UNIT 2 A

PAST PERFECT TENSE

Function:
1. To express the idea that something happened before another action in the past.
Situation:
Sarah went to a party last week.
Paul went to the party too.
But, they didn’t see each other.
Paul went home at 8.00 pm. (1st action)
Sarah arrived at 8.15 pm. (2nd action)
Sentence Example : When Sarah arrived at the party, Paul had gone home. (WHEN
THIS HAPPENED? LAST WEEK)
Formula : Verb 2 had+Verb3

Past tense Past Perfect Tense

2nd action 1st action

1st 2nd
Time Line:

Paul had gone Sarah arrived

Past Present Future

Past perfect tense Past tense

Verb 1 (PRESENT) Verb 2 (PAST) Verb 3 (PAST PARTICIPLE) See page 20

arrive arrived Arrived Regular
go went gone Irregular

Exercise: Fill in the blank with past perfect tense.

e.g. You went to James’ house, but he _____ out. (go)
You went to James’ house, but he had gone out.
 1. Sarah didn’t want to watch that film, because she _____ it before. (see)
2. The room was so dirty. No one _____ it. (clean)
3. Somebody sang a song. I _____ it before. (hear)
4. Last year we went to Bali. We _____ there before. (be)
5. We were late to the cinema, the film _____ already _____ . (start)
6. He couldn’t play guitar. He _____ never _____ it before. (play)
7. Grandmother wasn’t hungry because she _____ already _____ breakfast. (have)
8. The glass was empty. Somebody _____ the water. (drink)
9. There was a robbery at the bank. The police _____ the robber. (catch)
10. The teacher scolded me because I _____ the wrong books. (bring)

Answer:
1. Sarah didn’t want to watch that film, because she had seen it before.
2. The room was so dirty. No one had cleaned it.
3. Somebody sang a song. I had heard it before.
4. Last year we went to Bali. We had been there before.
5. We were late to the cinema, the film had already started.
6. He couldn’t play guitar. He had never played it before.
7. Grandmother wasn’t hungry because she had already had breakfast.
8. The glass was empty. Somebody had drunk the water.
9. There was a robbery at the bank. The police had caught the robber.
10. The teacher scolded me because I had brought the wrong books.