THE PAST PERFECT TENSEA. Sample sentences

By 1997 the national debt had doubled and the British economy was once again at risk of repeating the pattern of inflation followed by recession.(The Times website)

THE PAST PERFECT TENSEB. FormThe Past Perfect is formed with the auxiliary had and the past participle. In speech and informal writing had is contracted to d.I had (Id) already decided what to do before he called me.

Negatives are formed with not and contractions are used (hadnt). Questions are formed by inverting the subject and had.At that time I still hadnt decided what to do.Had you already decided what to do before he called you?

THE PAST PERFECT TENSEC. UsesWe use the Past Perfect Tense:to talk about events that happened before other eventsAs soon as we had installed the new line, productivity went up.

installation of new lineproductivity went uppast perfectpastpresent

THE PAST PERFECT TENSEBefore we installed the new line, productivity had been low.low productivityinstallationpast perfectpastpresent

THE PAST PERFECT TENSECompare these two sentences:

1 When I arrived at the office, the meeting started.(I arrived at the office, and then the meeting started = subsequent events)2 When I arrived at the office, the meeting had started.(The meeting started before I got to the office. I was late = previous events)In 1, it is also possible to use As soon as and After in place of When.In 2, it is also possible to use By the time in place of When.

THE PAST PERFECT TENSEthe past perfect acts as the past form of the past simple and the present perfect tense. Compare these two sentences:1 I am nervous because I have never given a presentation.(I am about to give a presentation.)2 I was nervous because I had never given a presentation.(I gave a presentation yesterday.)

the past perfect is used in reported speech structures (to report a present perfect or a past simple tense after a past tense verb of speaking) and in 3rd conditionals.

THE PAST PERFECT TENSEoften a past simple form is used in place of a past perfect, where the sequence of events is clear.After interest rates rose, many companies went bankrupt. (The use of after makes it clear that the first event was the rise in interest rates: therefore the past perfect is not necessary)The scientists (had) tested the drug before they launched it onto the market.

the past perfect is used with the following time expressions:afteroncebeforeuntilwhen as soon asalready