WHAT HAPPENED
FIRST?
• By the time Kevin arrived at
school the class had already
started.
• When he turned on the TV, the
program had just started.
• When Paul got home , he
realized he had left the door
open.
• After my son had gone to bed, I
watched a movie.
Past Perfect Simple – had +V3
•
•
•
The guests had already gone when I arrived at the party
The guests hadn’t gone when I arrived at the party.
Had the guests already gone when I arrived at the party?
•
•
•
The movie had just started by the time we got to the cinema.
The movie hadn’t started by the time we got to the cinema.
Had the movie just started by the time we got to the cinema?
Rules: Past Perfect Simple
• Describes an action that had already
been completed before another
action in the past.
• ‫מתאר פעולה שהסתיימה לפני פעולה‬
‫ שתי פעולות‬.)‫אחרת בעבר (עבר רחוק‬
.‫ש שהתרחשו בזו אחר זו בעבר‬
I, he, she, it, you,
we, they
had
V3
I, he, she, it, you,
we, they
hadn’t
V3
Had
I, he, she, it, you,
we, they
V3?
Use Past Perfect to Complete the
Sentences (had+V3)
• When I arrived home I realized that someone
had broken into my house. I couldn’t believe my
eyes.
• When I arrived home I saw the burglars...
• Break down the door
• Leave my papers and photos all over the floor
• Lock my dog in the cellar
• Smash the window
• Steal my laptop
• Eat the cake I’d bought for my friend’s birthday
• Parents arrived home from holiday leaving
their teenage son in charge of the house. They
soon realized he’d had a big party while they
were away.
• When my parents arrived home they saw...
• A man arrived home after leaving his new
puppy on its own for the first time.
• When he arrived home he saw...
• Someone arrived home to discover his/her
partner had mysteriously left the house.
• When s/he arrived home s/he saw...
• A teacher came back into the class and
realized she shouldn’t have left the students
on their own for that long.
• She walked back in and saw...
Time Expressions
• Note: pay attention to the time
expressions that come with Past
Perfect, and the time expressions
that come with Past Simple.
• Already, just, before, after, for, since,
(because).
• By the time, when, as soon as,
TIME EXPRESSIONS
• By the time – Ex: By the time Doris got to the
party, everyone had gone home.
• After – Ex: I arrived after the teacher had
entered the class.
• Before – Ex: She had seen the movie before
she went to bed.
• When – Ex: I went to bed when I had finished
my homework.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
• Use after, as soon as, until before using
the PAST PERFECT SIMPLE.
• After she had moved out, I found her
notes.
• I didn’t say anything until she had
finished talking.
• As soon as I had finished my homework,
I went to bed.
TIME EXPRESSIONS
• Use before, when, by the time before
the PAST SIMPLE
• Before I knew it, she had run out
the door.
• By the time he phoned her, she had
turned off her cellphone.
• She had left when I got home.
Circle the correct answers. In some
cases only one is correct, and in
others both are correct.
1. As soon as James was introduced to
Mrs. Snape, he realized that he had
met / met her before.
2. During the previous week, I had been / went
to the gym every evening.
3. He denied that he had taken / took the
money from the office.
4. I didn’t know the marking would take so long
until I had read / read the first couple of essays.
5. The boy told me that he had lost / lost his
train ticket and didn’t know how he would get
home.
6. At the conference, scientists reported that they
had found / found a cure for malaria.
7. The teacher guessed that some of the
children had cheated / cheated in the exam.
8. Thomas explained that he had gone / went
home early because he felt ill.
9. The waiter took my plate away before I had
finished / finished eating.
10. Jane didn’t want any dinner. She had eaten
/ ate already.
EXERCISES
1. After I ______ (finish) my lunch, I went back
to work.
2. George ________ (repair) his car before he
went fishing.
3. She _______ (tell) me she _________ (buy) a
new car.
4. I _____(buy) a new car because some thieves
__________ (steal) my old one.
EXERCISES
5- After the company _____Joe, he began to work
on his first project. (hire)
6- _____you _______ the news before you saw it
on TV? (hear)
7- Michael didn’t want to see the movie because he
_______ the book yet. (not read)
8-The concert ______ already _______when we
_______ the stadium. (begin/ enter)
9- Until Anne ________ Mark, she ____ never
______in love. (meet, be)
EXERCISES
10- Bill __________ for years before he finally
_______. (smoke/ quit)
11- _______ Sara ever _______to London by
herself before October? (drive)
12- How many fish ______ the boys _____ by the
time it started raining? (catch)
13- You ________ them to go to the beach, hadn’t
you? (forbid)
14- The girls _______ in weeks. That’s why they
______ so much afterwards. (not exercise / hurt)