Past Complete Tense (The Past Perfect Tense). Past perfect examples of the construction and use of expressions in colloquial speech

Like any time of the Perfect category, the Past Perfect Tense reflects the completeness and completeness of a certain action. But its main difference from that is that there is no connection with the present, and all attention is focused on an action that has already taken place before some other action in the past.

The Past Perfect tense is used quite often, and is typical for both modern colloquial American English and the classic variant, which is the British language.

Example sentences in the Past Perfect look like this:

He had already learned everything when we came - He already learned everything when we came
The situation wasn't so bad as I had feared The situation wasn't as bad as I feared.

As can be seen from the examples presented, the essence of this time is to display an action that happened in the past, and it has no connection with the present time, but only shows the result that remains in the past tense.

Past Perfect Education

In many ways, the way Past Perfect Simple is formed is similar to the Present Perfect formation scheme. There is also an auxiliary verb here, only unlike Present, it is one, and this had, i.e., in fact, this is the past form of the verb have (has). The form of the main verb will also be represented as Past Participle, or, as it is also called, the third form of the verb. So, the Past Perfect Active formula looks like this:

Had + V(3) (–ed)

He had finished his article before we came -He finished my article before topics, How We came
When Jack called for I had already prepared all the necessary material -When Jack stopped by, I already cooked the whole necessary material

This past tense is simple: if the speaker wants to emphasize the completion of one action before another, then this is the tense that should be used.

Questions and negatives

General issues

In order to form general questions in the Past Perfect, it is enough to be guided by the same principle as with any other perfect tense. A general question is one that begins either with an auxiliary verb or with the verb to be. Since the past perfect tense in English has its own auxiliary verb, then the general question will begin with had:

Had you explained everything before he left? -You to him All explained before Togo, How He gone?
Had they already found out all the details of that strange case when you came? -They already figured out All details Togo strange affairs, When You came?

Special questions

Past Perfect interrogative sentences of a special type, which differ in that the speaker wants not only to hear the answer "yes" or "no", but to get more specific information, are also simple in their formation. In view of the fact that the initial position in the sentence is occupied by a special question word ( why, where, when, etc. ), and it is called special. Past Perfect examples of sentences with a special question look like this:

why had you done all this hard work before we came? Why did you do all this hard work before we got here?
Where had she been before she returned home?Where was she before she came home?

negatives

The negative with the perfect is formed even more simply: here, the particle not must go immediately after the auxiliary verb, and the rest of the structure of the sentence will remain unchanged. Often, a compressed form of negation is used for reduction (had not = hadn't):

The rain hadn't stopped before we went away -Rain Not ceased before Togo, How We left
We hadn't completed the task when the bell rang –We hadn't finished the task when the bell rang

Cases of using Past Perfect

The past perfect tense in English is relevant in the following situations:

1. Precedence

To indicate an action completed up to a certain moment, and the reference here can be either some other action, which will be expressed through and the subordinate part, when the completion of one action is clear from the situation. Typical time markers in this case are adverbs such as before, after, as well as all those words that are typical for any perfect: just, never, ever, yet, etc., which are used in the Past Perfect to coordinate the situation with past tense:

They had walked only a few steps when the car appeared in sightThey had only gone a few steps when the car came into view.
After she had cry out I felt relieved- After she cried, I felt relieved
He told all of us that he had never done harm to anyoneHe told us all that he never hurt anyone

In such proposals, it is clearly visible.

Note: despite the fact that the Past Perfect has fairly standard usage rules, there is one point that deserves attention. Two typical constructions of the English language - hardly (scarcely) ... when ... and no sooner ... than ... - are characterized not only by the use of the Perfect Past tense, but also, i.e., the reverse order of words in the sentence, which is done to give the statement additional expressiveness. In this case, the auxiliary verb had comes before the subject, not after it. Do not confuse such situations with a question; such phrases have an affirmative meaning, but the word order in them is that which is typical for interrogative sentences:

No sooner had I laid than I heard a doorbellNot managed I lie down, How heard door call
Hardly (scarcely) had she arrived when al the guests left the room -Barely she arrived, How All guests left room

2. Complete completion of the action

The past complete tense is often used not only to show precedence, but simply to express the complete completion of a particular action. This is usually indicated by the translation:

By that time they had already finished all their preparations - Kto thattime they finished all the preparations

Note: the classic position taken by auxiliary words like just, already, ever, etc. - between auxiliary and semantic verb. The exception is usually the adverb yet, which is typical for questions and negatives and which is used at the end of a sentence:

She said she hadn’ t visited them yetShe said she hadn't visited them yet.

