What Is the Past Perfect?
The past perfect is had + past participle (the third form of a verb: go, went, gone). In a story with two past moments, it marks the one that happened first.
FILM FIRSTI missed the start
The film started. Then I arrived.
When I got to the cinema, the film had started.
ME FIRSTI sat down, then it started
When I got to the cinema, the film started.
Had + past participle marks what happened before another past moment.
It means earlier, not long ago. With only one past time, use the past simple: My grandfather was born in 1940.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"When Mai opened the fridge, she saw that someone blank her cake."
- Question 2
"I blank to Đà Lạt for the first time in 2018."
The forms
POSITIVE
Shadpast participle
She had finished her homework before dinner.
The same for every subject. Short: I'd, she'd, they'd.
NEGATIVE
Shadn'tpast participle
I hadn't met his parents before the wedding.
QUESTION
HadSpast participle?
Had you studied English before you moved to Canada? Yes, I had.
BY THE TIME
By the timeS + past simple,Shadpast participle
By the time we got there, the shop had closed.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"By the time I woke up, my parents blank to work."
Past Perfect or Past Simple?
| PAST PERFECT | PAST SIMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Use it for | An event before another past moment | One event, or events told in order |
| Example | I didn't recognise him because he had changed so much. | He left school, found a job and moved to Cần Thơ. |
| With before / after | Possible, but not needed | After Hùng finished work, he went home. |
Before and after already show the order, so the past simple is enough.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I had visited Hạ Long Bay in 2015.
Correct:I visited Hạ Long Bay in 2015.
One past time only. Long ago is still past simple.
Incorrect:By the time we arrived, the concert has finished.
Correct:By the time we arrived, the concert had finished.
The whole story is past. Has belongs to now.
Incorrect:Nam had went home before the rain started.
Correct:Nam had gone home before the rain started.
After had, use the past participle: go, went, gone.
Incorrect:It was the first time I have seen snow.
Correct:It was the first time I had seen snow.
It was looks back from the past. Use had.
Quick check · 5 questions
Choose the correct form:
When Hải got to the airport, his plane had already taken off.
- A. had already taken off — Correct
- B. has already taken off
- C. already takes off
Answer: A. had already taken off
Earlier than another past moment: had + past participle.
Choose the correct tense:
My grandfather served in the army when he was young.
- A. served — Correct
- B. had served
Answer: A. served
Long ago does not mean past perfect. Nothing here happened later.
Choose the correct form:
Last Saturday I didn't go to the cinema with my friends. I had seen the film the week before.
- A. had seen — Correct
- B. have seen
- C. see
Answer: A. had seen
Seeing the film came before Saturday. The week before is finished time, so not have seen.
Choose the correct form:
By the time Linh replied, I had solved the problem myself.
- A. had solved — Correct
- B. solved
- C. have solved
Answer: A. had solved
The problem was solved before Linh's reply.
Choose the correct helper verb:
Had you finished your homework before your mum came home?
- A. Had — Correct
- B. Have
- C. Did
Answer: A. Had
Did would need the base verb, not finished.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 14 questions