Tenses: PAST PERFECT TENSE

PAST PERFECT TENSE

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.

In these examples, Event A is the event that happened first and Event B is the second or more recent event:

Event A                                                      Event B

John had gone out                                       when I arrived in the office.

Event A                                                      Event B

I had saved my document                           before the computer crashed.

Event B                                                      Event A

When they arrived                                      we had already started cooking.

Event B                                                      Event A

He was very tired                                        because he hadn't slept well.

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.

Subject                                            had                                 past participle

Affirmative

She                                                   had                                 given

Negative

She                                                   hadn't                             asked.

Interrogative

Had                                                  they                                arrived?

Interrogative Negative

Hadn't                                              you                                 finished?

TO DECIDE, PAST PERFECT

Affirmative                           Negative                                Interrogative

I had decided                        I hadn't decided                     Had I decided?

You had decided                   You hadn't decided               Had you decided?

She had decided                   She hadn't decided                Had she decided?

We had decided                    We hadn't decided                 Had we decided?

They had decided                 They hadn't decided              Had they decided?

PAST PERFECT + JUST

'Just' is used with the past perfect to refer to an event that was only a short time earlier than before now, e.g.

The train had just left when I arrived at the station.

She had just left the room when the police arrived.

I had just put the washing out when it started to rain.