Past Perfect helps you communicate about an earlier past event viewed from a later past point. Start with the meaning, notice the pattern, and then use it in complete sentences.
By the end of this lesson, you can
- I can show that one past action happened before another past action.
- Recognise and build the form: had + past participle.
- Use the pattern accurately in a meaningful sentence.
Meaning and use
Use Past Perfect for an earlier past event viewed from a later past point. Always read the whole situation before choosing the form: grammar expresses a meaning, not only a pattern.
By the time we arrived, the film had started.
Use the past perfect for the action completed before we arrived.
She was hungry because she hadn't eaten breakfast.
The missed breakfast happened before the later state of being hungry.
After they had finished the work, they went home.
The past perfect makes the earlier completed action explicit.
had + past participleKeep this pattern visible while you study the examples. Then cover it and rebuild one example from memory.
Key rules to notice
These rules explain why the form is correct. Focus on the subject, auxiliary, verb form, word order and time or meaning clues.
- Use the past perfect for the action completed before we arrived.
- The missed breakfast happened before the later state of being hungry.
- The past perfect makes the earlier completed action explicit.
- Use the past perfect for an experience before another past event.
- Use 'Had + subject + past participle' for experience before a past reference point.
Common mistakes
Not:By the time we arrived, the film started.
Use:By the time we arrived, the film had started.
Use the past perfect for the action completed before we arrived.
Not:She was hungry because she didn't eat breakfast.
Use:She was hungry because she hadn't eaten breakfast.
The missed breakfast happened before the later state of being hungry.
Not:After they finished the work, they went home.
Use:After they had finished the work, they went home.
The past perfect makes the earlier completed action explicit.
Check before you practise
Complete each sentence mentally, then reveal the answer.
I recognized him because we ____ before.
had met
Use the past perfect for an experience before another past event.
____ you ever flown before that trip?
Had
Use 'Had + subject + past participle' for experience before a past reference point.
The room was empty; everyone ____.
had left
Their departure was completed before the room was observed as empty.