How to learn to use the Past Perfect tense? Rules and numerous examples.

In all the variety of tenses in English, Perfect tenses (perfect or completed) are notable for the fact that you will not find their analogues in Russian grammar. Perhaps for this reason, many people have difficulty mastering the perfect tenses. Let's learn to understand and use these useful and interesting English verb tenses.

Strictly speaking, in English there are only two tenses (tense), where only the semantic verb is present: present (We walk) and past (He left).
All other tenses of verbs in English, and there are about thirty of them, use auxiliary verbs.

There are six main tenses, understanding which, you can understand the entire tense structure of English verbs.

• Present Simple (Present Indefinite): We play. - We play.
• Present Perfect: We have played. - We played.
• Past Simple (Past Indefinite): We played. - We played.
• Past Perfect: We had played. - we played (before a specific event in the past).
• Future Simple (Future Indefinite): We will play. - We will play.
• Future Perfect: We will have played. - We will play (until a certain event in the future).

Learners of English as a foreign language most often experience problems with Perfect tenses. This is due to the fact that they are formed a little more complicated than their “simple” counterparts: with the help of an auxiliary verb and the past participle (III form of the verb).

• Run (run)- ran - run
• play (play)- played - played

Auxiliary verbs are usually forms of the verbs be, can, do, may, must, ought, shall, will, have, has, had. It is these verbs and their forms that should be given.

Present Perfect Tense (Present Perfect)

Tom will repair his car on Monday. (Future Simple) - Tom will be fixing his car on Monday.

She hopes that Tom will have repaired his car by Monday evening. (Future Perfect) - She hopes that Tom will have his car fixed by Monday evening.

The past perfect tense or Past Perfect Tense is another complex tense form of the English language that describes events in the past tense. Since there is no analogue to this form in Russian, efforts must be made to understand its essence and assimilate it. Meaning of Past Perfect Tense What is Past Perfect Tense?

The Past Perfect tense indicates a past action that either preceded another action in the past or ended before a specific point in the past tense. For obvious reasons, it is also called "prepast".

Trace the difference between "past" and "prepast" tense in the following example:

• I was late. They had gone without me. (I was late. They left without me.)

As you can see, in these sentences in English, different tenses are used, while in Russian they are the same. In the first Past Simple. In the second Past perfect, because the action preceded the action in the first sentence. → They had already left without me before I arrived.

The past perfect tense is most often found in narratives and mainly in complex sentences.

Subl. + had + Past Participle …

The interrogative form is formed by placing the auxiliary verb to have in the Past Simple Tense (had) in the first place before the subject.

Had + Gen. + Past Participle ???

The negative form is formed using the negation not, which is placed after the auxiliary verb had and in colloquial speech merges with it into one whole:

• had not - hadn't

Subl. + had + not + Past Participle …

Conjugation table of the verb to grow in Present Perfect Tense

Number	Face	affirmative form	Interrogative form	negative form
Unit h.	1 2 3	I had (I "d) grown You had (you "d) grown He/ She/ It had (He "d/ She'd) grown	Had I grown? Had you grown? Had he/she/it grown?	I had not (hadn't) grown You had not (hadn't) grown He/ She/ It had not (hadn't) grown
Mn. h.	1 2 3	We had (we "d) grown You had (you "d) grown They had (they "d) grown	Had we grown? Had you grown? Had they grown?	We had not (hadn't) grown You had not (hadn't) grown They had not (hadn't) grown

Past Perfect Tense is used:

1. To express a past action that took place before a certain moment in the past with adverbial words that indicate the time by which the action was completed:

• by then
• by that time
• by Friday - by Friday
• by 9 o'clock - by 9 o'clock
• by the 21th of November
• by the end of the year

• They had written their compositions by Friday - They wrote their compositions by Friday
• Bill had done the work by the time his parents returned - Bill finished work by the time his parents returned
• I had finished the project by the end of the year - I finished the project by the end of the year

The point before which the action was completed can be determined by the context. For example:

• In the club I met Jim who had gone to the same college - In the club I met Jim, with whom we went to college together

Past Perfect in a compound sentence 2. In complex sentences, to express a past action that preceded another action in the past, expressed by a verb in Past Simple. As a rule, such sentences include subordinate clauses of time after conjunctions:

• when - when
• after - after
• before
• until - until
• as soon as - as soon as

• Nick had finished his work before his boss came in - Nick finished work before his boss came in
• As soon as Nick had finished his work the door opened and his boss came in - As soon as he finished work, the door opened and the boss came in
• When I had made breakfast I rang him up - When I cooked breakfast, I called him

