Past Perfect

 We use the past perfect when we need to make clear that one past action
happened before another past action. For the action that happened first
(1), we use the past perfect. For the action that happened second (2), we
use the past simple.
Examples
2 1
When they got to the station, the train had left.
We missed the bus because we had all overslept.
They managed to move there because they had saved enough money.
1 2
The children had fallen asleep by the time the plane took off.
The kitten had not (hadn’t) eaten all day she was afraid of us.
because
Had the bus already left when you got to the bus stop?

 When we’re telling a story, we sometimes use the past perfect to describe
events that happened before the start of the main story. Then doesn’t
matter in which order we tell the events.
Examples
I visited Africa last year. I had always wanted to go there. So I booked a holiday…
I had already applied for the course and I was ready to begin classes. Then I fell
ill…

The past perfect is formed with had, the past tense of the auxiliary have, and the
past participle of the main verb: had + past participle
 We often add –ed at the end of the main verb to make the past
participle.
 There are many irregular verbs in the past participle- check your
verb tables for these.
 The past perfect is often used with adverbs of time such as already,
always, by the time, by then
Examples
I had worked as a waitress before I became the manager.
I had not worked before so it was all very new.
Had he already seen that movie?
Had they not left already? / Hadn’t they left already?

Exercises
Complete the grammar tests on this website. There are two of them:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/past-perfect
Irregular verb table of commonly used verbs:
https://www.esl-lounge.com/reference/grammar-reference-most-common-irregular-
verb-list.php