The past perfect tense in English with past perfect tense examples. Learn the definition and how to form the past perfect tense with useful examples and ESL printable infographics.
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Definition
The Past Perfect tense is used to express something that happened before another action in the past.
Forming Past Perfect Tense
Positive Statements | Past Perfect
SUBJECT | HAD | VERB (past participle) | REST OF THE SENTENCE |
I | had | finished | the work. |
You | had | finished | the work. |
He | had | finished | the work. |
Tom | had | finished | the work. |
The boy | had | finished | the work. |
She | had | finished | the work. |
Anna | had | finished | the work. |
The girl | had | finished | the work. |
We | had | finished | the work. |
You | had | finished | the work. |
They | had | finished | the work. |
The children | had | finished | the work. |
Notice that we use ‘had’ and the past participle form of the verb for all subjects.
Negative Statements | Past Perfect
SUBJECT | HAD NOT | VERB (past participle) | REST OF THE SENTENCE |
I | had not | talked | to my brother. |
You | had not | talked | to my brother. |
He | had not | talked | to my brother. |
Tom | had not | talked | to my brother. |
The boy | had not | talked | to my brother. |
She | had not | talked | to my brother. |
Anna | had not | talked | to my brother. |
The girl | had not | talked | to my brother. |
We | had not | talked | to my brother. |
You | had not | talked | to my brother. |
They | had not | talked | to my brother. |
The children | had not | talked | to my brother. |
Notice that we use ‘had not’ and the past participle form of the verb for all subjects.
Interrogative Statements / Questions | Past Perfect
HAD | SUBJECT | VERB (past participle) | REST OF THE SENTENCE |
Had | I | seen | the movie? |
Had | you | seen | the movie? |
Had | he | seen | the movie? |
Had | Tom | seen | the movie? |
Had | the boy | seen | the movie? |
Had | she | seen | the movie? |
Had | Anna | seen | the movie? |
Had | the girl | seen | the movie? |
Had | we | seen | the movie? |
Had | you | seen | the movie? |
Had | they | seen | the movie? |
Had | the men | seen | the movie? |
Past Perfect Chart
Past Perfect Exercise
Exercise 1:
Exercise 2: