Past Perfect Tense|Definition & Examples

The past perfect tense is formed by combining the auxiliary verb “had” with the past participle of the main verb. For example, the past perfect tense of the verb “eat” is “had eaten.”

The past perfect tense is a verb tense used to indicate that something happened before something else.The past perfect tense is a little tricky at first, but it gets easier once you get the hang of it.

This blog post will help you understand when and how to use the past perfect tense. In addition, we’ll provide some examples so you know when to use this tense.

What is the past perfect tense?

The past perfect is an advanced tense that describes an action that happened in the past and was completed before another action occurred. This means that the action in the past was completed before something else happened.

It’s very important to understand the uses of this tense because it is so often used incorrectly.

If you want to improve your grammar, reading comprehension, and writing skills, you need to know how and when you should use the past perfect tense.

We will take a closer look at how this tense is used and its common uses in everyday life.

The Common Uses of Past Perfect

Sometimes the past perfect is called the past of the past.

What does the past of the past mean? Let us try to understand this.

Suppose it is 5 pm right now and you are reading this article about past perfect tense. Everything that happened before 5 pm is in the past. And, you must have done something before 5 pm, right?

You can describe or talk about what you did before 5 pm using the simple past tense. You could say something like this:

I finished my homework.

I went shopping.

But, when you say these sentences, it is not clear which action happened first. In order to clarify which action happened first or before the other action, you could say,

I had finished my homework before I went shopping.

In this case, “had finished” tells us that this action took place first. Here this action is the past of the past.

So, we use the past perfect tense for those actions which happened before another action in the past. We use the simple past tense for the action that happened later.

Here are some examples of past perfect tense: – It had rained before we left home.

John had eaten his dinner when his wife arrived.

I had been to Peru before I visited last year.

When my father got there, the game had already started.

She had learned German before she went to Germany.

They had visited Spain before they moved there.

By the time my sister reached the station, the train had left.

She had gone to the supermarket before we reached home.

They had known each other for 10 years before they got married.

10 different usage of past perfect tense

Actions completed before another past action

This use indicates an action that was completed before another action took place in the past.

Examples:

• She had finished her breakfast before the guests arrived.
• They had already left when I got to the party.
• By the time he arrived, she had already read the entire book.
• The movie had started by the time we reached the theater.
• He had completed his assignment before the deadline.
• The children had gone to bed when the parents returned home.
• I had packed my bags before I received the call.
• The store had closed by the time we arrived.
• She had bought the tickets before they sold out.
• They had already eaten dinner when I arrived.

Actions happening sequentially in the past

This use shows the sequence of actions in the past, especially when it’s important to establish which action occurred first.

Examples:

• He had washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and went to bed.
• She had cooked dinner, set the table, and called everyone to eat.
• The team had practiced hard, won the tournament, and celebrated their victory.
• Before the storm hit, they had secured the windows, brought in the furniture, and gathered supplies.
• By the time she woke up, he had left, taken the car, and gone to work.
• The students had studied all night, taken the exam, and felt relieved afterward.
• The company had prepared extensively, launched the product, and received positive feedback.
• They had planned the trip, booked the tickets, and packed their bags.
• The guests had arrived, greeted each other, and started mingling.
• Before the meeting started, they had reviewed the agenda, prepared their notes, and gathered in the conference room.

Actions that had already occurred by a specific past time

This use highlights actions that were completed before a specified past time.

Examples:

• She had graduated from college by the time she turned 25.
• He had already finished his chores by noon.
• The parcel had arrived by the time I checked the mail.
• By the time they got married, they had known each other for ten years.
• She had visited Europe several times before she turned 30.
• They had saved enough money by the end of the year.
• The project had been completed before the deadline.
• He had received the promotion by the time he turned 35.
• By the time the guests arrived, she had set up the decorations.
• The repairs had been done before the storm hit.

Actions that had occurred multiple times before another past event

This use indicates actions that had happened repeatedly before another event in the past.

Examples:

• She had traveled to France several times before she moved there.
• He had read all the books in the series before the new one came out.
• They had attended the conference annually before it was canceled.
• By the time they moved, they had visited the museum many times.
• She had cooked Italian food numerous times before hosting the dinner.
• He had played in many tournaments before winning the championship.
• They had celebrated their anniversary together for over a decade before the big party.
• The team had practiced their routines multiple times before the competition.
• She had run marathons in different countries before tackling the New York Marathon.
• By the time she retired, she had volunteered at the shelter every weekend for years.

Actions that were completed before a specific point in time

This use specifies actions that were finished before a particular past moment.

