PAST PERFECT TENSE FOR ACTIVITIES COMPLETE BEFORE OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST

EXAMPLE Sam arrived at 10:00. Ann left at 9:30. In other words, Ann had already left when Sam arrived. *The past perfect tense is used for the event that happened first in the past

STRUCTURE Form the past perfect this way: “HAD” + PAST PARTICIPLE OF THE VERB EXAMPLE A: The teacher had already given a quiz when I got to class. (First the teacher gave the quiz, then I arrived to class)

MORE EXAMPLES EXAMPLE B: It was raining hard, but by the time the class was over, it had stopped raining. (First it stopped raining, then the class ended) EXAMPLE C: After work, I went to Rosa’s office, but I couldn’t find her. She had left with someone else. (First Rosa left, then I went to her office.)

ABOUT SENTENCES WITH “BEFORE” OR “AFTER” If “before” or “after” is used in the sentence, the past perfect is often not necessary because the time relationship is already clear. The past perfect is not wrong in these situations, but the simple past may also be used. Both are correct.

ABOUT SENTENCES WITH “BEFORE” OR “AFTER” EXAMPLE A: Sam had left before Ann got there. OR Sam left before Ann got there. EXAMPLE B: After the guests had left, I went to bed. OR After the guests left, I went to bed.