Past perfect

The past perfect is ⟦had⟧ + the past participle: ⟦had started⟧, ⟦had gone⟧. We use it when we are already talking about the past and want to show that one action happened before another. ⟦When we arrived, the film had started.⟧: the film started first.

Key facts

  • Form: ⟦had⟧ + past participle for every subject: ⟦I had eaten⟧, ⟦she had left⟧, ⟦they had finished⟧.
  • The earlier action takes the past perfect; the later one takes the past simple: ⟦The streets were wet because it had rained.⟧
  • Useful words: ⟦by the time⟧, ⟦already⟧, ⟦never … before⟧, ⟦because⟧, ⟦after⟧.
  • Negative: ⟦hadn't⟧ + past participle: ⟦We hadn't eaten all day.⟧ Question: ⟦Had you finished?⟧
  • Irregular participles: ⟦go⟧ → ⟦gone⟧, ⟦eat⟧ → ⟦eaten⟧, ⟦take⟧ → ⟦taken⟧, ⟦write⟧ → ⟦written⟧, ⟦leave⟧ → ⟦left⟧.

Worked examples

Example 1

Complete: ⟦When I got to the station, the train ___ (leave).⟧

  1. The train left first, before I got there.
  2. ⟦leave⟧ → ⟦left⟧: ⟦the train had left⟧.

Answer: ⟦had left⟧

Example 2

Which happened first? ⟦Hana knew his name because she had met him at a party.⟧

  1. ⟦had met⟧ is the past perfect.
  2. So meeting him came first; knowing his name came later.

Answer: She met him at a party.

Example 3

Make it negative: ⟦He had heard the news.⟧

  1. Put ⟦not⟧ after ⟦had⟧: ⟦had not⟧ or ⟦hadn't⟧.
  2. ⟦He hadn't heard the news.⟧

Answer: ⟦He hadn't heard the news.⟧