Examples:

• She had finished her shift by 6 PM.
• They had left the party before midnight.
• The museum had closed by the time we arrived.
• He had sold all his stocks before the market crashed.
• She had completed her degree before her wedding.
• They had signed the contract before the deadline.
• By the time I woke up, he had already left.
• The concert had ended by the time we got there.
• She had submitted her report before the meeting.
• He had paid the bills before the due date.

Actions that were anticipated but did not happen

This use describes actions that were expected to happen but did not by a certain past time.

Examples:

• She had planned to visit her parents, but she got sick.
• They had intended to buy a new car, but the deal fell through.
• He had hoped to finish the project, but it got delayed.
• She had expected to receive the package, but it never arrived.
• They had wanted to celebrate, but the weather was bad.
• He had meant to call his friend, but he forgot.
• She had thought about resigning, but she reconsidered.
• They had prepared for the worst-case scenario, but it didn’t happen.
• He had imagined traveling abroad, but circumstances changed.
• She had considered changing careers, but she stayed in her job.

Actions that were reported in indirect speech

This use is common in reported speech to indicate an action that occurred before the time of reporting.

Examples:

• She said she had already seen the movie.
• He told me he had finished his work before lunch.
• They mentioned they had visited that museum last year.
• She asked if I had read the latest book by that author.
• He wondered if she had heard the news already.
• She mentioned she had cooked dinner for everyone.
• He explained that they had moved to a new city recently.
• They confirmed they had already booked their tickets.
• She recalled that they had met years ago.
• He remembered they had gone hiking together before.

Actions that were hypothetical in the past

This use is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past, indicating what could have happened differently.

Examples:

• If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.
• She would have called if she had remembered your number.
• He could have passed the test if he had studied more.
• They might have won the game if they had played better.
• If she had arrived on time, she would have caught the train.
• He should have asked for help if he had needed it.
• They would have chosen a different restaurant if they had known.
• If he had listened carefully, he would have understood the instructions.
• She might have taken the job if they had offered it earlier.
• He would have bought the car if the price had been lower.

Actions that were conditional in the past

This use refers to actions that were conditional upon another action in the past.

Examples:

• She said she would have joined us if she had finished her work on time.
• They would have arrived earlier if they had left home earlier.
• He would have attended the party if he had been invited.
• If she had known about the meeting, she would have attended.
• They would have won the match if they had scored in the final minutes.
• If he had taken the job offer, he would have moved to another city.
• She would have bought the dress if it had fit perfectly.
• If they had called ahead, we would have reserved seats for them.
• He would have fixed the car if he had known what was wrong.
• If they had asked for directions, they would have found the place sooner.

Actions that were past predictions that did not happen

This use describes predictions or expectations about the past that did not come true.

Examples:

• She thought she had seen him before, but she was mistaken.
• He thought he had left his keys on the table, but they were in his pocket.
• They believed they had booked the hotel, but the reservation didn’t go through.
• She was sure she had turned off the stove, but it was still on.
• He was under the impression he had paid the bill, but it was still outstanding.
• They were convinced they had invited everyone, but some were left out.
• She was certain she had finished her presentation, but she had missed a few slides.
• He was positive he had mailed the letter, but it was still on his desk.
• They were confident they had locked the door, but it was open.
• She was sure she had packed everything, but she forgot her passport.

How to use the past perfect tense?

We use the past perfect tense formula or structure to form a past perfect sentence. We also need the past participle form of the verb.

Regular verbs and irregular verbs (two types of verbs) have different past participle forms. We just add “ed” to regular verbs to make the past participle. As an example: “work” becomes “worked“. However, there are some spelling changes that we have to make for regular verbs.

In the case of irregular verbs, there are no such rules. The irregular verbs often change or sometimes they don’t change at all. So, you have to learn and remember the past participle form of the irregular verbs. For example: “go” becomes “gone”, “buy” becomes “bought”.

Past Perfect Tense Structure

Let’s look at the past perfect tense rule (structure) that we use to make sentences.

Past Perfect Affirmative Sentence Structure 

Subject + had + Verb (past participle) + Object

Examples of past perfect tense affirmative Sentences: 

I went to bed after I had taken my meal.

They had reached home before it began to rain.

When we reached, the meeting had started.

When we entered the class, the bell had rung.

Her mother had died before the doctor came.

Contraction or Short Form in Past Perfect Affirmative Sentence 

I went to bed after I’d taken my meal. (I had – I’d)

They’d reached home before it began to rain. (They had – they’d)

I had – I’d You had – you’d He had – he’d She had – she’d We had – we’d They had – they’d It had – it’d

Past Perfect Negative Sentence Structure 

Subject + had not + Verb (past participle) + Object

Examples of past perfect tense negative sentences: 

I went to bed after I had not taken my meal.

