Past Perfect

Definition

The Past Perfect Tense describes an action that was completed before another past action or time. It is often used to show which of two events happened first.

Formula: Subject + had + Past Participle (V3) + Object
Tip: Use this tense to clearly indicate the order of two past events: the past perfect action happened before another past action.
Uses of Past Perfect Tense
# Use Description Examples
1 Completed Action Before Another Past Action Shows which action happened first in the past when two actions occurred. I had finished my homework
before my friend called.
She had left the office
when it started raining.
2 Cause of a Past Situation Indicates a past action as the reason for another past event. He was tired because he had worked all day.
They missed the train because they had woken up late.
3 Reported Speech for Past Actions Often used when narrating events in the past. She said that she had seen the movie before.
He told me he had finished the book already.
Sentence Structures

Positive Structure

Subject + had + V3 + Object

1) I had finished my homework before he arrived.
2) She had left the office when it started raining.
3) They had eaten before the movie started.

Negative Structure

Subject + had not (hadn’t) + V3 + Object

1) I hadn’t finished my homework before he arrived.
2) She hadn’t left the office when it started raining.
3) They hadn’t eaten before the movie started.

Interrogative Structure

Had + Subject + V3 + Object?

1) Had you finished your homework before he arrived?
2) Had she left the office when it started raining?
3) Had they eaten before the movie started?

Negative Interrogative Structure

Hadn’t + Subject + V3 + Object?

1) Hadn’t you finished your homework before he arrived?
2) Hadn’t she left the office when it started raining?
3) Hadn’t they eaten before the movie started?

Common Signal Words

Signal words often used with the Past Perfect Tense:

  • before
  • after
  • by the time
  • already
  • just
  • when
Examples in Context
  • 1) I had finished my homework before he arrived. (Positive)
  • 2) She hadn’t left the office when it started raining. (Negative)
  • 3) Had they eaten before the movie started? (Interrogative)
  • 4) Hadn’t you completed your task before the meeting? (Negative Interrogative)
  • 5) He had already finished the project by yesterday. (Positive)
  • 6) They hadn’t seen the news before it aired. (Negative)
  • 7) Had she completed the assignment by the time the teacher checked? (Interrogative)
  • 8) Hadn’t he finished the report before the deadline? (Negative Interrogative)
  • 9) We had already eaten before our friends arrived. (Positive)
  • 10) I hadn’t seen that movie before last week. (Negative)