending -ed:

examine - examin ed, enjoy - enjoy ed, close-clos ed

However, in English there are also enough large group irregular verbs, which form the past tense form not according to the general rules.

IN interrogative sentence The auxiliary verb is put in place before the subject, and the meaningful verb remains after it:

Had you brushed your teeth before you went to bed?
Did you brush your teeth before going to bed?

IN negative sentences the auxiliary verb is followed by a negative particle not. However, they can be reduced to the form hadn't.

How did you hope to pass the exam if you had not (hadn't) even opened the textbook?
How did you hope to pass the exam if you hadn't even opened your textbook before?

Cases of using Past Perfect:

1. When there is an indication of the point in time by which the action in the past ended:
By 9 o "clock we" d finished the work.
By 9 o'clock we finished the work.
She had written only two letters by noon.
By noon she had written only 2 letters.

2. When an action in the past took place before another action:
When you arrived, he had just left.
When you arrived, he had just left.
He had worked at the university for thirty years before he retired.
He worked at the university for 30 years before he retired.

3. In indirect speech to convey the present perfect and simple past tense:
He said he had studied English for two years.(He said: "I have studied English for two years.")
He said that he had been studying English for two years.
She said she had published her first story 10 years before.(She said: "I published my first story 10 years ago.")
She said she published her first story 10 years ago.

She had written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday.
- She had not written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday.
? Had he written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday?
Yes, he had. No, he had not. (No, he hadn't.)

4. To denote actions that began before a specified moment in the past and continue up to this moment. Typically, these actions are expressed using Past Perfect Continuous, but with static verbs used Past Perfect. In this case, the period of time during which the action took place must be indicated:

I felt as if I had known her all my - I had a feeling like

life. like I've known her all my life.

We went to see Mr Fennel who- We went to visit Mr. Fennel,

hadbeen a widower for two years. who was a widower for two years.

5. To express an unfulfilled hope, desire, etc., relating to both the past and the present and even the future tense:

I had hoped we could leave I was hoping that we could leave

tomorrow but it's beginning to tomorrow but it seems to be getting

look difficult. not easy (of a future event).

I had intended to make a cake but - I was going to make a cake, but

I ran out of time. did not have time (about the past event).

6. In subordinate tense to express an action that is future in relation to past events and must occur before the start of the event expressed by the main sentence:

Not decided he wouldn't look at- He decided not to watch

his watch till he had read 30 pages. for hours until he reads 30

Past Perfect not used:

1) when it comes to the immediate sequence of events in the past, especially the immediate reaction of people:

I got a real shock when I opened - I got really scared when

the box. opened the box.

2) when describing short sequential actions performed by different persons:

When I put the cat out he ran- When I put the cat out, he ran away

away to the bushes. into the bushes.

3) in subordinate clauses relating to sentences where the predicate is expressed by the verb in Past Perfect:

He told me that someone had He told me that someone called

phoned when I was out. when I was gone.

pivot table

Form formation
had + V+ ed/ III form of an irregular verb
Affirmative	negative	Interrogative
He/she/it had run.	He/she/it had not run.	Had he/she/it run?
	You had not run.
	They had not run.
Use cases
1. An action completed in the past, but connected to the present through a result.	I had done my home work before he called me. I had gone shopping before they arrived. When I rank, she had already left. When I came back home, I found out that my wallet had been stolen. I though that I had seen him somewhere before. She had cooked dinner by 2 p.m.	I had done my homework before he called me. I went shopping before they arrived. When I called, she had already left. When I got home, I discovered that my wallet had been stolen. I thought I had seen it somewhere before. She had cooked dinner by 2 o'clock.
2. An action that began before some point in the past and was still going on at that moment. Instead of The Past Perfect Continuous with verbs not used in Continous.	They had known each other for many years when they decided to marry. They had lived in this town for years when the flood destroyed all the place.	They had known each other for many years when they decided to get married. They lived in this city for many years when a flood destroyed the whole area.

So, let's summarize word formation in THE PAST PERFECT TENSE.

4.1. Affirmative form:

I had come - I came
He had come - He came
She had come - She came
It had come - He, she, it, it has come (oh inanimate objects)
We had come - We came
You had come - You came, you came
They had come - They came

4.2. Interrogative form:

Had I come? - I came?
Had he come? - He came?
Had she come? - She came?
Had it come? - He, she, it, it came? (about inanimate objects)
Had we come? - We came?
Had you come? - You came? You come?
Had they come? - They came?

4.3. Negative form:

I had not come - I did not come
He had not come - He did not come
She had not come - She did not come
It had not come - He, she, it, it didn't come (about inanimate objects)
We had not come - We did not come
You had not come - You didn't come, you didn't come
They had not come - They did not come

Using THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

The main and most common cases of using Past Perfect:
1. When expressing actions that have already ended at a specified point in time in the past. Usually, these actions are expressed by the exact date, hour, etc.:

They had finished our work by seven o "clock. - They (already) finished their work by seven o'clock.

2. When expressing actions that preceded another action in the past:

She had written two articles, when the door was open and Bill Clinton comes in the room.
She had written two articles when the door swung open and Bill Clinton entered the room.