Past Perfect Tense (the past of the past) - structure, use, examples. The most "past tense" in English or Past Perfect

In all the diversity of times in English tenses Perfect(perfect or completed) are notable for the fact that you will not find their analogues in Russian grammar. Perhaps for this reason, many people have difficulty mastering perfect tenses. Let's learn to understand and use these useful and interesting English times verbs.

Strictly speaking, in English there are only two tenses (tense), where only the semantic verb is present: present (We walk) And past (He left).
All other tenses of verbs in English, and there are about thirty of them, use auxiliary verbs.

There are six main tenses, which, once understood, will help you understand the entire temporal structure of English verbs.

• Present Simple (Present Indefinite): We play. - We're playing.
• Present Perfect: We have played. - We played.
• Past Simple(Past Indefinite): We played. - We played.
• Past Perfect: We had played. - We played (before a certain event in the past).
• Future Simple (Future Indefinite): We will play. - We will play.
• Future Perfect: We will have played. - We'll play (until a certain event in the future).

Students of English as a foreign language most often experience problems with perfect tenses. This is due to the fact that they are formed a little more complex than their “simple” counterparts: with the help of an auxiliary verb and the past participle (III form of the verb).

• Run (run)- run - run
• Play (play)- played - played

Auxiliary verbs are usually forms of the verbs be, can, do, may, must, ought, shall, will, have, has, had. It is these verbs and their forms that should be given attention.

Present Perfect Tense (present perfect tense)

Tom will repair his car on Monday. (Future Simple) - Tom will be repairing his car on Monday.

She hopes that Tom will have repaired his car by Monday evening. (Future Perfect) - She hopes Tom will have his car repaired by Monday evening.

If I ask: What is Past Perfect? Most of you will answer without hesitation that this is a tense expressing a past action before another past one.

How time is formed Past Perfect? Same as Present Perfect, only instead of have And has used had: had + V3/ Ved.

In theory, these facts about Past Perfect everyone who crossed the line knows intermediate, but in practice the situation is worse. The existence of the Past Perfect is constantly forgotten and used instead Past Simple, because it's easier.

In addition, there is an opinion that the past perfect is not used in English. This is not true. There are cases when it can actually be replaced by time Past Simple, but besides this, the Past Perfect has its own special functions in the English language, which is why it was singled out in a separate tense. Let's look at these functions.

1. The past is before the past.

Past Perfect should be used in all cases when we have several actions, but it is not clear which action occurred first. Let's look at the situation:

We arrived at the station. The train left. - We arrived at the station. The train has left.

What happened first: did we arrive or the train left? Did we catch the train or did we wave after him? How to combine these two actions into one sentence without losing meaning?

If we still managed to catch the train, then we use the Past Simple (actions that occurred sequentially one after another):

We arrived at the station and the train left. - We arrived at the station and the train left.

But, if we are unlucky and still miss the train, then we use Past Perfect:

We arrived at the station but the train had left. - We arrived at the station, but the train had already left.

In the second situation we didn't even see the train because the action ended before we arrived. To show this sequence, we simply cannot do without Past Perfect.

Of course you can explain yourself simple sentences, without combining them into one and without bothering about tenses:

The train left. We arrived at the station. - The train has left. We arrived at the station.

If you report events in the sequence in which they occurred, then there will be no problems, you will be understood. But don’t you think that this way of expressing thoughts is somewhat simple; in life we ​​don’t speak like that? Every now and then we return, as it were, “from the past to an earlier past”, we refer to earlier events. I would like to combine these two actions into one sentence with the words before, but, long before, prior to, and therefore, to denote an earlier action we will use Past Perfect.

Another situation:

I came home but Jane had already left. - I came home, but Jane had already left.

She left before I arrived, I didn't see her. The Past Perfect shows us that this action was completed before I arrived. If we use Past Simple in this sentence, then the interlocutor may get the impression that she left after I arrived, that is, we saw each other.

I hope this is clear enough. In addition, the Past Perfect can overlap in use with , with the only difference being that instead of the present moment, we view the action from the point of view of another past action. The Past Perfect can be used with the same time markers as the Present Perfect, but always denotes an action that was completed before another past:

I had never been abroad before I went to the USA last year. - I had never been abroad before I went to the USA last year. ( Life experience in the past)

Had you ever met his sister before she came to us? -Have you ever met his sister before she came to us? (Life experience in the past)

She had already graduated from University when they offered her a job. - She had already graduated from university at the time they offered her a job. (An action completed at a time in the past)

My boss was angry with me yesterday because when he called me I hadn’t finished my report yet. - My boss was angry with me yesterday because when he called me, I had not yet finished the report. (Action unfinished at a time in the past)

He was happy because he had just got a promotion. - He was happy because he had just been offered a promotion. (An action completed shortly before another action, result)

2. The past before the past indicating a specific time.

Usually with the Past Perfect there is no specific time indicated. But in some cases the speaker may indicate a time when it is really important:

I had seen such a quick runner only once in 1977 before I visited that competition in 1985. - I saw such a fast runner only in 1977, before I visited that competition in 1985.

