Past perfect, function
The past perfect refers to a time earlier than before now. It is used to make it clear that one event happened before another in the past.It does not matter which event is mentioned first - the tense makes it clear which one happened first.
In these examples, Event A is the first or earliest event, Event B is the second or latest event:
| a. |
John had gone out |
when I arrived in the office. |
| Event A |
Event B |
| b. |
I had saved my document |
before the computer crashed. |
| Event A |
|
| c. |
When they arrived |
we had already started cooking |
| Event B |
Event A |
| d. |
He was very tired |
because he hadn't slept well. |
| Event B |
Event A |
We use Past perfect tense:
1. Completed Action Before Something in the Past
The past perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
- I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
- I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
- Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
- Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
- She only understood the movie because she had read the book.
- Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.
- We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.
2. To talk about unreal or imaginary things in the past
- If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you.
- She would have passed the exam if she had studied harder.
- I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!