Past Perfect use

Grammar Past Perfect diagram Past Perfect form Past Perfect use Past Perfect signal words	Exercises Past Perfect

Past Perfect Tense is used in the following situations:

1. When we talk about a situation or an activity which happened before the other event in the past.

By the time she was fifteen she had learnt to coook.
By that time they had moved to a new flat.
She didn't want to go to the cinema because she had already seen this film.
I had been to Greece many times before so I didn't want to go there again.

2. When we talk about activities or situations which lasted in the past for some time before the other event or moment in the past.

In 2005 he had lived in Manchester for 4 years.
I had known her since I finished my studies.
I had been there for two yours before she arrived.

3. When we talk about unrealized wishes using such verbs as: hope, expect, think, intend, want, suppose.

I'd hoped she would help.

4. When we talk about the past after such expressions as: I wish, if only.

I wish I had known about it earlier.
If only she had told me about about.

5. After WHEN, AS SOON AS, AFTER when we talk about activities which happened earlier than another activity.

When I had read a newspaper I gave it back to him.
We decided to go out, after we had had supper.

6. In the third conditional.

If I had known about it, I would have told you.