When past is used. Past Perfect

past perfect is used when it is important for the speaker to emphasize the completion of the action up to a certain point in the past, therefore, in the bulk of sentences where this time is used, there are clear temporal indicators - you should pay attention to this if you are faced with the task of setting the desired type of tense form. But, let's talk about everything in order.

Using the Past Perfect

past perfect used to express:

• Actions that started and ended before a moment in the past. A moment can be indicated by time, another action, or a situation.

Jessica had finished her essay by then. By that time, Jessica had finished the composition.

Natalie felt wretched. She hadn't slept well for two nights. Natalie felt overwhelmed. She hadn't slept well the last two nights.

After everybody had left, Susan began packing hurriedly. After everyone left, Susan began to pack her things in a hurry.

• Sequential actions preceding a moment in the past.

Suddenly Luis realized that someone had opened the gate and had put a letter on the lawn. Suddenly Lewis realized that someone had opened the gate and placed the letter on the lawn.

Using the Past Perfect instead of the Past Perfect Continuous.

Also on the site there is a translation into Russian.

If I ask: What is past perfect? Most of you will answer without hesitation that this is a tense expressing a past action before another past one.

How time is formed past perfect? Same as Present Perfect, only instead of have And has used had: had + V3/ Ved.

In theory, these facts about past perfect everyone knows who crossed the line intermediate, but in practice the situation is worse. The existence of the Past Perfect is constantly forgotten and used instead past simple because it's easier that way.

In addition, there is an opinion that the Past Perfect is not used in English. It is not true. There are cases when it can really be replaced by time past simple, but besides this, Past Perfect has its own, special functions in English, which is why it was singled out at a separate time. Let's consider these functions.

1. The past before the past.

past perfect should be used in all cases where we have several actions, but it is not clear which action happened first. Let's consider the situation:

We arrived at the station. The train left. - We arrived at the station. The train has left.

What happened first: did we arrive or did the train leave? Did we catch the train or waved after him? How to combine these two actions into one sentence so as not to lose the meaning?

If we still managed to catch the train, then we use Past Simple (actions that happened sequentially one after the other):

We arrived at the station and the train left. We arrived at the station and the train left.

But, if we are unlucky, and we still missed the train, then we use Past Perfect:

We arrived at the station but the train had left. We arrived at the station, but the train had already left.

In the second situation, we didn't even see the train because the action ended before we arrived. To show this sequence, we simply cannot do without Past Perfect.

Of course, you can express yourself in simple sentences without combining them into one and without bothering about tenses:

The train left. We arrived at the station. - The train has left. We arrived at the station.

If you report events in the order in which they happened, then there will be no problems, you will be understood. But don't you think that this way of expressing thoughts is somewhat simple, we don't say that in real life? Every now and then we return, as it were, “from the past to the earlier past”, we refer to earlier events. I want to combine these two actions into one sentence with the words before, but, long before, prior to, and therefore, to denote an earlier action, we will use Past Perfect.

Another situation:

I came home but Jane had already left. - I came home, but Jane had already left.

She left before I arrived, I didn't see her. The Past Perfect shows us that this action was completed before I arrived. If you use Past Simple in this sentence, then the interlocutor may get the impression that she left after I arrived, that is, we saw each other.

I hope it's clear enough. In addition, Past Perfect can intersect in use with, with the only difference being that instead of the present moment, we are viewing the action in terms of another past action. The Past Perfect can be used with the same time markers as the Present Perfect, but always denotes an action that ended before another past one:

I had never been abroad before I went to the USA last year. - I had never been abroad before I went to the US last year. (Life experience in the past)

Had you ever met his sister before she came to us? - Did you ever meet his sister before she came to us? (Life experience in the past)

She had already graduated from University when they offered her a job. She had already graduated from the university by the time they offered her the job. (Action completed by a moment in the past)

My boss was angry with me yesterday because when he called me I hadn't finished my report yet. - My boss got mad at me yesterday because when he called me I hadn't finished the report yet. (Action not completed by a moment in the past)

He was happy because he had just got a promotion. He was happy because he had just been offered a promotion. (An action completed shortly before another action, the result)

2. The past before the past with a specific time.

Usually, a specific time is not indicated with the Past Perfect. But in some cases, the speaker may indicate the time when it is really important:

I had seen such a quick runner only once in 1977 before I visited that competition in 1985.

