1. PAST PERFECT TENSE
It’s used for a past action which happened before another past action or before a stated past time.
e.g: I had had a shower, then I left home.
After she had told me that she was ill, I did not get angry with her for not coming.

2. After + Past Perfect , Past tense
TIME EXPRESSIONS
OF PAST PERFECT TENSE
Ø    after:
First, Brad Pitt acted in the movie, “Seven Years in Tibet”
Then, the Government of China banned his entrance to China.
After Brad Pitt acted in the movie, “Seven Years in Tibet”,
the Government of China banned his entrance to China.
After + Past Perfect , Past tense

3. Before + Simple Past, Past perfect
First, the producers of the film had considered
Brad Pitt for the main role.
Then, Keanu Reeves took the main role in the Matrix.
Before Keanu Reeves took the main role in the Matrix,
the producers of the film had considered Brad Pitt
for the main role.
Before + Simple Past, Past perfect

4. By the time/When + Simple Past, Past perfect
First, Julia Roberts changed her name from Julie
to Julia.
Then, Julia Roberts became a famous movie star.
By the time/ when Julia Roberts became a famous
movie star, she had (already) changed her name from
Julie to Julia.
By the time/When + Simple Past, Past perfect

5. As soon as + Past Perfect , Past tense
Ø   As soon as:
First, Brad began to work in a TV firm
Then, Brad got his first role in the movie
“Thelma and Louise”.
As soon as Brad had began to work in a TV firm,
he got his first role in the movie “Thelma and Louise”.
As soon as + Past Perfect , Past tense

6. SOME EXAMPLES:
First, we ate at the cafeteria. Then, we went to class (after)
After we had eaten at the cafeteria, we went to class.
First, Juan made himself a sandwich. Then, he poured some tea (after)
After Juan had made himself a sandwich, he poured some tea.

7. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
The past perfect continuous tense is like the past perfect tense, but it expresses longer actions in the past before another action in the past.
For example:
Ram started waiting at 9am. I arrived at 11am.
When I arrived, Ram had been waiting for two hours.

8. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets and use past forms
I (see) my first baseball game when I (live) in New York.
   How many glass of beer (drink) before He (leave) the pub?
  It (rain) so we (decide) to stay at home all afternoon.
  By the time I (leave) university I (be) to France fifteen times.
was living
saw
had he drunk
left
was raining
decided
had been
left

9. What ........................(you/do) at the time the
were you doing
What (you/do) at the time the
murder was committed?
   When we (get) home we saw that
someone (break) in to steal the video.
I didn't realise I (lose) my credit card
until I (try) to pay for something.
  I (write) an to my sister when
she (ring) me.
got
had broken
had lost
tried
was writing
rang

10. When I....................(arrive) at the station, the train
(already-leave).
We (light) the candles because the lights
(go off).
When I got home I (discover) that somebody
(break into) my flat.
The patient (die) before the ambulance
(reach) the hospital.
John (eat) all the cakes by the time the other
children (arrive).
arrived
had already left
lit
had gone off
discovered
had broken into
had died
reached
had eaten
arrived

11. PAST PERFECT TENSE OR PAST SIMPLE TENSE
had finished
After Jim and Terry 1) (finish) their breakfast,
they 2.) (take) their bags and 3.) (go) to the
river to fish. They 4.) (go) there before and
5.) (catch) some big fish. By 5 o’clock they
6.) (not/get) any fish, so they decided to go home. They
7.) (promise)their mother to bring fish for dinner,
so they 8.) (look) for a shop where they could buy some
but the shops 9.) (already/close). When they
10.) (arrive) home, they 11.) (tell) their
mother that they 12.) (catch) the biggest fish they
13.) (ever/see) but it 14.) (escape).
took
went
had gone
caught
hadn’t got
had promised
looked
had already closed
arrived
told
had caught
had ever seen
escaped

12. Now that’s your time, let’s complete the sentences:
He had lost his pen
1.) Ben couldn’t write the letter because,
2.) Jane missed the train because,
3.) He couldn’t pay the electricity bill because,
4.) She failed her exam because,
5.) She was sad because,
6.) His hands were dirty because,
7.) He was wet, because
8.) They were hungry because,
9.) He had a stomach-ache because,
10.) They were tired, because
11.) Jenifer got sunburnt because,