Past Perfect Simple

Form
The past perfect simple expresses an action taking place before a certain time in the past or before another action in the past. The past perfect simple tense is formed as is follows: HAD + the past participle of the verb For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding ed to the verb. For irregular verbs, the past participle form is also known as the third form of the verb (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). Examples: Affirmative: You had talked to her. Negative: You had not talked to her. Interrogative: Had you talked to her?

Use of Past Perfect

The past perfect tense is used in order to express the following:

action taking place before a certain time in the past or before another action in the past (emphasis only on the fact, not on the duration) Example: Before I came here, I had announced my visit. Conditional Sentences Type III (condition that was not given in the past) Example: If I had seen him, I would have told him the truth.

Signal Words

already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day (with reference to the past, not the present) If-Clause Type III