The past perfect is a verb tense that is used to describe an action or state that was completed before a certain point in the past. It is formed using the past tense of the auxiliary verb "had" plus the past participle of the main verb.
VERB: 3rd Form of Verb
HELPING VERB: Had
The structure of the Past Perfect tense is:
1) Simple: Subject + Helping Verb + Verb + Object
2) Negative: Subject + Helping Verb + not + Verb + Object
3) Interrogative: Helping Verb + Subject + Verb + Object
4) Negative Interrogative: Helping Verb + Subject + not + Verb + Object
There are several uses of Past Perfect Tense:
1. One common use of the past perfect is to describe an action or state that was completed before another action or state in the past.
For Example:
"I had finished my homework before I went to bed." In this sentence, the speaker completed their homework at some point before they went to bed.
2. The past perfect can also be used to describe an action or state that was true for a certain period of time in the past, but is no longer true in the present.
For Example:"He had always wanted to be a doctor, but now he works in finance." In this sentence, the speaker had a desire to be a doctor at some point in the past, but this is no longer the case because the speaker now works in finance.
3. It is important to note that the past perfect is used with
the past tense of the auxiliary verb "have," so it is often used with
adverbs like "already," "just," and "yet."
"I had just finished my homework when my friend
called." In this sentence, the speaker completed their homework at some
point shortly before their friend called.
"She had already eaten lunch when I arrived." In
this sentence, the speaker completed the action of eating lunch at some point
before the speaker arrived.
"Had you finished your homework yet?" In this
sentence, the speaker is asking if the listener completed their homework at
some point before the present time.
Overall, the past perfect is a verb tense that is used to
describe an action or state that was completed before a certain point in the
past, an action or state that was ongoing for a certain period of time in the
past, an action or state that was true for a certain period of time in the
past, and a hypothetical or counterfactual situation in the past. It is formed
using the past tense of the auxiliary verb "have" plus the past
participle of the main verb, and it is often used with adverbs like "already,"
"just," and "yet."