We use the past perfect for an action that happened before some other time or action in the past (our reference point). To form the past perfect we use had + the past participle. In all of these examples, the reference point is the past simple. Notice some common keywords with the past perfect: when, by, before, already.

Rob used to walk to work every day.

He discovered that there’s a subway station near our apartment.

Before Rob discovered that there was a subway station around the corner from our apartment, he had walked to work every single day.

I ate breakfast at 6:30 a.m.

Alex woke up at 8:00 a.m.

When Alex woke up this morning, I had already eaten breakfast.

I left my air conditioner on this morning.

I came home from work this evening.

When I came home from work this evening I saw that I had left my air conditioner on all day on full speed.

I went to Spain in 2012 and 2014.

I turned 15 years old in 2015.

I had been to Spain twice by the time I was 15 years old.

It’s common to use the contraction ‘d in the past perfect:

I’d traveled to 12 different countries by the time I was 20 years-old.

He’d already met my sister before the party last weekend.

We’d enjoyed several meals there before the restaurant closed.

They’d been living in that home for almost sixty years.

➡ Adverb Placement

The placement of the following types of adverbs (always, ever, just, never, only, previously, still, etc.) occurs before the past participle, like in the examples below:

You had previously lived abroad before moving to the United States.

Had you previously lived abroad before moving to the United States?

➡ Active/Passive 

ACTIVE:

Rob had taken many photos before he moved to New York.

PASSIVE:

Many photos had been taken by Rob before he moved to New York.  

Let's practice!

Write sentences with the past perfect in the comments section.

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