Past perfect vs. Past simple

Past perfect vs. past simple

START

REMINDER:

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Past Perfect

FORM

USE

INDEX

WORDS

Past Simple

USE

EXAMPLES

How do we form the past perfect?

Noun/ personal pronoun + HAD + past participle

• AFFIRMATIVE

With HAD and the past participle of the main verb: Mike had studied law before he became a news presenter.

• NEGATIVE

By putting NOT after HAD: She had not/ hadn't finished cooking

• QUESTIONS

By putting HAD before the subject: Had Helen cleaned the house?

• SHORT ANSWERS

We use: Yes/no + Subject+ HAD/HADN'T

index

We use the past perfect:

He was angry because someone had broken his window

• To refer to an action which happened before another past action, or before a stated time in the past.

• To refer to an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible in the past

Example

-The action had broken happened in the past and the result was visible in the past. -FIRST: Someone had broken his window. (Past perfect) -THEN: He was angry. (Past simple)

WORDS and PHRASES we use with the PAST PERFECT

already before for just never not yet once until by the time when

• When we arrived, the film had started
• She had published her first poem by the time she was eight.
• I called his office but he had already left.
• Had you ever visited London when you moved there?
• I had never met anyone from California before I met Jim.

Index

We use PAST SIMPLE with:

Actions that happened at a stated time in the past: -They went to the theatre last night

Actions which happened immidiately one after the other in the past: -First, she laid the table and then she served the food.

Actions which started and finished in the past: -Laura lived in NY for five years

Actions we used to do in the past but do not do anymore. We often use adverbs of frequency: -Tim always rode his bike when he was at school

People who are no longer alive: - Monet created great paintings

Index

LET'S SEE EXAMPLES!

The teacher didn't award his student with a high mark because he hadn't worked very hard.

Dinner was wonderful, Donald had cooked a mushroom risotto.

Last night I went for a walk after I had finished my work.

1st (PAST PERFECT) Cook risotto 2nd (PAST SIMPLE) Wonderful dinner

1st (PAST PERFECT) Finish the work 2nd (PAST SIMPLE) Go for a walk

1st (PAST PERFECT) Work hard 2nd (PAST SIMPLE) Award the student

TO SUM UP

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