Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect - Use

1) Together with the Simple Past
Mary had read the book before she watched a film.

2) the past equivalent of the Present Perfect

He had played hockey.

Signal words
no unambiguous ones
Form
had + past participle

Examples
Affirmative sentences:
I had played hockey.
I'd played hockey.

You had played hockey.

You'd played hockey.

Negative sentences:
I had not played hockey.
I'd not played hockey.
I hadn't played hockey.

You had not played hockey.

You'd not played hockey.
You hadn't played hockey.

Questions:
Had you played hockey?

Had you played hockey?

Attention

Past Perfect - Simple Past

Simple Past - Simple Past

The match had started when he arrived.

The match started when he arrived.

Past Perfect - Signal words

There are no unambiguous "signal words" in the Past Perfect. We often use the Past
Perfect together with the Simple Past. Watch out when two actions in the past are
combined:
first action (completed before the second one began): Past Perfect
second action: Simple Past
Form of the Past Perfect
We form the Past Perfect with had and the past participle (regular verbs: infinitive +
-ed; irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs)
had + past participle
We use the same form of the auxiliary had every time regardless the subject.
past participle:
- regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
- irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs
Affirmative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had played hockey.

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had gone home.

Negative sentences
regular verbs

irregular verbs

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had not played hockey.

I/you/he/she/it/we/they had not gone home.

Questions
regular verbs

irregular verbs

Had I/you/he/she/it/we/they played hockey?

Had I/you/he/she/it/we/they gone home?

Past Perfect - Spelling

You have to know the irregular verbs when using the Past Perfect. The spelling rules
are the same like in the Present Perfect.
Special verbs in the Past Perfect
1) have as a full verb
affirmative sentence

negative sentence

question

alle forms (I, you, he, she, it, we, they):

He had had a book.

He had not had a book.

Had he had a book?

negative sentence

question

2) be as a full verb
affirmative sentence

all forms (I, you, he, she, it, we, they):

He had been to Britain.

He had not been to Britain.

Had he been to Britain?

negative sentence

question

3) do as a full verb
affirmative sentence

all forms (I, you, he, she, it, we, they):

He had done an exercise.

He had not done an exercise.

Had he done an exercise?

NOTE:
We sometimes use short/contracted forms for had with affirmative or negative
sentences.
Long forms and short forms in the Past Perfect
We often use short forms of the auxiliaries. The Past Perfect is formed with the
auxiliary had.
affirmative
long form

short form

all forms (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)

I had gone

I'd gone

negative (had not)

long form

short form

all forms (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)

I had not gone

I hadn't gone
or
I'd not gone

Exercises
Put in the verbs in brackets into the gaps and form sentences in the Past Perfect.
Use contracted forms only when there are personal pronouns.
Example: Before Steven did his homework he _____________ at the library. (to
study)
Answer: Before Steven did his homework he had studied at the library.
1) She
2) After we

in Sweden before she went to Norway. (to live)

the cornflakes, Henry came in. (to eat)

3) Before Ken ran to Kerry's house, he

4) After they

him. (to phone)

their rucksacks, they rode away on their bikes. (to pack)

5) Gerry helped his grandma in the house because his father

tell)
6) The cat hid under the chair because the children
7) Before the students started to write, the teacher
phones. (to collect)
8) After Max

him so. (to

so loud. (to be)
their mobile

his breakfast, he left the flat. (to finish)

9) Laura repaired her glasses because her brother

10) By the time the show began, all friends

them. (to break)

. (to arrive)

Put in the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Mind the negations.
Example: Richard realized that he ______________ his passport with him. (not/to
take)
Answer: Richard realized that he had not taken his passport with him.
1) The driver
him. (not/to stop)

at the traffic lights, so the police car chased

2) The budgie flew away because Jim

the window. (not/to close)

3) When we came home, Frank

4) Eric
invite)
5) I

his friends, so he was alone on Saturday evening. (not/to

Olivia for three years before I met her in Spain. (not/to see)

6) He told me that he
7) Lisa

the ceiling yet. (not/to paint)

his brother the other day. (not/to speak)

the book, so she didn't understand the film. (not/to read)

8) The Smiths
new furniture. (not/to buy)

the new camera, so they could spend the money on

9) I didn't find my keys because I

10) We

under the bed. (not/to look)

enough, so we lost the match. (not/to practise)

Put in the words in brackets into the gaps. Use the verbs in the Past Perfect .
Example: _____________________ the summary by the time it was due? (Gerry/to
hand in)
Answer: Had Gerry handed in the summary by the time it was due?
1)
(they/to read)

the instructions before they switched on the mobile phone?