They had not reached home before it began to rain.

When we reached, the meeting had not started.

When we entered the class, the bell had not rung.

Her mother had not died before the doctor came.

Contraction or Short Form in Past Perfect Negative Sentence Had not – hadn’t

I went to bed after I hadn’t taken my meal.

They hadn’t reached home before it began to rain.

When we reached, the meeting hadn’t started.

When we entered the class, the bell hadn’t rung.

Her mother hadn’t died before the doctor came.

Past Perfect Question Sentence Structure 

Had + Subject + Verb (past participle) + Object?

Examples of past perfect tense question sentences: Had you taken your meal before you went to bed?

Had they reached home before it began to rain?

Had the meeting started when you reached there?

Had the bell rung when you entered the class?

Had her mother died before the doctor came?

General examples of past perfect tense

• She had already finished her homework before dinner.
• They had cleaned the house by the time guests arrived.
• He had studied French for five years before moving to Paris.
• By the time we got to the cinema, the movie had already started.
• The team had won several matches before facing their toughest opponent.
• She had never seen such a beautiful sunset before that day.
• They had booked the tickets months in advance.
• By the time the guests arrived, she had prepared a delicious meal.
• He had forgotten his keys at home when he reached the office.
• She had finished reading the book before the discussion began.
• They had lived in the city for ten years before moving to the countryside.
• By the time he reached retirement, he had worked at the company for 30 years.
• She had already left by the time he arrived at the party.
• They had completed the project ahead of schedule.
• The bus had already left when they reached the station.
• He had written three novels before publishing his bestseller.
• By the time she woke up, he had already left for work.
• They had known each other since childhood before becoming business partners.
• She had saved enough money to buy a new car.
• He had received numerous awards for his contributions to science before retiring.

FAQs

Difference between Past Tense and Past Perfect Tense:

• Past Tense: The past tense is used to describe actions that happened and were completed in the past. For example, “She finished her homework.”
• Past Perfect Tense: The past perfect tense, on the other hand, is used to indicate an action that was completed before another action in the past. It involves using “had” followed by the past participle of the verb. For example, “She had finished her homework before dinner.”

In essence, while the past tense simply states what happened in the past, the past perfect tense places emphasis on the sequence of actions, indicating which action occurred first.

How to Teach the Past Perfect?

Teaching the past perfect tense can be approached step-by-step:

• Introduce the Concept: Explain that the past perfect tense is used to show an action completed before another action in the past.
• Use Clear Examples: Provide clear examples to illustrate the difference between past tense and past perfect tense.
• Practice Activities: Engage students in activities where they identify and create sentences using the past perfect tense.
• Contextualize: Use stories or real-life scenarios to help students understand when and why the past perfect tense is used.
• Review and Reinforce: Continuously review and reinforce the usage through exercises and discussions.

Difference between Present Perfect and Past Perfect Tense:

• Present Perfect Tense: The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or have relevance to the present moment. It uses “have/has” + past participle of the verb. For example, “She has visited Paris several times.”
• Past Perfect Tense: As discussed, the past perfect tense indicates an action completed before another action in the past, using “had” + past participle of the verb. For example, “She had visited Paris before she moved to London.”

The main difference lies in the time frame and the relationship between the actions described.

Formula for Past Perfect Tense:

The formula for the past perfect tense is straightforward:

Subject+had+past participle of the verb\text{Subject} + \text{had} + \text{past participle of the verb}Subject+had+past participle of the verb

For example:

• Affirmative: He had finished his work.
• Negative: They had not completed the project.
• Question: Had she seen the movie before?

Point of Past Perfect Tense:

The main point of using the past perfect tense is to establish the sequence of actions in the past. It helps clarify which action occurred first when describing multiple past events or actions. By using the past perfect tense, speakers and writers indicate that one action was already completed before another action took place. This clarity in sequence is crucial for effective storytelling, reporting past events accurately, and setting up context in narratives.

Final words

In conclusion, mastering the past perfect tense is not just about grammatical accuracy; it enhances our ability to convey precise timelines and sequence of events in narratives. By understanding when to employ had followed by the past participle of a verb, we gain clarity in expressing actions that were completed before another point in the past. This tense is indispensable for storytelling, historical accounts, and any situation where the temporal relationship between events is crucial. Embracing the nuances of the past perfect tense enriches our language skills, ensuring our communication is not only grammatically correct but also vivid and chronologically precise.