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).
Look at the verbs in italics. Put them in the order they happened.
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Once I'd thrown away some of my old clothes, I felt I could buy some new ones so I started looking at jackets online.
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When I spoke to my dad last week, I finally understood why he had left his job and moved to the countryside.
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When we looked at the bill, we realized they'd made a mistake, so we called the waiter and asked him to change it.
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I woke up and got out of bed. When I opened the curtains, I saw that it had snowed heavily in the night.
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Grammar contentsView all
Present perfect and past perfect
Quantifiers, possessives and demonstratives