Past Perfect Tense - Definition, Formula, Structure, How to Use It, Examples

When multiple events have happened in the past and if you have tell how, then you will have to use past perfect tense. The order of events are chronologically given in sentences where past perfect is used. Past perfect tense is used with 'had' followed by the past participle of main verb. 

Past perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb had with the past participle of the main verb. Check how past perfect is used in sentences.

Past Perfect Tense Structure is simple to understand. In a sentence you use the subject along with had and past participle of the verb followed by rest of the sentence.

Examples:

• I had finished my homework.
• They had left before I arrived.

The structure of the past perfect tense and their formula can be easily understood by knowing how to use it in four different types of sentences: positive, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative. The below-mentioned table provides a clear overview of how to form different types of sentences using the past perfect tense, along with relevant examples for each form.

Past Perfect Tense is used in two cases,

1. Time in Past

Past perfect tense as the name suggests talks about actions of the past. When two actions happened together but not at the same time, this tense form is used. For example:

By the time I had reached my class, the short test was over.

Here two actions happened, one after the other. This is why past perfect is used. 

2. Chronology of Events

The past perfect tense shows which action happened first. So wherever there is a series of events, past perfect will be used when you talk about them like a timeline. For example:

He had finished homework before he went to play.

Here also there are two actions but the boy finished the homework first and then he went to play.

Here are some other examples of the past perfect tense.

1. Before enrolling in one of the top IELTS coaching centers in India, she had researched about the teacher.
2. By the time he finalized his IELTS cue card preparation strategy, he had already practiced several topics on speaking skills.
3. Had you finished your project before the presentation?
4. Had we discussed this topic in our last meeting?
5. Had you not completed your assignment before class?
6. Had we not agreed on a different approach?

Here’s a list of common verbs that are generally used in the past perfect tense, along with their past participle forms. 

When learning past perfect tense, students make silly mistakes. Check some of the most common ones:

1. Using Past Perfect Instead of Simple Past:

Some students use past perfect tense when it is not needed. We only use past perfect when one action happened before another action. If you just talk about something in past, use simple past.

I had been to New York recently.

I went to New York recently.

2. Not Showing Order of Events:

Past perfect is used where there are series of events. They are given in an order. If there is no such case, past perfect will not be used:

He said he ate pizza from XYZ Cafe for the past three days.

He said he had been eating pizza from XYZ Cafe for three days.

3. Too Much Past Perfect Use:

Even when the context does not make sense, past perfect is used. It is also used when not needed in certain cases. Understand from the example given below:

She had made her coffee and had rushed to her college.

Riya made her coffee and rushed for college in a hurry.

4. Confusing “Had Had”:

Sometimes had had is tricky. It is used when have is both main verb and helper.

Riya had her homework done before we went out for dinner.

Riya had had her homework done before we went out for dinner.

Choose between the past simple or past perfect to complete the sentences.