This team had won twice in 2000 and 2003 before they obtained victory last year. - This team won twice: in 2000 and 2003 before they won last year.

An important fact is that in sentences of this type, Past Perfect can easily be replaced by Past Simple, because the dates and the word before let us know which action preceded the other.

But do not forget that if a specific time is not indicated, the use of the Past Perfect is mandatory!

3. Long action before another past.

The next situation in which it is advisable to use the Past Perfect is when the action began before another action in the past, and continued until it. Usually for such actions we use Past Perfect Continuous, but with state verbs we use Past Perfect, because state verbs are not used in the times of the Continuous group. What's happened ? To show the duration, we use the time pointer for :

They had had their old car for ten years when they bought a new one. - They had old car ten years before they bought a new one.

She had been in Paris for four days when she visited the Eifel Tower. - She was in Paris for four days when she visited the Eiffel Tower.

In addition, the verbs work, teach, study, live are used with the Past Perfect, despite the fact that they are not state verbs:

He had worked as a manager for two years before he was promoted. - He worked as a manager for two years before he was promoted.

I had studied English for five years when I joined this group. - I studied English for five years before joining this group.

4. In indirect speech.

Past Perfect is certainly used in indirect speech when coordinating tenses. Past Simple and Present Perfect when translating direct speech into indirect / indirect are replaced by Past perfect:

"I called you," he said. - He said that he had called me.
“I called,” he said. - He said he called.

"We had already read that book," they said. - They said that they had already read that book.
“We have already read that book,” they said. They said they had already read that book.

5. In conditional sentences of the third type.

And the last case of using Past Perfect in English: in conditional sentences of the third type. These are the conditional sentences in which we express regret about the past:

If we had left home earlier, we wouldn't have missed the train. - If we had left home earlier, we would not have missed the train.

My boss wouldn't have been angry with me if I had finished my report on time. My boss wouldn't get mad at me if I finished the report on time.

So, Past Perfect, or "the past before the past", has the following use cases:

1. Past action that happened before another action in the past.

2. A past action that happened before another action in the past with a specific time and the word before (may be replaced by past simple).

3. Past action that lasted a certain time before another action in the past (with state verbs, as well as work, teach,study,live).

4. Used in indirect speech instead past simple And Present Perfect.

5. Used in conditional sentences of the third type.

Time markers Past Perfect:

1. The presence of another past action.
2. Already / yet
3. Just
4. Never/ ever
5. For
6. When, before

In one of our next articles, we will compare the use of past perfect and other past tenses. Stay tuned!

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Quite often, times in English become for many people. But in fact, everything is quite simple: you just need to sit, understand the rules and read more texts.

Past Perfect: what is this time

This is the so-called past tense, when all the action takes place in the past, but ends before a certain moment or the beginning of another action (or event) is also in the past. In other words, this is everything that has already happened, before something else happened (which also had time to end). Everything refers to a certain time or moment, already lived and past. Usually, in the Past Perfect, the rules provide for the use of several adverbs showing an earlier event: never, ever, yet, already. Example: By the time Julia arrived at the building, Mary had already left. - By the moment Juliya got to the building, Mary had already left.

Past Perfect: education rules

Everything is very simple here. To use this time, you just need to take the second have (already familiar had) and the third form of the verb necessary for the meaning (that is, the past participle). For regular verbs, it is formed by simply adding the ending -ed, for incorrect ones, it is taken in the dictionary and memorized.