3. With certain verbs

With those (sensory perception, emotions and feelings, mental activity, etc.), the use of the Past Perfect is characteristic, even if the idea of duration is emphasized. Popular indicators of such situations are prepositions for And since:

He informed me that he had already been there for half an hour -He informed to me, What was there already half an hour
I found out that she had known me since 2005– I found out that she had known me since 2005.

All of the above rules and examples of using the Past Perfect tense will allow you to better navigate this time, albeit not very difficult, but rather unusual for a Russian-speaking person. English as an object of study will become easier if you try to understand its structure. Specifically, this time will not cause any inconvenience, the main thing is to understand its specifics, remember all cases of use and, if possible, do exercises aimed at training this type of temporary form.

affirmative form

Subject + had + Infinitive without to ending -ed (form Past Participle for irregular verbs)

1. It was late and everyone had gone home already - It was late and everyone had already gone home.

had - auxiliary verb
gone is the Past Participle of the irregular verb go

2. I saw him when he had just returned from his holiday - I saw him when he had just returned from vacation.

had - auxiliary verb
returned - infinitive without to ending -ed

3. She had woken up long before her alarm clock rang - She woke up long before her alarm rang.

had - auxiliary verb
woken is the Past Participle form of the irregular verb wake

Negative form

Subject + had + not + Infinitive without to ending -ed (form Past Participle for irregular verbs)

1. It was a lovely evening. We had not seen each other for a while - It was a wonderful evening. We haven't seen each other for a while.

had - auxiliary verb
not - negative particle
seen - the Past Participle form of the irregular verb see

2. When he called her in the office she had not arrived yet - When he called her at the office, she had not arrived yet.

had - auxiliary verb
not - negative particle
arrived - infinitive without to ending -ed

3. I was happy he offered me a snack as I had not eaten anything - I was glad that he offered me a snack, since I didn’t eat anything.

had - auxiliary verb
not - negative particle
eaten is the Past Participle of the irregular verb eat

Interrogative form

had + Subject + Infinitive without to ending -ed (form Past Participle for irregular verbs)

1. Had you signed the document before you sent it out? Did you sign the document before you sent it? (general question)

had - auxiliary verb that stands in place before subject to form a question
signed - infinitive without to ending -ed

2. Where had you been before you traveled to China? Where were you before you went to China? (special question)

had is an auxiliary verb that stands after the question word where and before subject
been - the Past Participle form of the irregular verb be

3. How long had you known each other before moving in together? How long did you know each other before you started living together? (special question)

had is an auxiliary verb that stands after question word how long and before subject
known - the Past Participle form of the irregular verb know

#2 Cases of using the Past Perfect

1. To express an action in the past that happened up to a certain point in past.

On my way to work I realized I had taken the wrong bus - On the way to work, I realized that I got on the wrong bus. (the sentence describes a situation in the past where one action (had taken) preceded and completed before another action (realised) took place)
Exams started after the term had finished - Exams started after the semester ended. (the sentence describes a situation in the past where one action (had finished) preceded and ended before another action (started) happened)

2. When listing past actions in chronological order (as they followed one after another), Past Simple is used. If the integrity of this chain is interrupted by a mention of an action that took place earlier, then the Past Perfect is used to express this action.

I called the agent and asked a question about those tickets I had bought earlier - I called the agent and asked a question about the tickets I bought earlier. (in this example, the chronological order of actions that occurred in the past (called, asked) is interrupted by a mention of an action that happened earlier (had bought) )
We went to a shop, then went to the cinema to watch a movie and after that arrived at the restaurant where we had reserved a table - We went to the store, then went to the cinema to watch a movie, and after that we arrived at the restaurant where we reserved table. ((went, went, arrived) is interrupted by a mention of an action that happened earlier (had reserved) )

3. After if, wish And would rather The Past Perfect is used to express past actions that could have happened but didn't.

I wish I had been there at that moment - It's a pity that I wasn't there then.
I would rather they had not said that at all - I would rather they didn't say that at all.

4. We use the Past Perfect instead of Past Perfect Continuous with those verbs that are not used in the tenses of the Continuous group. Usually Past Perfect Continuous is used when talking about an event that lasted for some time in the past before another action took place in the past.

She told me that they had been there for a week She told me that they had been there for a week. (the verb to be is not used in Continuous tenses)
They had known each other for 10 years before they founded their company - They knew each other for 10 years before they founded their company. (the verb to know is not used in Continuous tenses)

5. Past Perfect can be used with the following temporary words and expressions: after(after), as soon as(as soon as), when(When), before(before), by the time (that)(by the time when). Please note that these words and expressions not always indicate the obligatory use of the Past Perfect.

As soon as he had defended his dissertation they him a workplace - As soon as he defended his dissertation, he was offered a job.
I sat down to watch TV after everyone had left - I sat down to watch TV after everyone had left.

