Past Perfect Simple

Form of Past Perfect

P: He had spoken.

N: He had not spoken.

Q: Had he spoken?
Use of Past Perfect
Past Perfect Simple is used for actions taking place before a certain time in the past.
Examples:
I had typed five pages when my computer suddenly crashed.
Before 2002, I had not worked abroad.
Signal Words of Past Perfect
already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day, If Clause Type III (If I had talked, )

Simple Past vs. Past Perfect Simple

Use
We use Simple Past if we give past events in the order in which they occured. However, when we
look back from a certain time in the past to tell what had happened before, we use Past Perfect.
Normal order in the past or looking back to an event before a certain time in the past?
Do you just want to tell what happened some time in the past or do you want to tell what had
happened before/up to a certain time in the past?
Simple Past

Past Perfect Simple

some time in the past

before/up to a certain time in the past

Example:

Jane got up at seven. She opened her birthday

presents and then the whole family went to the zoo.
Signal Words
Simple Past

first
then

Past Perfect Simple

already
up to then
before that day
after*

Example:
Before her sixth birthday, Jane had
never been to the zoo.

*Note: "After" is only used as a signal word for Past Perfect if it is followed by a subject + verb,
meaning that one action had been completed before another action began (the new action is
in Simple Past).
Example:
After the family had had breakfast, they went to the zoo.
However, if "after" is followed by object + subject + verb, the verb belongs to the new action and
is therefore in Simple Past.
Example:
After her visit to the zoo, Jane was exhausted.
More exceptions with signal words
When
Depending on the situation, "when" can be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. Compare the
following examples:
Example:
When Jane saw the elephants, she was amazed. (at the same time)
When Jane had seen the elephants, she wanted to see the giraffes. (second action happened
after the first action had been completed)
When Jane went to see the elephants, she had already seen the lions. (second action had
been completed when the first action took place)
Before
"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past Perfect. If the action after "before" is
a new action, use Simple Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not completed) before
a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example:
Jane had read a lot about elephants before she went to the zoo.
Jane went to the zoo before she had finished reading her new book about elephants.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Perfect).
1.
2.
3.
4.

My friend (eat) ___________________ up all the biscuit we ________________(bake) .

The teacher ____________________(correct) the tests we __________________(write) .
I (give) ____________________ them some of the candies I ________________(buy) .
My sister (see / not) __________________ the note that I (lay) _________________ on
the kitchen table for her.
5. We (want) _____________________ to watch a film that we (see / not)
_______________ before.
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past perfect simple).
1. When he (wake up) woke up , his mother (already / prepare) had already prepared
breakfast.
2. We (go) ___________________ to London because the Queen (invite)
___________________ us for tea.
3. He (hear) the news, (go) ___________________ to the telephone and (call)
___________________ a friend.
4. When she (start) ___________________ to learn English, she (already / learn)
___________________ French.
5. Jane (already / type) ___________________ ten pages when her computer (crash)
___________________ .
6. By the time he (arrive) ___________________ at the pub, they (run)
___________________ out of beer.
7. Before that day we (never / think) ___________________ of going to Japan.
8. I (know) ___________________ him for a long time before I (meet)
___________________ his family.
9. They (not / know) ___________________ where to meet because nobody (tell)
___________________ them.
10. It (be) ___________________ cloudy for days before it finally (begin)
___________________ to rain.

Test
Write the past participle (3rd form) of the following irregular verbs.
1.

speak -

2.

catch -

3.

eat -

4.

understand -

5.

begin -

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Complete the sentences in Past Perfect Simple (positive).

I lost the key that he (give) ______________________to me.
She told me that she (see) ______________________a ghost.
I went downstairs because I (hear) ___________________ a noise.
When they came home, Sue (cook) ___________________ dinner already.
We could not send you a postcard because we (forget)____________________ our address
book.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Complete the sentences in Past Perfect Simple (negative).

The waiter served something that we (not / order) ___________________________.
He went to Alaska where he (not / be) ___________________________ before.
She put on the red dress, which she (not / wear) _________________________ for ages.
He (not / play) _________________________ tennis before that day.
His mother was angry because he (not / help) __________________________ her with the
shopping.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Complete the questions in Past Perfect Simple.

(you / finish)____________________________ your homework before you went to the
cinema?
(why / you / clean)__________________________ the bathroom before you bathed the
dog?
(you / have)____________________________ breakfast before you came here?
(she / find) ___________________________ a place to stay when she went to Boston?
(where / she / live)____________________________ before she moved to Chicago?