Past Perfect: structure and use summary

PAST PERFECT

1. The past perfect, also called the pluperfect, is a verb tense used to talk about actions that were completed before some point in the past.

   • Example
     • We were shocked to discover that someone had graffitied “Tootles was here” on our front door. We were relieved that Tootles had used washable paint.

2. The past perfect tense is for talking about something that happened before something else. Imagine waking up one morning and stepping outside to grab the newspaper. On your way back in, you notice a mysterious message scrawled across your front door: Tootles was here. When you’re telling this story to your friends later, how would you describe this moment? You might say something like:

   • Example
     • I turned back to the house and saw that some someone named Tootles had defaced my front door!

3. The Past Perfect Formula

   • The formula for the past perfect tense is had + [past participle]. It doesn’t matter if the subject is singular or plural; the formula doesn’t change.

4. USE

   • So what’s the difference between past perfect and simple past? When you’re talking about some point in the past and want to reference an event that happened even earlier, using the past perfect allows you to convey the sequence of the events. It’s also clearer and more specific.

5. How to Ask a Question

   • The formula for asking a question in the past perfect tense is had + [subject] + [past participle].
     • Had Tootles caused trouble in other neighborhoods before he struck ours?