By the time they noticed the loss the suspect had already disappeared - By the time they discovered the loss, the suspect had already disappeared.

6. To express unfulfilled hopes and desires.

I had hoped to improve my English during that course, but I could not
I had wanted to give them a call but I was so busy - I wanted to call them, but I was so busy.

Learning English grammar is impossible without the Past Perfect. It is only at first glance that this tense seems extremely complicated and incomprehensible - it does not exist in Russian / Ukrainian languages. If you calmly understand these tables and learn how to analyze time intervals, then you will never get confused. Past Perfect is inextricably linked with time and, since it is used to denote an action that has occurred before some other action in the past.

For example:
"I didn't go to the cinema because I had already seen the film." Notice that both actions are in the past tense, but the one that happened earlier (first) - “already saw” is used in Past Perfect - “had already seen”, and the one that happened later (second) - “did not go” - in Past Simple - "didn't go."

The past perfect tense (The Past Perfect) is used:

for an action completed by a certain point in the past:
1. The children cleaned the room by 7 pm.
  Children had cleaned the room by 7 p.m.
2. My sister left before I called her.
  My sister had gone away by the time I called her.
for an event(s) that happened before another in the past:
1. I couldn't find the magazine he lent me.
  I couldn't find the magazine that he had lent me.
2. After my son told me his story, he felt better.
  After my son had told me his story, he felt better.
3. Before I returned, my husband had already cooked dinner.
  Before I came back, my husband had already made dinner.
4. Her boyfriend left the hall before she sang the song.
  When she sang a song her boyfriend had left the hall.
  (sequence: 1. Her boyfriend left the hall, 2. She sang a song)
  When the sequence of events is obvious, the Past Simple can also be used:
  When she sang a song her boyfriend left the hall.
  (sequence: 1. She sang a song, 2. Her boyfriend left the hall)
  After she sang the song, her boyfriend left the hall. When we finished/had finished the meal, she offered some coffee. After we ate, she offered us coffee.
in indirect (indirect) speech:
1. Maria said that she had bought apples yesterday.
  Mary said she had bought the apples the day before yesterday.
2. Alice asked if I had been to London.
  Alice asked if I had ever been to London.

Past perfect markers

Markers for The Past Perfect Tense are:

1. adverbs and expressions denoting certain periods of time: just, already, yet, for, since, ever, never, it was the first / second time, it was the most ... For example: “We met again. We hadn't seen each other for several months."

2. subordinate clauses with: when, before, after, until, as soon as, by that time, by the winter, by 5 p.m. For example: "Most of the engineers had arrived by 10 a.m."

To consolidate knowledge about Past Perfect, watch this video carefully:

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

Past perfect tense

affirmative form
+

Interrogative form
?

Wh-?
Special questions

(begin with special words)

Negative form
—

Interrogative-negative form
(Speaking)
?-

Exercise.
Translate into English the sentences in Past Perfect (past perfect tense):

The girl was happy because she talked to her mother.
I suddenly remembered that I hadn't eaten anything since morning.
Most of the children arrived before 9 am.
She told me that her friend invited her to the cinema.
Unfortunately, we had not read the novel until that time.

The girl was happy because she had talked to her mum.
I suddenly remembered that I had eaten nothing (hadn't eaten anything) since morning.
Most of the children had arrived by 9 a.m.
She told me that her friend had invited her to the cinema.
Unfortunately, we hadn't read the novel by that time.

Tenses in English.

How to get out of the past and return to the earlier past? It is not a time machine that comes to the rescue, as one might think initially, but a solution that is much simpler and more interesting at the same time: Past Perfect Simple time - Past Perfect, which is studied in grades 6-7.

General information

There are three tenses in English: Past (past), Present (present) and Future (future). In this regard, the Russian language is in solidarity with its brother. But there are also disagreements between them - temporary forms. Depending on what kind of action we have before us - regular, long-term or completed, four aspects are distinguished in each of the three times: Simple (Simple), Continuous (Long), Perfect (Perfect), Perfect Continuous (Long Perfect).

Today, the focus is on the rules for using Past Perfect Simple - Past Perfect Tense.

Past Perfect rules and examples

If it seems that the work is easy to do, then it certainly turns out to be difficult. Conversely, complex problems always have simple solutions. This unwritten rule also applies to the Past Perfect. It is not as complicated as it seems. The first thing to remember is that this time is never used on its own. It always "works" cohesively, side by side with another action in the past, and indicates that the action expressed by it happened before another action or before a certain time. Consider two examples:

We came to the bus stop and the bus left - We came to the bus stop and the bus left.
We came to the bus stop, but the bus had left - We came to the bus stop, but the bus left.