1. Affirmative form: I/You/She/They/He had read it.
2. Negative form: I/She/He/You/They had not (hadn't) read it.
3. Interrogative form: Had I/You/She/He/They read it?

Past Perfect: rules and examples of use

There are two options here that you should always consider and not forget about

1. If the described action took place before a certain point in the past. Example: By 2000, she had become a world famous singer. - By 2000 she had become a world-famous singer. Thus, a starting point is immediately set and it is indicated that she achieved success precisely by the year 2000 and not earlier (that is, a certain event or time takes place in the past).
2. If an event or action happened before the start of another action, it is also in the past. The past perfect (the rules say so) is used precisely to describe the event that happened earlier. What happened later is described by Example: She didn't want to go to the cinema with us yesterday because she had already seen The Lord of the Rings. - She didn't want to go to the cinema with us yesterday, because she had already seen "The Lord of the Rings". At the same time, the adverb used immediately demonstrates which of the described actions and events happened before the other.

Difference from other past tenses

Past Perfect (the rules for its formation are very simple and logical) differs from other times, such as Past Simple, (the rules for their formation are also quite easy: the first is formed by a simple change in the verb and means a simple action that took place in the past, without any pitfalls; the second shows that the event or action happened in the past, but ended exactly at the specified moment in the present or is completed only now.It is formed by using the form of the verb have in the present tense and the semantic verb necessary for the sentence), and it is quite easy to catch this difference. To do this, one should not only learn the form of education, but also think about the meaning of the sentence as a whole, in order to capture its logic and meaning, and not translate word for word. In the latter case, the words will simply mix up, and there will be no understanding of the text. However, with a thoughtful approach to English grammar, there will be no difficulty in understanding both written text and spoken language.

English, with its formation and use in earlier articles, and today we will get acquainted with the other two tenses of the Perfect group - the past and the future.

Past Perfect Tense

Let's start with the formation of the past perfect tense. As you probably remember, the tenses of the Perfect group are formed according to the same pattern - an auxiliary verb to have+ (that is, the third form according to the table of irregular verbs). Because we form the past tense, then the auxiliary verb takes the form of the past tense had and this form applies to all persons without exception.

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Pay attention to the table of formation of the past perfect tense, and everything will immediately become clear.

To form an interrogative form, we put the auxiliary verb had before the subject, and to form a negative form, we put "not" after the auxiliary verb:

Negative form

Interrogative form

Using the Past Perfect

Having understood the formation of the past tense Perfect, let's move on to its application. We use this time to express an action that has already been completed by a certain moment in the past. This point can be expressed in two ways:

• An exact indication of the time with the preposition "by", to which the action was performed in the past.
  - Mary had completed knitting the sock by 10 o'clock - Mary finished knitting the sock by 10 o'clock
  - The children had solved the sums by 3 o'clock - the children solved the problems by 3 o'clock.
• By indicating another action (usually translated into English by the Past Indefinite form) that ended in the past. That is, if we have 2 actions, and both happened in the past, but one before the other, then the Past Perfect will denote the one that happened before (therefore, the Past Perfect is also called “prepast tense”).
  - When you called me I had already ironed the clothes - when you called me, I already ironed the clothes
  - When mother came I had prepared the supper - when my mother came, I had already prepared dinner.

The Future Perfect Tense - future perfect tense

As for the future perfect tense - The Future Perfect Tense, it is used to express an action that will end at a certain point in the future, for example, "I shall have completed the housework by 12 tomorrow by 12 o'clock tomorrow" - I shall have completed the housework by 12 tomorrow. To form the future perfect tense, we need future forms of the auxiliary verb have- shall have and will have and the invariable participle of the perfect form - the third form of the verb

affirmative form

Interrogative form

As in the case of the past perfect tense, in the Future Perfect a certain moment in the future can be expressed in two ways:

• Preposition by
  I will have finished my translation by 7 o'clock - I will finish the translation by 7 o'clock
• Another action:
  When you come, I will have passed all the exams - When you arrive (by the time you arrive), I will have already passed all the exams

Past Perfect (past perfect) is used to refer to an action that took place before a certain point in the past.

