Past Perfect Revisited

Most people are familiar with when they should use the past simple or the present perfect tenses, but not when they should use the past perfect. So let’s take a look at the usage of the past perfect!

We use the past simple when the actions happen in the order that they are explained:

When she arrived home, he cooked dinner. 

First, she came home. Later, he cooked dinner. 

We use the past perfect simple (had + past participle) when an action is explained later but happened before:

When she arrived home, she saw he had already cooked dinner. 

First, he cooked dinner. Later, she arrived. 

One reason we use the present perfect simple or continuous is to talk about a situation or action that began in the past and continues up to now:

I have lived here for thirteen years.

I have been living here for thirteen years.

But when we talk about a situation that began in the past and ended later in the past, we use the past perfect simple or continuous:

I had lived there until I found a job in a different city.

I had been living there until I found a job in a different city.

Both the past simple and present perfect in direct speech:

I sent you a message.

I have sent you a message.

Become the past simple in reported speech:

You said you had sent me a message.

We also use the past perfect in the if half of the third conditional (to say that if a different was taken in the past, the result would be different):

We would have gone to the party if you had invited us.

If you hadn’t read this entry, you wouldn't have realized how useful the past perfect is!