The Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is most often used for the following:

 For actions that happened before a past event

 In reported speech
 In if (conditional) sentences

How to form the past perfect

For actions that happened before a past event

When we want to talk about an action that happened before a past event, we often use the past perfect. Look at
these examples:

 When I got home yesterday, my father had already cooked dinner.

 I didn't want to go to the movies with my friends because I had seen the film already.
 My friend offered me an apple in class yesterday, but I wasn't hungry because I had just eaten lunch.
 I arrived very late at the party. All my friends had already gone home.
 As soon as she had done her homework, she went to bed.
 I was very tired as I hadn't slept well for several days.
 Had you seen the film before?

Notice how often words like already, just, never etc. are used with the past perfect.

EXERCISES

A- Choose the correct verb from the list below to complete the following sentences. Put the verb in the
past perfect tense (had & past participle).

make start write leave forget fly escape close give ring eat change go see
1. When I got to the house, Mary wasn’t there. She___________________already.
2. I didn’t recognize my old classmate because she___________________so much.
3. We were late for the show last night. By the time we got to the theater, the movie_______
already __________.
4. Yesterday I went on my first plane trip. I was very nervous because I________never
___________ before.
5. I couldn’t eat much dinner last night because I ___________________such a big lunch.
6. I couldn’t buy any groceries last night because when I got to the supermarket, it_______
already _________.
7. Last week our teacher gave back the essays we ___________________the week before.
8. The house was quiet when Andrew got home. Everyone___________________to bed several hours
earlier.
9. They got to school late yesterday. The bell__________already ___________.
10. Sheila couldn’t come to my house last night because she__________already _______
other plans.
11. We couldn’t find the house. It was clear that he ___________________us the wrong add address.
12. Annie didn’t want to come to the movie with us because she___________________it the week before.
13. By the time the police arrived at the bank, the robber__________already ___________.
14. I couldn’t get into my apartment when I came home from work last night because I___________________
to take my key.
 B- MATCH THE FIRST PART OF THE SENTENCE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT ENDING ON THE RIGHT.

1. Betty’s plants died because….

2. Bob couldn’t buy the new computer because….
3. Sammy couldn’t fall asleep last night because…
4. The little girl was crying because…
5. I didn’t have to buy groceries because…
6. Kevin failed his exam because...
7. Monty bought a new camera because….
8. Clara couldn’t pay for lunch because…
9. Susan slept late because…
10. I couldn’t speak to the boss because…

a) she had lost her doll.

b) she had left her purse at home.
c) he had already left the office.
d) he hadn’t studied at all.
e) he had spent all his money.
f) she had forgotten to set the alarm.
g) she hadn’t watered them.
h) he had watched a scary movie.
i) I had gone shopping the day before.
j) he had lost his old one.

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE AND SIMPLE PAST

These two tenses are both used to talk about things that happened in the past. However we use past
perfect to talk about something that happened before another action in the past, which is usually
expressed by the past simple.

For example:

"I had already eaten my dinner when he called."

In other words, First I ate my dinner, then he called.
EXERCISES
C- Choose the past perfect, or the past simple:
1. We had already eaten when John ________________________________(come) home.
2. Last year Juan ________________________________ (pass) all his exams.
3. When I ________________________________ (get) to the airport I discovered I had forgotten
my passport.
4. I went to the library, then I ________________________________ (buy) some milk and went
home.
5. I opened my handbag to find that I ________________________________(forgot) my credit
card.
6. When we ________________________________ (arrive) at the station, the train had already
left.
7. We got home to find that someone ________________________________(break) into the
house.
8. I opened the fridge to find someone________________________________ (eat) all my
chocolate.
9. I had known my husband for three years when we________________________________ (get)
married.
10. Julie was very pleased to see that John________________________________ (clean) the
kitchen.
11. It ________________________________ (not / rain) all summer, so the grass was completely
dead.
12. When he ________________________________ (arrive) at the party, Julie had just left.
13. After arriving home, I realised I ________________________________(not / buy) any milk.
14. The laundry was wet – it ________________________________ (rain) while I was out.
15. William felt ill last night because he________________________________ (eat) too many cakes.
16. Keiko ________________________________ (meet) William last September.
17. First I tidied the flat, then I ________________________________ (sit) down and had a cup of
coffee.
18. John ________________________________ (play) the piano when he was a child, but he doesn’t
play now.
19. When I opened the curtains the sun was shining but the ground was white. It
________________________________ (snow) during the night.
20. When Julie got home from her holiday, her flat was a mess. John
______________________________ (have) a party.
kEYS
A
1. had already left 2. had changed 3. had already started 4. had never flown 5. had eaten 6. had already closed 7. had
written 8. had gone 9. had already rung 10. had already made 1. had given 12. had seen 13. had
escaped 14. had forgotten

1. g 2. e 3. h 4. a 5. i 6. d 7. j 8. b 9. f 10. c

1. We had already eaten when John came home.

2. Last year Juan passed all his exams.
3. When I got to the airport I discovered I had forgotten my passport.
4. I went to the library, then I bought some milk and went home.
5. I opened my handbag to find that I had forgotten my credit card.
6. When we arrived at the station, the train had already left.
7. We got home to find that someone had broken into the house.
8. I opened the fridge to find someone had eaten all my chocolate.
9. I had known my husband for three years when we got married.
10. Julie was very pleased to see that John had cleaned the kitchen.
11. It hadn’t rained all summer, so the grass was completely dead.
12. When he arrived at the party, Julie had just left.
13. After arriving home, I realised I hadn’t bought any milk.
14. The laundry was wet – it had rained while I was out.
15. William felt ill last night because he had eaten too many cakes.
16. Keiko met William last September.
17. First I tidied the flat, then I sat down and had a cup of coffee.
18. John played the piano when he was a child, but he doesn’t play now.
19. When I opened the curtains the sun was shining but the ground was white. It had snowed during the night.
20. When Julie got home from her holiday, her flat was a mess. John had had a party.