Past perfect

1. The Past Perfect Simple Tense
had + past participle
He had left…
Had they left …?
She hadn’t left …

2. Past Perfect (past before past)
The Past Perfect is used to describe a past
event which took place before another past
event. We use the Past Perfect to talk about
the action than happened first and the Past
Simple for the action that happened after it:
By the time the train arrived, Susan had
bought the ticket
(Para cuando llegó el tren, Susan había
comprado el billete).

3. Past Perfect Simple
With FOR or SINCE we may talk about the
duration of activities or situations in the
past.
- When my grandfather retired, he had
been a doctor for almost forty years.
- When I joined the club, I hadn’t played
tennis since I was a child.

4. PAST TENSES
REVIEW
SOME SENTENCES

5. Put the verbs in brackets into a suitable
tense. All sentences refer to past time.
1. We (tour) _____ Canada at this time last
year.
2. I couldn’t concentrate because the
people upstairs (talk) _______ very
loudly.
3. I (sleep) _______ when someone
_______________ ( ) on the door.
4. I wasn’t hungry. I (just eat) _________.

6. Answers
1. We were touring Canada at this time
last year.
2. I couldn’t concentrate because the
people upstairs were talking very
loudly.
3. I was sleeping when someone
knocked on the door.
4. I wasn’t hungry. I had just eaten.

7. PAST TENSES - REVIEW
5. He was broke. He (spend) _____ all his
money.
6. It was pouring with rain as she (wonder)
_____ what to do.
7. Long ago, they (build) _____ most
houses out of wood.
8. I am writing in connection with the
advertisement which (appear) ______ on
3 October.
9. We went to London last week and (stay)
______ in a huge hotel.

8. Answers
5. He was broke. He had spent all his money.
6. It was pouring with rain as she was wondering
what to do.
7. Long ago, they built most houses out of wood.
8. I am writing in connection with the
advertisement which appeared on 3 October.
9. We went to London last week and stayed in a
huge hotel.

9. Choose the most suitable tense.
1. I suddenly remembered that I
forgot / had forgotten my keys.
2. While Diana watched /was watching
her favourite television programme,
there was a power-cut.
3. Tom used to live / used living in the
house at the end of the street.
4. Who was driving / drove the car at
the time of the accident?

10. PAST TENSES - REVIEW
5. By the time Sheila got back, Chris
went / had gone.
6. David ate / had eaten Japanese food
before, so he knew what to order.
7. I did / was doing some shopping
yesterday when I saw that Dutch
friend of yours.
8. I used to like / was liking sweets
when I was a child.