2)

the new words before she texted her friend? (the girl/to learn)

3)

the office before they drove away? (they/to ring)

4) What
5)
update)
6) What

before she turned on the TV? (Lucy/to do)

the software before he switched off the computer? (Walter/to
before she ran away? (she/to find)

7)

the onions before he hurried to the window? (Tim/to cut)

8)

here before? (you/to surf)

9)

to Lisa before she prepared dinner? (Peggy/to talk)

10)

London before you went there in 2008? (you/ever/to visit)

Put the words in brackets into the gaps. Use the verbs in the Past Perfect.
Example: Alex couldn't go for a walk because he ______________ his leg. (to break)

Answer: Alex couldn't go for a walk because he had broken his leg.

1) When I arrived at the restaurant, Victoria

(already/to order)
2) He noticed that Peter

a glass of water.

the old chair. (not/to paint)

3) Before Emma laid the table, she

have)
4) She asked me if I

a talk with her mother. (to

the new words. (to learn)

5) There were no sausages left when I came back. The dog

them. (to eat)
6) It

for three weeks, so the land was dry. (not/to rain)

7) I did not wait for my brother because I

read)
8) Linda

his text message. (to

to a magic show before yesterday evening. (never/to be)

9) She told me that Frank

10)

his room. (not/to tidy)

his hamster before he left his house? (Jack/to feed)

Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps in the correct tense Past Perfect or Simple
Past.
Example: Pat _________ (to live) in London before he _________ (to move) to
Rome.
Answer: Pat had lived in London before he moved to Rome.
1) After Fred
learn Italian.
2) Jill
trip.
3) Susan
4) When she
start).
5) After the man
6) Before he
7) She
8) After Eric

(to spend) his holiday in Italy he

(to phone) Dad at work before she
(to turn on) the radio after she
(to arrive) the match
(to come) home he
(to sing) a song he
(to watch) a video after the children
(to make) breakfast he

(to want) to
(to leave) for her
(to wash) the dishes.

already

(to

(to feed) the cat.

(to play) the guitar.
(to go) to bed.
(to phone) his friend.

9) I

(to be) very tired because I

10) They
friends.

(to study) too much.

(to ride) their bikes before they

(to meet) their

Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect simple).
The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build)
He (not / be)

to Cape Town before 1997.

When she went out to play, she (do / already)

her homework.

My brother ate all of the cake that our mum (make)

The doctor took off the plaster that he (put on)

six weeks before.

The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order)

I could not remember the poem we (learn)

the week before.

The children collected the chestnuts that (fall)

(he / phone)

from the tree.

Angie before he went to see her in London?

She (not / ride)

a horse before that day.

Write the verbs in Past Perfect Simple.

The pupils talked about the film they (watch)

I was late for work because I (miss)

the bus.

We lived in the house that my father (build)

We admired the picture that Lucy (paint)

They watered the trees that they (plant)

The teacher corrected the tests that the pupils (write)

I received a good mark in my test because I (practise)

on ego4u.

The mail order house did not send me the shirt that I (order)
I had to clean the floor because my cats (knock)
My friend was in hospital because she (slip)

.
over the flower pots.

on a banana skin.

Change the verb into the correct form:

1. I
2. She
3. We
4. Brian
times.

(study) Japanese before.

(bake) a lot before she

(open) her shop.

(have) a lot of trouble because we

(lose) our passports.

(know) many people at the club because he

(be) there many

5. They
6. You

(study) English before they

(enjoy) the movie because you

7. She really

(like) him because he

8. Amy

(study) a lot before she

9. We
places.
10. I
11. They

(help) her.
(take) the test.
(reserve) our

(be) to India before 1986.

(have) a lot of trouble before they finally

(succeed).

(own) that car for 5 years before he

13. Sharon
15. You

(read) the book.

(get) into the restaurant only because we

12. Chris
14. I

(move) to Canada.

