Past Perfect

• Foreign language
• Tertiary Education

Grammar: Past Perfect

Pre-Intermediate 3
Unit 14: p.125

Look at the sentence. Which verb is in the past simple?

He had been to the bank and he was on his way home.

1. had been
2. was

Look at the sentence. Which verb is in the past perfect?

He had been to the bank and he was on his way home.

1. had been
2. was

Past perfect - had + verb 3

We use past perfect to talk about actions that happened before another action.

Which action do you think happened first?

He had been to the bank and he was on his way home.

1. going to the bank
2. on his way home

Look at the sentences. 

"Patrick felt ill because he'd eaten so much."

"I went to the mechanic because my car had broken down."

What words do we use to make a past-perfect sentence?

Subject  +

+

has / have

had

V2

V3

Look at the sentence. What action happened first?

"He had been to the bank and was on his way home."

1

2

1. 1
2. 2

Look at the sentence. What action happened first?

"She'd bought the car before she drove it."

1

2

1. 1
2. 2

Look at the sentence. What action happened first?

"Patrick felt ill because he had eaten so much."

1

2

1. 1
2. 2

Look at the sentence. What action happened first?

"I went to the hospital because I'd broken my arm."

1

2

1. 1
2. 2

Look at the sentence. What action happened first?

"He didn't have any money because he'd spent it."

1

2

1. 1
2. 2

Now let's practice writing some sentences.

Complete the sentences with the past perfect form of the verbs in the box.

**Remember to write full stops (.) and contractions (-'d, -n't)

The children were hungry because they ____ all morning.

We couldn't get into the theatre because Lisa ____ the tickets at home.

She felt better after she _____ a rest.

Dan _____ into hospital the day before I arrived.

Abby was very worried because her son _____.

We were tired because we _____ a long way.

I felt embarrassed because I ____ her name.

When Luke _____ his homework, he watched TV.

After Sharon _____ all the perfumes, she chose the most expensive one.

I couldn't get a bus home because I _____ all my money on a new coat.

Well done. 

Now go back to google classroom and click 'hand-in' / 'mark as done'.