Before using this or that temporary form, it is necessary to understand what happened first and what happened second, or two actions happened simultaneously. In the first case, we managed to get on the bus we needed and use Past Simple (Simple Past), i.e. the events in this sentence happened sequentially one after another. In the second example, we were late and missed the bus we needed - it had already left. In other words, the action happened before we arrived, and therefore the Past Perfect form is used here.

Use cases

There are other less common cases of using the past perfect tense:

Time markers

Past Perfect time markers include the following circumstances, conjunctions and prepositions:

By the time - by the time (By the time they came home, my mother had baked an apple pie - By the time they got home, mine had baked an apple pie);
After - after a certain moment (She fell asleep after I had left her - She fell asleep after I left her);
Before - until a certain point (She had never been to London before she came here last month - She had never been to London the way she came here last month);
When - when (The train had left when he arrived at the station - The train left when it arrived at the station);
Just - just now (When she entered the room I had just heard the news - When she entered the room, I just heard the news);
Already - already (I had already finished with my dinner when he knocked on the door - I had already cooked dinner when he knocked on the door);
Yet - more (She moved to another city but she had not told her parents about it yet - She moved to another city, but has not yet told her parents about it);
For - during (He thought that he was not able to drive a car anymore because he had not driven it for 20 years - He thought that he could no longer drive a car, because he had not driven it for 20 years)
Since - since (Her new book was wonderful because she had worked on it since last year - Her new book was wonderful because she had been working on it since last year).

Adverbs yet (yet), just (just now), already (already) are a common feature for the two times Present Perfect (Present Perfect) and Past Perfect (Past Perfect).

Formation of the affirmative form

The temporary form Past Perfect (Past Perfect) is formed according to a certain pattern: had + Participle II(Past participle or third form of the verb). Regular verbs form Participle II (Past Participle) with the ending - ed: to use - used (use - used). If the verb belongs to the group of irregular verbs, then the required form must be taken from the third column of the table of irregular verbs: I had opened (I opened), she had studied (she taught), we had bought (we bought).

Negation

The negative form Past Perfect (Past Perfect) is formed with the help of a negative particle not (not), which is placed between the auxiliary verb had And Participle II(Past participle):

I had not opened (I did not open), she had not studied (she did not teach), we had not bought (we did not buy).

Question

In an interrogative sentence in English, the word order changes. In the time Past Perfect (Past Perfect) in the question, the auxiliary verb comes first had, followed by the subject (pronoun or noun) and the main verb expressed by Participle II (Past Participle):

Had I opened? (did I open?), Had she studied? (did she teach?), had we bought? (we bought?).

In special questions, the scheme is preserved with the only difference - in the first place are interrogative words (Who? - Who?; What? - What?; Which? - What?; When? - When?; Where? - Where?; Where? - Where? ; Why? - Why?; How? - How?; How much / many? - How much?): What had I opened? (What did I discover?), Where had she studied? (Where did she go to school?), When had we bought? (When did we buy?).

What have we learned?

Today we got acquainted with the Past Perfect (Past Perfect), which is one of the tense forms of the past tense in English, and denotes an action in the past that preceded another action in the past. We also learned about its features, when it is used in a sentence and with what time markers.

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In all the variety of tenses in English, Perfect tenses (perfect or completed) are notable for the fact that you will not find their analogues in Russian grammar. Perhaps for this reason, many people have difficulty mastering the perfect tenses. Let's learn to understand and use these useful and interesting English verb tenses.

Strictly speaking, in English there are only two tenses (tense), where only the semantic verb is present: present (We walk) And past (He left).
All other tenses of verbs in English, and there are about thirty of them, use auxiliary verbs.

There are six main tenses, understanding which, you can understand the entire tense structure of English verbs.

Present Simple (Present Indefinite): We play. - We play.
Present Perfect: We have played. - We played.
Past Simple (Past Indefinite): We played. - We played.
Past Perfect: We had played. - we played (before a specific event in the past).
Future Simple (Future Indefinite): We will play. - We will play.
Future Perfect: We will have played. - We will play (until a certain event in the future).

Learners of English as a foreign language most often experience problems with Perfect tenses. This is due to the fact that they are formed a little more complicated than their “simple” counterparts: with the help of an auxiliary verb and the past participle (III form of the verb).

Run (run)- ran - run
play (play)- played - played

Auxiliary verbs are usually forms of the verbs be, can, do, may, must, ought, shall, will, have, has, had. It is these verbs and their forms that should be given.

Present Perfect Tense (Present Perfect)

Tom will repair his car on Monday. (Future Simple) - Tom will be fixing his car on Monday.

She hopes that Tom will have repaired his car by Monday evening. (Future Perfect) - She hopes that Tom will have his car fixed by Monday evening.