PAST PERFECT TENSE
This post includes detailed expressions about Past Perfect Tense and its structures in english. Please follow the list about Structure of Past Perfect Tense;
The tenses simply show the time of an action.
Past Perfect Tense indicates a past action which is completed before another past action.
The Structures of Past Perfect Tense
POSITIVE FORM (+):
- Subject + HAD ( auxilary verb- have ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
NEGATIVE FORM (-):
- Subject + HAD ( auxilary verb- have ) + NOT + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
QUESTION FORM (?):
- HAD ( auxilary verb- have ) + Subject + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
SHORT ANSWER FORM (?):
- YES/NO + Subject + had / had not
| POSITIVE (+) | NEGATIVE (-) | QUESTION (?) |
|---|---|---|
| I had started | I had not (hadn’t) started | Had I started |
| You had started | You had not (hadn’t) started | Had you started |
| He had started | He had not (hadn’t) started | Had he started |
| She had started | She had not (hadn’t) started | Had she started |
| It had started | It had not (hadn’t) started | Had it started |
| We had started | We had not (hadn’t) started | Had we started |
| You had started | You had not (hadn’t) started | Had you started |
| They had started | They had not (hadn’t) started | Had they started |
Positive Sentences ( Sbj + had + V3 )
Examples:
- I went there after I had completed the task.
- She had come late to the school.
- My father and mother had been married for two years when I was born.
- Until he went to England, he had never spoken English.
- If you had studied hard last year, he would have passed all his exams.
- She had done her homework so she was happy.
- He had lived in Florida for ten years before he moved to California.
- They had gone out when you called.
- The woman had cried till the morning.
- I had returned to university.
- He had left when I went to the club.
- By the time we came, she had finished the project.
Negative Sentences ( Sbj +had + not + V3 )
Examples:
- I had not (hadn’t) completed the task.
- She had not (hadn’t) come late to the school.
- They had not (hadn’t) been married when I was born.
- Until he went to England, he had not (hadn’t) spoken English.
- You had not (hadn’t) studied hard.
- She had not (hadn’t) done her homework so she was sad.
- He had not (hadn’t) lived in Florida.
- They had not (hadn’t) gone out when you called.
- The woman had not (hadn’t) cried till the morning.
- I had not (hadn’t) returned to university.
- He had not (hadn’t) left when I went to the club.
- By the time we came, she had not (hadn’t) finished the project.
Question Sentences ( Had + Sbj + V3 )
Examples:
- Had you completed the task?
- Had she come late to the school?
- Had they been married when I was born?
- Had he spoken English until he went to England?
- Had she done her homework?
- Had he lived in Florida?
- Had they gone out when you called?
- Had the woman cried till the morning?
- Had you returned to university?
- Had he left when I went to the club?
- Had she finished the project ,by the time we came?
