Tense

Past Perfect
Prepared by: Keo Sith
 PAST PERFECT
I. Positive
Form: Subject + had + V3 + (object)
Ex. The king had kissed all of the
delegates before leaving.
Ex. She had punished her son for
two hours.
Ex. They had completed the task
for about a month.
Ex. I had worked at school.
II. Interrogative
Form: Had + subject + V3 + (object)?
Ex. Had the king kissed all of the
delegates before leaving?
Ex. Had she punished her son for
two hours?
Ex. Had they completed their task
for about a month?
Ex. Had you worked at school?
 PAST PERFECT
III. Negative
Form: Subject + had + not + V3 + (object)
Ex. The king had not kissed all of
the delegates before leaving.
Ex. She had not punished her son
for two hours.
Ex. They had not completed the
task for about a month.
Ex. You had not worked at school.
IV. Usages of past perfect
4.1 We use past perfect for
the action is completely
finished in the past, but
indefinite time
Ex. They had lived in the
Phnom Penh two years.
Ex. She had graduated at high
school for two years.
 PAST PERFECT
4.2 An action that was completed before • Note:
another action in the past (it is used with Past Perfect happened first and then past simple happened second

the words “Until, when, as, because, that,

as soon as, before, till”

Ex. As my parents had already eaten by the

time I went home.
Ex. After the guests had left, I went to bed.
Ex. After the will had been read, there
were angry exclamations.
Ex. He did not wait till we finished our
meal.