The past perfect

the past perfect

Use the simple past tense to describe events that occurred in a specific time in the past.

I called you last night.

Use the past perfect to show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

Use the past perfect with the simple past tense to show which of two events happened first.

By the time you called me, I had already left( I left before you called me)

By and by the time are often used in sentences that include the past perfect.

To form the past perfect, use had +past participle.

We visited Paris last summer.We had never been there before.

(TRUE COLORS IV)

• TODAY WAS JACK´S FIRST DAY IN CLASS AFTER VACATION. Complete his story using the past perfect and other verb forms. Circle the correct verb forms.

• Today was my first back in class after vacation. I (got up) a bit late and (didn´t have )time for breakfast. I am wasn´t concerned because I often (eat/ was eating) at school. However, when I (get/got to the bus stop, the bus (use to leave/ had just left). That meant I (I am going to miss/ breakfast altogether.

• At school (I´m met out new teacher. By then I ( was) very hungry. I (remembered), I (had put /a candy bar in my book bag, so I (started) looking for it.

Jim Berendson