This team had won twice in 2000 and 2003 before they obtained victory last year. - This team won twice: in 2000 and 2003 before they won last year.

The important thing is that in sentences of this type, the Past Perfect can easily be replaced by the Past Simple, because dates and the word before let us know which action preceded the other.

But do not forget that if a specific time is not indicated, the use of the Past Perfect is mandatory!

3. A long action before another past.

The next situation in which it is advisable to use the Past Perfect is when an action began before another action in the past, and continued until it. Usually for such actions we use Past Perfect Continuous, but with verbs of state we use Past Perfect, because verbs of state are not used in tenses of the Continuous group. What's happened ? To show duration, we use the time indicator for :

They had had their old car for ten years when they bought a new one. They had an old car for ten years before they bought a new one.

She had been in Paris for four days when she visited the Eifel Tower. - She stayed in Paris for four days when she visited the Eiffel Tower.

In addition, the verbs work, teach, study, live are used with the Past Perfect, despite the fact that they are not verbs of state:

He had worked as a manager for two years before he was promoted. He worked as a manager for two years before he was promoted.

I had studied English for five years when I joined this group. - I studied English for five years before I joined this group.

4. In indirect speech.

The Past Perfect is certainly used in indirect speech when agreeing on tenses. Past Simple and Present Perfect when translating direct speech into indirect/indirect are replaced by Past Perfect:

"I called you," he said. - He said that he had called me.
“I called,” he said. - He said he called.

"We had already read that book," they said. - They said that they had already read that book.
“We have already read that book,” they said. - They said that they had already read that book.

5. In conditional sentences of the third type.

And the last case of using the Past Perfect in English: in conditional sentences third type. These are those conditional sentences in which we express regret about the past:

If we had left home earlier, we wouldn't have missed the train. - If we had left home earlier, we wouldn't have missed the train.

My boss wouldn’t have been angry with me if I had finished my report on time. - My boss wouldn't be angry with me if I finished the report on time.

So, Past Perfect, or “past before the past”, has the following uses:

1. A past action that occurred before another action in the past.

2. A past action that occurred before another action in the past with a specific indication of time and the word before (can be replaced by Past Simple).

3. Past action that lasted a certain time before another action in the past (with state verbs, as well as work, teach,study,live).

4. Used in indirect speech instead Past Simple And Present Perfect.

5. Used in conditional sentences of the third type.

Past Perfect tense indicators:

1. The presence of another past action.
2.Already/yet
3. Just
4. Never/ever
5.For
6. When, before

In one of our next articles we will compare the use Past Perfect and other past tenses. Stay tuned!

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Affirmative form Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb to have in the past tense - had and the past participle (Participle II) of the semantic verb (i.e., the 3rd form of the main verb).

had + Participle II

I had finished my work by 6 o’clock. I finished my work by 6 o'clock.
He had written his letter when I came to him. He wrote a letter when I came to him.

Question form formed by rearranging the auxiliary verb had, which is placed before the subject.

Had you finished your work? Have you finished your work?
Had he written his letter? Did he write a letter?

Abbreviations are made according to the general rule:

Use

Past Perfect is used:

• 1. To express an action that has already ended before a certain point in the past. A given moment in the past can be precisely indicated (year, day, hour) with the preposition of time by or can be expressed by another past action. Another action, which began later, is expressed in Simple Past/Past Indefinite.

They had written their composition by Friday. They wrote the essay by Friday.
They had finished their work when the inspectors arrived. (= by the time the inspectors arrived.) They finished their work when the inspectors arrived. (= by the time the inspectors arrived.)

Of the two actions expressed by the verbs to finish and to arrive, the one expressed by the verb to finish finished first - end, so this verb in the Past Perfect is had finished. A verb expressing an action that ended later (to arrive - arrive), is placed in Simple Past - arrived.

• 2. In complex sentences with a subordinate clause of time.

a) If the action of the main sentence ended before the action expressed by the predicate of the subordinate clause, then the verb of the main sentence will be expressed in the Past Perfect. Subordinate clauses are introduced by conjunctions before - before and when - When.

They had finished their work before their boss came in.
They finished their work before their boss entered.

b) If the action of the subordinate clause ended before the action, expressed by a predicate main clause, then the verb of the subordinate clause is expressed through Past Perfect, and the main one - Simple Past. The subordinate clause of time is introduced by the conjunctions when - When, as soon as - as soon as.