Education Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to have in the past tense (had) and the past participle of the semantic verb. This form of the verb is also called the "third form of the verb" and is conventionally denoted as V3 (verb 3). For regular verbs, this is the infinitive with the ending -ed, for irregular verbs, it is the third column in the Table of Irregular Verbs.

The general formula looks like this:
had + V3

I had played.
He had played.

Interrogative form: did + subject + V3:
Had I played?
Had he played?

In a special question, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject, and the necessary interrogative pronoun is used before the auxiliary verb:

Where had I played?
Why had he played?
With whom had you played?

In a question to the subject, an interrogative pronoun who placed before the predicate instead of the subject itself:

Who had played?

Negative form: had + not + V3:
I had not played.
He had not played.

Interrogative-negative form: had + subject + not + V3 or hadn "t + subject + V3:
Had I not played? = Hadn"t I played?
Had he not played? = Hadn"t he played?

In colloquial speech, the following abbreviations are used:
had = 'd
had not = hadn't = 'd not
I "d play ed.
He hadn't played ed.
He "d not play ed.
Hadn't we played ed?

Using Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect is used:

1. To express a past action that took place before a certain moment in the past. It is also called "prepast tense" because a past action took place before another past action. To indicate such a moment in the past, use:

A) by ten o "clock by ten o'clock,by that time, by the 11th of April by April 11, by April by April and so on.:
My son had done the homework by 8 o "clock. The son did his homework by eight o'clock.
By June he had already come. By June he was back.

b) another past action that took place later (in Past Simple):
He knew that they had left the city. He learned that they had left the city. (at first left, and then found out)
The rain had stopped when we reached the town. The rain stopped when we got to the city.

c) context:

While we were playing in the yard, we became hungry. It was great that I had taken some sandwiches. While we were playing football, we got hungry. Thank God I brought sandwiches with me!

When listing actions, they are used in Past Simple despite the fact that some actions happened before others:
He took the newspaper, sat down on the chair and started reading. He took the newspaper, sat down on a chair and began to read.

2. In the subordinate clause after the union after and when as after :
After the rain had stopped, we went for a walk. After the rain stopped, we went for a walk.

3. In the main clause, when the subordinate clause begins with a unionbefore, before, because The action in the main clause happened before the action in the clause:
We had prepared supper before our mom returned. We had already cooked dinner before my mother returned.

3. To express a long-term action that began in the past and continued until a certain moment in the past or at a moment. The proposal must contain prepositions since with or for .

a) with verbs that are not used in Continuous (for more details, see Verbs without Continuos forms):
He had been away for several months before his first letter came. Before the first letter came from him, he had already been absent for several months.

b) with some verbs instead of Past Perfect Continuous, if the speaker wants to focus not on the duration, but on the fact of the action.
The Ivanovs had lived in Moscow for five years when I met them. The Ivanovs had been living in Moscow for five years when I met them.(important fact)
The Ivanovs had been living in Moscow for five years when I met them. The Ivanovs had been living in Moscow for five years when I met them.(duration, process is important)

4. With adverbs:
hardly ... when
scarcely ... when barely... how
no sooner ... when

At the same time, in the following subordinate clause, Past Simple is used:
Had hardly (scarcely) come, when the film

Such sentences, as a rule, have an emphatic meaning and are used with inversion.
Hardly had he come, when the film started. As soon as he arrived, the film began.

Cases of using Past Perfect Tense

1. An action that took place before a certain moment in the past.
2. After unions after and when in the meaning of after
3. In the main clause, the subordinate clause of which begins with before.
4. Long lasting, which began in the past and continued until a certain moment in the past or at the moment (instead of Past Perfect Continuous)
5. In complex sentence when there is hardly ... when etc. . adverbs.