Present perfect and past perfect
Past perfect simple
contrast: past perfect simple vs past simpleb1
Past simple and past perfect simpleI ran to the station, but the train had already left. I arrived at the bank, but it had just closed.I was happy because I'd got tickets for the festival.‘Had she already finished?’ ‘Yes, she had.’We can use the past perfect with the past simple when we talk about two actions or events in the past. I phoned the office, but Emma had already left.We use the past perfect for the action that happened first. We often use already/just with the past perfect to say when it happened.I ran to the station, but the train had already left (some time earlier).I arrived at the bank, but it had just closed (a very short time earlier).We use the past simple for the most recent action.When I got there, the train had already left.After he'd done the washing, he cleaned the windows.We can use the past simple when one action comes immediately after another.He did the washing and then he cleaned the windows.We use the past perfect with the past simple to give a reason for a situation. We use the past simple for the situation, and we use because + past perfect for the reason. I was happy (the situation) because I'd got tickets for the festival (the reason).
Complete the sentences with the simple past or past perfect form of the verbs in brackets. Use full forms (I have), not short forms (I've).
Question: 1 /
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By the time they
(get) home from school, their favourite TV show
(finish).
She
(work) here for three months before she
(make) any new friends.
The children
(learn) how to read before they
(be) five years old.
By the time her pizza finally
(come), she
(eat) dessert.
Grammar contentsView all
Present perfect and past perfect
Quantifiers, possessives and demonstratives