Scribd
Upload
337 views12 pages

Past Perfect Simple and Continuous Guide

The document discusses the usage of the past perfect simple and past perfect continuous tenses in English. It explains that the past perfect simple is used to refer to an action that was completed before another past action or time. It provides examples of its affirmative, negative and interrogative forms. It also discusses the usage of the past perfect continuous tense to refer to past actions that started in the past and continued up until another time or action.

Uploaded by

Lana Saiel Abawi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
337 views12 pages

Past Perfect Simple and Continuous Guide

The document discusses the usage of the past perfect simple and past perfect continuous tenses in English. It explains that the past perfect simple is used to refer to an action that was completed before another past action or time. It provides examples of its affirmative, negative and interrogative forms. It also discusses the usage of the past perfect continuous tense to refer to past actions that started in the past and continued up until another time or action.

Uploaded by

Lana Saiel Abawi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

Past Perfect Simple

Usages
1. We use the Past Perfect Simple for an action or
situation that finished before another action,
situation or time in the past.
(putting emphasis only on the fact, not the duration)
Ex: I had read the actor’s biography before I saw the
documentary about his life.
Ex: Before I came here, I had spoken to Jack.
Form of Past Perfect Simple
Affirmative:
S. + had + Past participle (Verb 3) + Object
I had played with a ball.
(I, he, she, we, you, they, it) + had + P.P
Negative:
I had not gone home.
(I, he, she, we, you, they, it) + had + not + P.P
Questions:
Had + S. + Past participle
Had they eaten their breakfast?
 be as a main verb

Pronouns
Affirmative
Negative sentences Questions
sentences

I, he, she, it, we,


you, they They had been to They had not been Had they been to
Britain.  to Britain. Britain?
do as a main verb

Affirmative Negative
Pronouns Questions
sentences sentences
I, he, she, it, we, She had done an She had not done  Had she done an
you, they exercise. an exercise. exercise?
have as a main verb

Affirmative Negative
Pronouns Questions
sentences sentences
I, he, she, it, we, He had had a He had not had a Had he had a
you, they book. book. book?
Signal Words for Past Perfect
 Before
 After
 When
 Already
 For
 For a long time
 For ages
 Just
 Never
 Once
 Since
 yet
Past Perfect Continuous
Usages: We use the past perfect continuous:
1. For actions that started in the past and were still in
the progress when another action started or when
something happened.
Ex: The paparazzi had been waiting on the street for
hours before the singer left her hotel.
2. For actions that were in progress in the past and had
an effect on a later action.
Ex: Gemma’s feet were sore because she had been
wearing high heels all day.
Form of Past Perfect Continuous
Affirmative:
S. + had + been + Verb + -ing
I had been playing with a ball all day.
(I, he, she, we, you, they, it) + had + been + Verb + -ing
Negative:
I had not been going home.
(I, he, she, we, you, they, it) + had + not + been + Verb + -ing
Questions:
Had + S. + been + Verb + -ing
Had they been eating their breakfast?
Signal Words for past perfect continuous
 All day/ night/ week
 For years
 A long time
 Ages
 Since
 How long
 For ages
Past Simple Vs Past Perfect (Simple &
Continuous
When we want to show in which order actions
happened in the past, we use the past perfect for the
action that happened first in the past and we use the
past simple for subsequent actions in the past.
Ex: She had been working as a waitress when a
famous Hollywood agent discovered her and made her
a star.
(First, she had been working as a waitress and then an
agent discovered her and made her a star.)

You might also like