As soon as (when) they had finished their work the door opened and their boss came in.
As soon as they finished their work, the door opened and their boss entered.

• 3. In subordinate clauses of time after when, when two verbs expressed in Simple Past/Past Indefinite can create the impression of simultaneity of actions.

When he had done his homework he rang me up.
When he had done his homework, he called me.

(If you use both verbs in the Simple Past (When he did his homework he rang me up), you might get the impression that he was doing his homework and calling me at the same time.)

• 4. When describing a sequence of events in Simple Past/Past Indefinite, if the description is violated, that is, if an action that occurred earlier is indicated, then it is expressed in Past Perfect.

We decided to go skiing to the forest. In the morning we took some food, hot tea and started. We got to the forest at noon and had a good time there. We had never been in the forest in winter before, but after this trip we decided to ski there regularly.
We decided to go skiing into the forest. In the morning we took some food and hot tea and set off. We reached the forest at noon and had a good time there. Before this, we had never been in the forest in winter. But after this trip we decided to go skiing into the forest regularly.

The British are very scrupulous about delimiting periods of time. While Russian grammar is limited to past, present and future tenses, the English language system has divided each of these traditional forms into four more subforms. The result was 12 time groups, with a clearly verified scope of application of each type of structure. Today we will look at the category of the past completed tense, study its meaning and give it for the past perfect examples use in sentences and dialogues. Despite the fact that there is no analogue to this tense in Russian, the topic does not cause any particular difficulties.

Briefly about the use of Past perfect

The main purpose of this category of time is to express the sequence of events in the past, previous experience. The predicate of the action that ended earlier is put in Perfect Past, and the verb of the second sentence usually has the form Past Simple. The completion of an event can also be expressed by a specific time indicator.

• She remembered that she had met these children before –SheI rememberedWhatshemetthesechildrenearlier.
• I had written this report by 8 o'clock – Iaddedthisreportby 8hours.

In rare situations, the continuous tense may be used instead of the simple past. This is necessary if they want to emphasize the incompleteness of the second action at the time of the end of the events preceding it.

• By that time I had read the book and was watching TV – TOthattimeIfinished readingbookAndalreadywatchedTV.

In sentences with Past Perfect Tense the opposite rule applies. The Past Perfect Continuous form cannot be used with verbs of feelings, possessions, states, relationships, therefore, with such predicates they use the simple past perfect.

• I had owned thecar for 8 years already when I decided tosellit – I had owned this car for 8 years when I decided to sell it.

And the last situation in which it is necessary to use this tense is the presence in the statement of the phrases “ scarcely…when», « nosooner...than», « hardly…when" This sentence is translated into Russian with the words “ barely..., how; didn’t have time... how" Please note a slight design change: had comes before the subject.

• Scarcely had she entered the apartments, when the telephone rank – Barelyshecame inVapartment,Howrangtelephone.

Having remembered the cases of using the past perfect, we will consider example sentences and learn how to create such tense constructions ourselves.

Past perfect examples

In this section, we will analyze the rules and examples of using this tense category in various everyday situations.

So, if we need to compose an expression in the Past Perfect in the form of a statement, then we should use the auxiliary verb had and the third form of the verb, also known as participle II.

In this case, the event that follows in meaning can be in either first or second place.

• It was the best film I (1) had (2) ever watched (3)- It was best film that I've ever seen.

Interrogative sentences require a slight change in construction, namely the addition of an auxiliary had to the fore.

• Had (1) you (2) cleaned(3) the room at 11 o'clock? – Youremovedroomby 11hours?

According to this scheme, the so-called general questions. There are also statements with special interrogative words, negative questions, as well as expressions of doubt. We will not give separate diagrams for them; a little later we will be told about situations of such use of the past perfect, examples given at the end of the material.

Negative sentences do not change the word order of the affirmative phrase, but are also associated with the verb had. To put a negation, add the word not to this verb. Often there is a reduction in shape, and the overall design takes on the appearance of a hadn’t.

• My daughter(1)hadn't(2+3)done(4)her homework yet when I came –MydaughtermoreNotdidmyhomework when I arrived.

Regardless of the type of sentence, many examples of the past perfect often contain tense indications (words) introduced by the words by,since, just, for, already, never,yet,before, until.

Let's consolidate the ability to correctly build this structure by analyzing the most typical examples of its use.

We looked at examples of various sentences in the past perfect, and learned how to compose them according to grammatical patterns. In order for new information not to be forgotten after 30 minutes, but firmly lodged in our head, it is necessary to do several things. Good luck in improving your English and see you again!