(be) very sick until she

(sell) it.

(stop) eating junk food.

(be) in Greece for 7 months before I

(cook) a lot, because you

(move) to Spain.
(be) so hungry.

Change the verb into the correct form:

1. She

(never be) to the North Pole until 2002.

2. They

(never fight) before they

(move) together.

3. He

(never break) anything before he

4. When we

(arrive), we

5. When I

(call), she

(discover) that the bus

t (never meet) him, so she

7. He

(never kiss) a girl, so he

9. They
(arrive).
10. It

(be) embarrassed.
(buy) the house.

(go) some place, because they

(be) too late, because the car

(sell) to someone else.

(paint) the entire apartment.

(tell) us he

14. Jason and Amy

(be) not there when I

(be) to Turkey 5 times.

(tell) us they

13. The boss

15. I had

(want) more details.

(save) a lot of money before he

11. You said (say) you

12. They

(leave).

(go) to sleep.

6. Ashley
8. Patrick

(start) to crawl.

(hire) some new staff.

(eat) before they

(have) all the papers, but I

Simple past or past perfect simple

(come) to see you.

(lose) them.

1. When she

(wake) up,the sun was shining.

2. You didn't tell me that you

(decide) to travel abroad .

3. When he returned home,he saw that the postman

parcel .

(deliver) a small

4. The Romans

(build) fortresses all around Britain.

5. I wish that I

(see) her face when you told her the news.

6. If only he

(know) before he went on holiday.

7. After you left,we

(stay) for about an hour.

8. If we

(know) ,we could have given her the money.

9. She

(finish) the letter then decided to go for a walk.

10. We
news.

(tell) him before about her illness so he was prepared for the bad

Past Simple and Past Perfect

1.When I

to the office, the meeting

2. Even though she

3. By the time she
(send- decide)
4. It

hard, Joan

it before. (hear-be)

the joke, Hillary

7. It was then when Carl

his task. (make-

a third one. (tell-understand)

his life

forever. (realise- change)

8. He
at Brenda and for a moment he
truth. (look- tell-doubt)

10. He

they wouldn't go.

sure the children were asleep, he

6. By the time Bob

9. When his boss

know)

. (start-get)

the exam. (study-pass)

the invitation, the Smiths

a good story, but I

5. When David
resume)

already

him, he already

whether she

he

around wondering where he

him the

. (call-promotethe the keys. (leave-look)

Simple Past / Past Perfect

I can't believe I (get)
that apartment. I (submit)
my
application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it.

When I (show)

up to take a look around, there were at least

twenty other people who (arrive)

before me. Most of them (fill,

already)
out their applications and were already leaving. The
landlord said I could still apply, so I did.
I (try)

to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the

questions. They (want)

me to include references, but I didn't

want to list my previous landlord because I (have)

some
problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I
(end)

up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide)

to give me the apartment. It

turns out that the landlord and my father (go)

to high school
together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he
(look)

at my credit report. I really lucked out!

Simple Past / Present Perfect / Past Perfect

1. When I (arrive)

home last night, I discovered that Jane

(prepare)

a beautiful candlelight dinner.

2. Since I began acting, I (perform)

in two plays, a television
commercial and a TV drama. However, I (speak, never even)
publicly before I came to Hollywood in 1985.
3. By the time I got to the office, the meeting (begin, already)
without me. My boss (be)
(be)

furious with me and I

fired.

4. When I (turn)

the radio on yesterday, I (hear)

song that was popular when I was in high school. I (hear, not)
the song in years, and it (bring)
5. Last week, I (run)
not)

into an ex-girlfriend of mine. We (see,

each other in years, and both of us (change)

a great deal. I (enjoy)

(ask)
dinner.

back some great memories.

talking to her so much that I

her out on a date. We are getting together tonight for

6. When Jack (enter)

the room, I (recognize,

10

not)

him because he (lose)

so much weight and

(grow)
a beard. He looked totally different!
7. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the
Yucatan; however, their culture (disappear, virtually)
by the time Europeans first (arrive)
8. I (visit)

in the New World.

so many beautiful places since I

(come)

to Utah. Before moving here, I (hear,

never)

of Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, or Canyonlands.

