Use of Past Perfect Tense

Past Perfect Tense is used to express the completed actions of the past time. The following actions can be explained in Past Perfect Tense:

• Complex Sentences
• Concluded Actions
• Duration of Actions
• Hypothetical Conditions
• Some Wish or Hope
• Conditional Sentences Having as if/as though

Past Perfect Tense is Used to Express Complex Sentences

Past Perfect Tense can be used to express the past time in complex sentences, in which one action was dependent on the other action. It means that Past Perfect Tense can be used for such sentences in which one clause was dependent, and the other one was independent. For example:

• The Prime Minister had hoisted the flag before the speeches began.
• Had the people dispersed before the police opened fire?
• Had they not made away with booty before the police reached?
• The sun had risen before he got up.
• Had the sun set before the birds flew to their nests?
• The patient had died before the doctor came.

Past Perfect Tense is Used to Express Concluded Actions Before a Certain Time

Past Perfect Tense can be used to express some completed actions of the past that must be completed before the completion of others. For example:

• When we reached the college, the bell had gone.
• We had reached college before it started raining.
• When he reached the station, the train had started.
• They had done their work when I came to see them.
• I had seen him before he saw me.

Past Perfect Tense is Used to Express Duration of Action Up To a Certain Time

Past Perfect Tense can also be used to express the duration of action. It means that Past Perfect Tense can be used to tell that a specific action is occurring during a specific period. For example:

• By the time, he left the bar, he had practiced law for thirty-five years.
• She left this house, however, she had lived in this house for more than thirty years.
• They did not help me, but they had already helped many poor.

Past Perfect Tense is Used to Express Hypothetical Condition With An Implied Negative

To express an assumption of the past time, that must be contrary to fact, can be expressed in Past Perfect Tense. It means that hypothetical conditions that implied a negative sense, can be expressed in Past Perfect Tense. For example:

• If you had worked hard, you would have succeeded in the examination.
• If I had obeyed the Laws of God, I would not have invited His Wrath.
• If you had wanted, you could have gone home.
• If he had eaten too much, he would have gotten fatter.
• Had she known, she would never have gone there.

Past Perfect Tense is Used To Express Some Wish or Hope of the Past Period

Past Perfect Tense can be used to express some hope or wish of the past time. For example:

• She had expected him to stand by her.
• I had hoped to go to New York this year.
• I wish now that I had taken my father’s advice.

Past Perfect Tense is Used To Express Conditional Sentences Having “As if/As Though”

Past Perfect Tense can be used to express the conditional sentences that have “as if/as though”. For example:

• He treated the stranger so nicely as if he had been his old chum.
• He talked about English as though he had lived there all his life.
• It looked as though you had never met him.