3. To express actions that began before a specified moment in the past and continue up to this moment. In the sentence, as a rule, there are circumstances of time that indicate the period during which the action took place:

• for a long time - for a long time
• for three years (hours, months, days) - within three years (hours, months, days)
• since - since, since then

• He realized he had been in love with her for a long time - He realized that he had been in love with her for a long time
• They had owned the house for twenty years when they decided to sell it - They had owned the house for twenty years when they decided to sell it
• He told me he had been badly ill since he returned from the South - He told me that he had been very ill since he returned from the South

4. To express intentions, desires, hopes that did not come true. Usually with verbs:

• expect - expect
• hope - hope
• want - want
• think - to think

• We had hoped we could visit them tomorrow but it's beginning to look difficult - I hoped that we could visit them tomorrow, but it seems that it will not be easy.
• She had intended to cook a dinner but she ran out of time - She was going to cook dinner, but did not have time

5. In subordinate clauses of time, the action of which is future in relation to past events. This action must precede the action in the main clause. In this case, Past Perfect Tense is translated into the future tense. Examples:

• I promised that I would go home after I had done all my work - I promised that I would come home after I had done all my work
• She decided she wouldn't do anything till he had explained the situation - She decided that she would not do anything until he explained the situation

The past perfect tense is not easy to learn right away. It takes a lot of practice to master this material well.

Check out the following videos that you might be interested in:

Simple and clear explanation with examples of Past Perfect Tense (Past Complete Tense)

Education Past Perfect Tense

1. Past Perfect is formed using the past tense auxiliary verb to have (had) and the past participle form (Past Participle) of the semantic verb: I had worked, he had worked.
2. In the interrogative form, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject: Had I worked? Had he worked?
3. The negative form is formed with the particle not, which is placed after the auxiliary verb: I had not worked, he had not worked.
4. In the interrogative-negative form, the negation of not is placed directly after the subject: Had I not worked? Had he not worked?

affirmative form	Interrogative form	negative form	Interrogative-negative form
He (she, it) had worked	Had he (she, it) worked? Had they worked?	I had not worked He (she, it) had not worked We had not worked You didn't work They had not worked	Had I not worked? Had he (she, it) not worked? Had we not worked? Had you not worked? Had they not worked?

The following abbreviations are commonly used in colloquial speech:

Time past perfect formed with an auxiliary verb to have in the past tense and the past participle of the significant verb, i.e. its "third form".

To have has only one form in the past tense had.

Second participle, or past participle ( Participle II), can be obtained by adding to the initial form of a significant verb the ending -ed:

examine - examin ed, enjoy - enjoy ed, close-clos ed

However, in English there is also a fairly large group of irregular verbs that do not form the past tense according to the general rules.

AT interrogative sentence The auxiliary verb is put in place before the subject, and the meaningful verb remains after it:

Had you brushed your teeth before you went to bed?
Did you brush your teeth before going to bed?

AT negative sentences the auxiliary verb is followed by a negative particle not. However, they can be reduced to the form hadn't.

How did you hope to pass the exam if you had not (hadn't) even opened the textbook?
How did you hope to pass the exam if you hadn't even opened your textbook before?

Cases of using Past Perfect:

1. When there is an indication of the point in time by which the action in the past ended:
By 9 o "clock we" d finished the work.
By 9 o'clock we finished the work.
She had written only two letters by noon.
By noon she had written only 2 letters.

2. When an action in the past took place before another action:
When you arrived, he had just left.
When you arrived, he had just left.
He had worked at the university for thirty years before he retired.
He worked at the university for 30 years before he retired.

3. In indirect speech to convey the present perfect and simple past tense:
He said he had studied English for two years.(He said: "I have studied English for two years.")
He said that he had been studying English for two years.
She said she had published her first story 10 years before.(She said: "I published my first story 10 years ago.")
She said she published her first story 10 years ago.

She had written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday.
- She had not written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday.
? Had he written a letter by 5 o "clock on Saturday?
Yes, he had. No, he had not. (No, he hadn't.)

4. To denote actions that began before a specified moment in the past and continue up to this moment. Typically, these actions are expressed using Past Perfect Continuous, but with static verbs used Past Perfect. In this case, the period of time during which the action took place must be indicated:

I felt as if I had known her all my - I had a feeling like

life. like I've known her all my life.

