FORM

person + had + verb (III column or with -ed ending) + the rest of the sentence

• I had given the dog some food before I went to work.

• Had you called me before you came to visit me?

 

USE

1. Completed Action Before Something

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

• The plants didn't survive because they hadn't been watered..

• I had already met my uncle before my aunt came.

2. Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

• She had had the bicycle for over 5 years before she fell down.

• I learned English for 3 years before I had decided to pass an exam.

3. Active/Passive

• I had painted many pictures before I sold any. ACTIVE

• Many pictures had been painted by me before I sold any. PASSIVE

 

More exercises on the Past Perfect can be found in our forum and on the www.aling.pl!