Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense

Mr. Mora - English Class

Check this situation

• You left school at 3:30 pm and went home.

• Your mum left home at 4 pm and went to the supermarket.

• You got home at 4:15 pm, your mum wasn't there.

• Say, “When I got home, my mum had gone to the supermarket.

The past perfect (simple) is had + past participle (gone/seen/finished etc.). 

Sometimes we talk about something that happened in the past: Sarah arrived at the party...

This is the starting point of the story.

Then, if we want to talk about things that happened before this time, we use the past perfect:

Ej: When Sarah arrived at the party, Paul had already gone home. 

Usage & Examples

Examples using historical events

• When you were born, the Internet had already been invented.

• When I finished high school, the Berlin wall had already been demolished.

• When I started teaching, George Bush Sr. had already finished his term as President of the US.

BE Careful with:

Present perfect

Past simple

Irregular verbs

& regular ones (ed)

Multiple Choice

According to the timeline,

a. Peter did not study.

b. Peter failed the exam.

which of the following is correct?

• Peter failed the exam because he had not studied.

• Peter had failed the exam because he did not study.

Multiple Choice

According to the timeline,

a. The meeting started at 8:00.

b. Mr. James arrived at 8:15.

Which of the following is correct?

• The meeting had started before Mr. James arrived.

• The meeting started before Mr. James arrived.

• The meeting had started before Mr. James had arrived.

Multiple Choice

She watched a video after the children __ to bed.

• had gone

• had go

• had went

• had going

Multiple Choice

It was a very difficult movie, but I _______ it because I _______ the book.

• Had understood, read

• Read, had understood

• Had read, understood

• Understood, had read

Multiple Choice

I _______ any money on the weekend because I _______ my wallet on Friday.

• Didn't have, had lost

• Hadn't had, lost

• Didn't lose, hadn't had

• Hadn't lost, didn't have

Multiple Choice

When I _______ the new teacher, I was so surprised. I _______ his class before!

• Met, had taken

• Had met, took

• Had taken, met

• Took, had met

Multiple Choice

When Amp _______ at school, she realized she _______ her textbook.

• Had arrived, forgot

• Arrived, had forgotten

• Forgot, had arrived

• Had forgotten, arrived

Multiple Choice

The film..... by the time we got to the cinema.

• was started

• had start

• has started

• had started

Multiple Choice

• had made
• had make
• had maked

Multiple Choice

• had fall
• had fallen
• felt

Multiple Choice

• had done
• just do it
• did