We went to see Mr Fennel who- We went to visit Mr. Fennel,

hadbeen a widower for two years. who was a widower for two years.

5. To express an unfulfilled hope, desire, etc., relating to both the past and the present and even the future tense:

I had hoped we could leave I was hoping that we could leave

tomorrow but it's beginning to tomorrow but it seems to be getting

look difficult. not easy (of a future event).

I had intended to make a cake but - I was going to make a cake, but

I ran out of time. did not have time (about the past event).

6. In subordinate tense to express an action that is future in relation to past events and must occur before the start of the event expressed by the main sentence:

Not decided he wouldn't look at- He decided not to watch

his watch till he had read 30 pages. for hours until he reads 30

Past Perfect not used:

1) when it comes to the immediate sequence of events in the past, especially the immediate reaction of people:

I got a real shock when I opened - I got really scared when

the box. opened the box.

2) when describing short sequential actions performed by different persons:

When I put the cat out he ran- When I put the cat out, he ran away

away to the bushes. into the bushes.

3) in subordinate clauses relating to sentences where the predicate is expressed by the verb in Past Perfect:

He told me that someone had He told me that someone called

phoned when I was out. when I was gone.

pivot table

Form formation
had + V+ ed/ III form of an irregular verb
Affirmative	negative	Interrogative
He/she/it had run.	He/she/it had not run.	Had he/she/it run?
	You had not run.
	They had not run.
Use cases
1. An action completed in the past, but connected to the present through a result.	I had done my home work before he called me. I had gone shopping before they arrived. When I rank, she had already left. When I came back home, I found out that my wallet had been stolen. I though that I had seen him somewhere before. She had cooked dinner by 2 p.m.	I had done my homework before he called me. I went shopping before they arrived. When I called, she had already left. When I got home, I discovered that my wallet had been stolen. I thought I had seen it somewhere before. She had cooked dinner by 2 o'clock.
2. An action that began before some point in the past and was still going on at that moment. Instead of The Past Perfect Continuous with verbs not used in Continous.	They had known each other for many years when they decided to marry. They had lived in this town for years when the flood destroyed all the place.	They had known each other for many years when they decided to get married. They lived in this city for many years when a flood destroyed the whole area.

So, let's summarize word formation in THE PAST PERFECT TENSE.

4.1. Affirmative form:

I had come - I came
He had come - He came
She had come - She came
It had come - He, she, it, it came (about inanimate objects)
We had come - We came
You had come - You came, you came
They had come - They came

4.2. Interrogative form:

Had I come? - I came?
Had he come? - He came?
Had she come? - She came?
Had it come? - He, she, it, it came? (of inanimate objects)
Had we come? - We came?
Had you come? - You came? You come?
Had they come? - They came?

4.3. Negative form:

I had not come - I did not come
He had not come - He did not come
She had not come - She did not come
It had not come - He, she, it, it didn't come (about inanimate objects)
We had not come - We did not come
You had not come - You didn't come, you didn't come
They had not come - They did not come

Using THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

The main and most common cases of using Past Perfect:
1. When expressing actions that have already ended at a specified point in time in the past. Usually, these actions are expressed by the exact date, hour, etc.:

They had finished our work by seven o "clock. - They (already) finished their work by seven o'clock.

2. When expressing actions that preceded another action in the past:

She had written two articles, when the door was open and Bill Clinton comes in the room.
She had written two articles when the door swung open and Bill Clinton entered the room.

Past perfect - Past Perfect

Designations: + statement, ? question, - negation.

+			?			-
... had + III.			Had ... +III?			... had not + III.
I	had painted.		Had	I	painted?	I	had not painted.
you				you		you
We				we		We
They				they		They
He				he		He
She				she		She
It				it		It

Abbreviations: I had = I "d, you had = you" d, we had = we "d, they had = they" d, he had = he "d, she had = she" d, it had = X, had not = hadn"t ().

-ed pronounced according to the following rules:
1. [d]- after vowels and voiced consonants:
[b], [?], [v], [ð], [z], [?], , [m], [n], [?], [l], [j], [w], [ r]; except [d] (item 3)
2. [t]- after voiceless consonants:
[p], [k], [f], [θ], [s], [?], [h], ; except [t] (item 3)
3. [?d]- after sounds [d] and [t]

Note: About sounds - in the material "Sounds of the English language. Phonetic notes".

