PAST PERFECT (I had finished)


   1. We form the past perfect with had and a past participle (e.g. finished, gone)

              POSITIVE
              I/you/he/she/it/we/they     had        gone.

             NEGATIVE
             I/you/he/she/it/we/they     hadn’t     gone.

             QUESTIONS
             Had      I/you/he/she/it/we/they       gone?

   2. Look at this example:

                      Jane had gone home when I phoned her at the office. (First, Jane went home. Later, I phoned her.)

                              ________x(PAST PERFECT)________x(PAST)___________x (NOW)
                                           Jane had gone home   when   I phoned her.        

   3. We use the past perfect for something that happened before something else in the past. We use the past perfect for the thing that happened first; we use the   past simple for the thing that happened later.

   Some more examples:

   When I got home, I saw that the letter had arrived. (First, the letter arrived. Later, I got home and I saw it.)

   When he had finished his homework, he went to bed.

   He couldn’t pay the bill because he had left his wallet at home.

   I was very nervous because I hadn’t driven a car on the motorway before.

   By the time = when
   By the time he was twenty-five, he had made a million pounds.

   EXERCISE

   Complete the sentences using the past perfect forms of the verbs in brackets.

   Example:  I didn’t watch the film because I __had seen____ (see) it before.

   1. We couldn’t eat at the restaurant because we ____________________ (not / book) a table.
   2. I couldn’t buy it because I _____________________ (spend) all my money.
   3. I was tired because I _______________________ (get up) very early that morning.
   4. He didn’t know the answer because he _____________________ (not / do) his homework.
   5. She was very happy because she __________________ (win) a prize.
   6. I ____________________ (forget) my pen so I had to borrow one.
   7. When I got home, I switched on the answer phone. Several people __________________ (leave) messages for me.
   8. I ______________________ (not /hear) the joke before; I laughed a lot.
   9. When we came out of the restaurant, we saw that our car ____________________ (disappear).
   10. She couldn’t see the photographs very well because she ______________________ (not / bring) her glasses.
   11. The groung was very dry; it ________________________ (not / rain) for a long time.
When we arrived at the airport, the plane had already left.