Past Perfect Simple

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

USE: 

Se usa para indicar que una acción ocurrió antes que otra en el pasado.

FORM:

AFFIRMATIVE: Subject + had + verb (Past Participle)

Ex. the experts had solved the mystery of the ship

NEGATIVE: Subject + had + not  (hadn't)+ verb (Past Participle)

Ex. We  hadn't heard any strange noises in the house.

INTERROGATIVE: Had + subject + verb (Past Participle)

Ex. Had they come up with something similar before? Yes, they had / no, they hadn´t

- Con Past Perfect Simple se suelen usar las siguientes expresiones temporales y adverbios:

BEFORE: (antes). Ex:  I had cleaned the car before I went to the party.

AFTER: (después). Ex. He ate some ice cream after he had finished lunch.

AS SOON AS:  (tan pronto como). Ex. As soon as I had got up, I went to buy the newspaper.

BY THE TIME: (para cuando). Ex. By the time he was five, he had read many books.

UNTIL: (hasta que). Ex.Until I went to Italy, I hadn´t eaten Italian food.

WHEN: (cuando).Ex. Ian had finished his homework when I arrived.

YET: (Interrogativa: ya /Negativa: todavía, aún)

           Ex.  It was 3 am an the pub hadn´t closed yet

           When you arrived at the station, had the train left yet?

ALREADY: (ya). Ex. I had already seen Jim when he said hello to us.

- Contraste Past Perfect Simple / Past Simple:

El Past Perfect Simple suele ir en oraciones acompañado de otro verbo que va en Past Simple.

El Past Perfect Simple indica que la acción ocurrió antes que la otra que está en Past Simple.

Ex. By the time he arrived at the cinema, the film had already started.

EXERCISES:

1. Complete the sentences using Past Simple or Past Perfect Simple

1. When I went to the car park, I found that my car .................( steal)

2. John ........................ in Paris for 4 years before he could speak French fluently. (live)

3. I ......................... to England 5 years ago. (go)

4. The locals were amazed because they .................... a horse before. (never, see)

5. They wouldn't let him in because he ................. his membership card. ( forget)

6. They said : 'You can't come in because you ................. your membership card.' (forget)

7. .................................... the new film by Spike Lee yesterday? (you,  see)

8. They ...................................... a lot of champagne by the time the party ended. ( drink)

9. They were angry because they ..................................for too long. (wait)

2. Write a little story using Past Simple and Past Perfect Simple. (100 words)