Past perfect / Present perfect

1. When I went to the car park, I found that my car
2. John
(to live)

.(to steal)

in Paris for 4 years before he could speak French fluently.

3. I

English for 5 years now. (to learn)

4. The locals were amazed because they

see)

a horse before. (never, to

5. They wouldn't let him in because he

forget)

his membership card. (to

6. They said : 'You can't come in because you

card.' (to forget)
7.

your membership

the new film by Spike Lee? (you, to see)

8. They

a lot of champagne by the time the party ended. (to drink)

9. They were angry because they

for too long. (to wait)

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
Mother: I want to prepare dinner. (you / wash)
Daughter: I (wash)
the time yet to do it today.

the dishes yesterday, but I (have / not)

Mother: (you / do / already)

your homework?

Daughter: No, I (come / just)

Mother: You (come)

home from school.

home from school two hours ago!

Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy (call)

and I (finish / just)

the dishes yet?

when I (arrive)

the phone call.

Mother: (you / see / not)

Lucy at school in the morning?

Daughter: Yes, but we (have / not)

time to talk then.

11

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
A: (you / be / ever)

to London?

B: Yes, I (be)

there three times.

A: When (be)

the last time you (be)

B: Last summer. I (spend)

we (go)

there?

two weeks in Brighton with my parents and

to London one weekend.

(you / like)

it?

Oh yes. We really (have)

a great time in London.

Lucky you! I (be / never)

to London.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
A: (you / buy)

the tickets for our journey yet?

B: Yes, I (go)

to the station yesterday and (buy)

A: What time (you / go)

B: I (take)
train (leave)

there?
a friend to the station in the morning. His
at 9:45.

A: (you / pack)

your bags yet?

B: Of course. And I (ask / already)

box. What about you?
B: I (pack)

the tickets.

my neighbour to empty my letter

my bags two days ago.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
A: (you / play / already)

the new computer game?

B: No, not yet. I only (buy)

the time yet.

it yesterday and I (have / not)

A: (you / go)

to the cinema last night?

B: Yes. I (be)
cinema recently?

there with Sue and Louis. (you / be)

A: I last (go)

to the cinema two weeks ago.

B: So you (see / not)

the new action film yet.

A: No, unfortunately not. (you / enjoy)

B: Oh, I really (love)
action!

to the

it?

it. But Sue (like / not)

12

it - too much

A: But why (you / take)

her with you? She (tell)

week that she (hate)

me last

action films.

B: I think she has an eye on Louis. She (try)

time. So he (can / concentrate / not)

to flirt with him all the

on the film.

Put the verbs into the correct form (simple past or present perfect).
My friends (visit)

the Grand Canyon National Park last year.

I (be / never)

to the Grand Canyon National Park.

But I (see)

lots of wonderful pictures.

And yesterday I (buy)

I (read)

a book about the Grand Canyon.

30 pages already. It's really interesting.

Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous

1. Judy: How long (be)

in Canada?

Claude: I (study)

here for more than three years.

2. I (have)
buying a new one.

the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about

3. I (love)
"chocoholic."

chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a

4. Matt and Sarah (have)

so they (go)

some difficulties in their relationship lately,

to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work)

for the government since he graduated from Harvard

University. Until recently, he (enjoy)

about retiring.
6. Lately, I (think)

about changing my career because I

(become)

dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

7. I (see)
(see)

his work, but now he is talking

Judy for more than five years and during that time I
many changes in her personality.

Put each of the following verbs into either the present perfect or present perfect
continuous.
Why are your hands dirty? - Oh I
(work) in the garden.
It's nine o'clock. Jack
4 hours tonight.

(teach) for

13

I
company for a long time.

(work) at this

Brad
long time.
Why are you shaking so? What

(think) poorly of Marsha for a

(you/do)?
Lucky Susan she
different countries!

(visit) so many

I
5 years.

(live) in Seattle for

(you/finish) your homework yet?

He

(arrive) from Tokyo.

(think) for a long time and I

(decide) that you need to give up your

job.
Nick
Some of my students

(buy) a new house!

(study) English for over 5

years.
It's a quarter to nine! I
over three hours!

(wait) for
(ever/drive) a Rolls Royce?

I would like to help you but I

(just/eat) and I need to take a nap.

14