Using the Past Perfect

1. Past Perfect is an action that ended up to a certain point in the past. The period can be defined:
a. Circumstance of time.
By Thursday she had already prepared for the journey. By Wednesday, she had already prepared for the trip.
In such sentences, the expression by + time (to which the action took place) is used.
by midnight
by six o "clock
by Friday
by the 20 th of June
by the end of the month
by then/by that time
by that moment
and etc.
b. Another, later past action, expressed in Past Simple.
When I looked out of the window the rain had already started. When I looked out the window, it was already raining.
in. context or situation.
He showed me the ring he had bought for her. He showed me the ring he bought for not.
2. Past Perfect is often used instead of Past Perfect Continuous to express an action that began before a certain moment in the past and was still going on at that moment. It is used with verbs that are not used in the continuous form.
When Grace came to the destination Austin had already been there for an hour. When Grace arrived at the appointed place, Austin had already been there for an hour.
In such proposals, the period of time must be specified.

Note 1: Verbs that express desire, intention and hope are used in the Past Perfect to indicate that this intention, hope or desire did not come true.
He had expected you to support but you didn't. He expected you to help, but you didn't.

Note 2: Sometimes when not emphasis should be placed on duration important fact his accomplishments, the Past Perfect is used.
When I got my first job I had lived outskirts of town. When I got my first job, I lived on the outskirts of the city.
But grammatically it would be more correct to use the long form:
When I got my first job I was living outskirts of town.

3. Past Perfect is a future perfect action in the past in subordinate clauses of time.
She said that Michael would come back as soon as he had done all the work. She said that Michael would return as soon as he finished all the work.
4. Past Perfect is used in constructions with the words hardly / scarcely (barely), as well as with the adverb no sooner (only; as soon as).
He had hardly entered the room when the phone rank. As soon as he entered the room, the telephone rang.
or the same but with a different word order:
Hardly had he entered the room when the phone rank.
He had no sooner come home then he saw his brother. As soon as he entered the room, the telephone rang.
with a different word order:
No sooner had he come home then he saw his brother.

Quite often, times in English become for many people. But in fact, everything is quite simple: you just need to sit, understand the rules and read more texts.

Past Perfect: what is this time

This is the so-called past tense, when all the action takes place in the past, but ends before a certain moment or the beginning of another action (or event) is also in the past. In other words, this is everything that has already happened, before something else happened (which also had time to end). Everything refers to a certain time or moment, already lived and past. Usually, in the Past Perfect, the rules provide for the use of several adverbs showing an earlier event: never, ever, yet, already. Example: By the time Julia arrived at the building, Mary had already left. - By the moment Juliya got to the building, Mary had already left.

Past Perfect: education rules

Everything is very simple here. To use this time, you just need to take the second have (already familiar had) and the third form of the verb necessary for the meaning (that is, the past participle). For regular verbs, it is formed by simply adding the ending -ed, for incorrect ones, it is taken in the dictionary and memorized.

1. Affirmative form: I/You/She/They/He had read it.
2. Negative form: I/She/He/You/They had not (hadn't) read it.
3. Interrogative form: Had I/You/She/He/They read it?

Past Perfect: rules and examples of use

There are two options here that you should always consider and not forget about

1. If the described action took place before a certain point in the past. Example: By 2000, she had become a world famous singer. - By 2000 she had become a world-famous singer. Thus, a starting point is immediately set and it is indicated that she achieved success precisely by the year 2000 and not earlier (that is, a certain event or time takes place in the past).
2. If an event or action happened before the start of another action, it is also in the past. The past perfect (the rules say so) is used precisely to describe the event that happened earlier. What happened later is described by Example: She didn't want to go to the cinema with us yesterday because she had already seen The Lord of the Rings. - She didn't want to go to the cinema with us yesterday, because she had already seen "The Lord of the Rings". At the same time, the adverb used immediately demonstrates which of the described actions and events happened before the other.

Difference from other past tenses

Past Perfect (the rules for its formation are very simple and logical) differs from other times, such as Past Simple, (the rules for their formation are also quite easy: the first is formed by a simple change in the verb and means a simple action that took place in the past, without any pitfalls; the second shows that the event or action happened in the past, but ended exactly at the specified moment in the present, or is completed only now.It is formed by using the form of the verb have in the present tense and the semantic verb necessary for the sentence), and it is quite easy to catch this difference. To do this, one should not only learn the form of education, but also think about the meaning of the sentence as a whole in order to capture its logic and meaning, and not translate word for word. In the latter case, the words will simply mix up, and there will be no understanding of the text. However, with a thoughtful approach to English grammar, there will be no difficulty in understanding both written text and spoken language.