How to get out of the past and return to an earlier past? It’s not a time machine that comes to the rescue, as one might initially think, but a solution that is much simpler and at the same time interesting: Time Past Perfect Simple - Past Perfect, which is studied in grades 6-7.

General information

There are three tenses in English: Past (past), Present (present) and Future (future). In this regard, the Russian language is in solidarity with its fellow language. But there are also differences between them - temporary forms. Depending on what kind of action we have before us - regular, long-term or completed, in each of the three times four aspects are distinguished: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous.

Today the focus is on the rules for using Past Perfect Simple - Past Perfect tense.

Past Perfect rules and examples

If it seems that the work is easy to do, then it certainly turns out to be difficult. And vice versa - complex tasks always have simple solutions. This unwritten rule also applies to the Past Perfect. It is not as complicated as it seems. The first thing to remember is that this tense is never used independently. It always “works” cohesively, side by side with another action in the past, and indicates that the action expressed by it occurred before another action or before a certain time. Let's look at two examples:

• We came to the bus stop and the bus left - We came to the bus stop and the bus left.
• We came to the bus stop, but the bus had left - We came to the bus stop, but the bus left.

Before using one or another temporary form, it is necessary to understand what happened first and what happened second, or whether two actions occurred simultaneously. In the first case, we managed to get on the bus we needed and use the Past Simple (Simple Past), that is, the events in this sentence happened sequentially one after another. In the second example, we were late and did not catch the bus we needed - it had already left. In other words, the action happened before we arrived, and therefore the Past Perfect form is used here.

Cases of use

There are other, less common cases of using the tense form Past Perfect:

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• To explain the reason for what happened : the action expressed by the predicate verb in the Past Perfect tense form is the “culprit” of what happened later (He was not able to buy a new book as he had lost his credit car - He could not buy a new book because he lost my credit card);
• To describe your past experiences (By the time I bought my new flat I had worked hard for several years - By the time I bought my new apartment, I worked hard for several years).

Time markers

Past Perfect time markers include the following circumstances, conjunctions and prepositions:

• By the time - by the time (By the time they came home, my mother had baked an apple pie- By the time they returned home, mine had baked an apple pie);
• After - after a certain moment (She fell asleep after I had left her - She fell asleep after I left her);
• Before - until a certain point (She had never been to London before she came here last month - She had never been to London before she came here last month);
• When - when (The train had left when he arrived at the station - The train left when it arrived at the station);
• Just - just (When she entered the room I had just heard the news - When she entered the room, I just heard the news);
• Already - already (I had already finished with my dinner when he knocked on the door - I had already prepared dinner when he knocked on the door);
• Yet - yet (She moved to another city but she had not told her parents about it yet - She moved to another city, but has not yet told her parents about it);
• For - during (He thought that he was not able to drive a car anymore because he had not driven it for 20 years - He thought that he could no longer drive a car, because he had not driven it for 20 years)
• Since - since then (Her new book was wonderful because she had worked on it since last year - Her new book was wonderful because she had been working on it since last year).

The adverbs yet (yet), just (just), already (already) are common feature for two tenses Present Perfect (Present Perfect) and Past Perfect (Past Perfect).

Formation of the affirmative form

The temporary form Past Perfect (Past Perfect) is formed according to a certain pattern: had + Participle II(Past participle or third form of the verb). Regular verbs form Participle II (Past Participle) using the ending - ed: to use - used (use - used). If the verb belongs to the group of irregular verbs, then the required form must be taken from the third column of the table of irregular verbs: I had opened (I opened), she had studied (she taught), we had bought (we bought).

Negation

The negative form of the Past Perfect is formed using a negative particle not (not) which is placed between the auxiliary verb had And Participle II(Past participle):

I had not opened (I did not open), she had not studied (she did not teach), we had not bought (we did not buy).

Question

IN interrogative sentence In English, word order changes. In the Past Perfect tense, the auxiliary verb comes first in the question had, followed by the subject (pronoun or noun) and the main verb, expressed Participle II (Past Participle):

Had I opened? (did I open it?), Had she studied? (did she teach?), Had we bought? (we bought it?).

In special questions, the scheme is preserved with the only difference - in the first place are question words (Who? - Who?; What? - What?; Which? - Which?; When? - When?; Where? - Where?; Where? - Where? ; Why? - Why?; How? - How much? - How much?): What had I opened? (What did I discover?), Where had she studied? (Where did she study?), When had we bought? (When did we buy?).

What have we learned?

Today we were introduced to the Past Perfect, which is one of the tense forms of the past tense in English, and denotes an action in the past that preceded another action in the past. We also learned about its features, when it is used in a sentence and with what time markers.

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