PAST PERFECT (1): basic information.

1. FORM

HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE

2. MEANING AND USE

The basic meaning of the past perfect is ‘earlier past’. A common use is to ‘go back’ for a moment when we are already talking about the past, to make it clear that something had already happened at the time we are talking about.

During our conversation, I realized that we had met before. (NOT I realized that we met before OR . . . have met before.)

When I arrived at the party, Lucy had already gone home. ( NOR … Lucy already went home. Or …. Lucy have already gone home.)

The past perfect is common after past verbs of saying and thinking, to talk about things that had happened before the saying or thinking took place.

I told her that I had finished (NOT …. That I have finished.)

I wondered who had left the door open.

I thought I had sent the cheque a week before.

3. Past perfect not used

The past perfect is normally only used as described above. The past perfect is not used simply to say that something happened some time ago, or to give a past reason for a present situation.

Alex Cary, who worked for my father in the 1980s, is now living in Greece.

(NOT Alex Cary, who had worked for my father in the 1980s . . .)

I left some photos to be developed. Are they ready? (NOT I had left some photos ….)

4. unreal events: if etc

After IF, WISH and WOULD RATHER, the past perfect can be used to talk about past events that did not happen.

If I had gone to university I would have studied medicine.

I wish you had told me the truth.

I’d rather she had asked me before borrowing the car.

5. how long? Past perfect, not simple past.

We use a past perfect, not a simple past, to say how long something had continued up to a ppast moment. A simple past perfect is used with ‘non- progressive verbs’ like be, have and know.

She told me that her father had been ill since Christmas. (NOT. …. That her father was ill since Christmas)

I was sorry to sell my car. I had had it since College.

When they got married, they had known each other for 15 years.

PAST PERFECT (2) ADVANCED POINTS.

1. Past perfect or simple past with after, as soon as, etc.

We can use time conjunctions (e.g. after, as soon as, when, once) to talk about two action or events that happened once after the other. Usually the past perfect not necessary in this cases, because we are not ‘going back’ from the time that we are mainly talking about, but simply moving from one event to the next.

After it got dark, we came back inside.

As soon as Jane arrived, we sat down to eat.

Once it stopped raining, we started the game again.

However, we can use the past perfect with after, as soon as etc to emphasise that the first action is separate, independence of the second, completed before the second started.

She didn’t feel the same after her dog had died.

As soon as he had finished his exams, he went to Paris for a month.

This use of past perfect is especially common with when. (When has several meanings, so we often have to show the exact time relations by the verb form.)

When I had opened the windows, I sat down and had a cup of tea.

(NOT When I opened the window, I sat down ….the first action was quite separate from the second.)

When I opened the window, the cat jumped out. (More natural than when I had opened the window, ….. Once action caused the other.)

When I had written my letters, I did some gardening. (NOT When I wrote my letters, I did some gardening.)

When I wrote to her, she came at once.

2. unrealized hopes and wishes; things that did not happen.

The past perfect can be used to express an unrealise hope, wish etc. had is usually stressed in this case.

I had hoped we would leave tomorrow, but it won’t be possible.

He had intended to make a cake, but he run out of time.

3. past perfect with it was the first/ second . . . that . . .

We use a past perfect after it was the first/ second …. That ….

It was the first time that I had heard her singing.

It was the fifth time she had asked the same questions.

It was only the second opera I had seen in my life.

 (Practical English Usage)