Past Perfect Tense

Use the past perfect tense when referring to actions in the past that happened before another event in the past. It is used to talk about the past in the past.

I checked with the bank and they still hadn't received payment.

Subject + had + past participle

I had driven to work before you woke up.

We had gone before she arrived.

She had eaten breakfast.

Had you finished?

Had he taken you home?

Past Perfect in Reported Speech

We often use the past perfect tense when reporting speech:

She told me she had emailed you.

They said the game had been cancelled.

He asked me why we had taken so long.

Now complete these past perfect sentences:

• 1) Sarah had never ___ a lion before yesterday.
  
  seen
  looked
  watch
  
  
• 2) I did not understand the report because I ___ not attended the meeting.
  
  have
  had
  has
  
  
• 3) We had ___ living in London for 3 years before we bought our house.
  
  been
  was
  be
  
  
• 4) I only took my sister with me because she ___ me too.
  
  to ask
  had asked
  make
  
  
• 5) We could only understand each other because Helen had ___ Russian.
  
  studied
  study
  studies
  
  
• 6) Had you ever ___ a business lesson before you started working.
  
  written
  wrote
  write
  
  
• 7) She said you had ___ this clock in Milan.
  
  buys
  bought
  buy