44 Past perfect simple
Meaning and use Core meaning We use the past perfect to talk about the relationship between events in the past. The past perfect indicates that an event happened further back in the past than another event (typically in the past simple or past progressive). We use the past perfect to describe . . . 1) one thing happened before another (often using when or by the time). The past perfect is often used in sentences along with the past simple, contrasting two times. The clauses can be in either order. I put my hand into my pocket and found I ’d left my keys at home. By the time we arrived at the conference centre, the presentation had finished. It was midnight before I ’d written the last sentence of my essay. John had already left for work when Susie called. Past John had left
Now
Future
Susie called
2) background events. The tense is used to narrate earlier background events that happened before the perceived main starting point of a story (or part of a story). George had always tried to lead a good life. In a sequence of past perfect verbs wre only need to use had once. She’d opened the door, walked across the hall and taken the necklace (opened, walked and taken are all past perfect). 3) something expected, intended or planned didn’t happen (or was unfinished) at a certain time or before something else happened. The deal was announced before Akira had agreed to it (Note: Akira possibly never agreed to the deal - wre cannot tell from this sentence if he did or not). They decided to start before safety checks had been made. 4) superlative experiences. As with the present perfect, ever is commonly used, often in sentences beginning It was the . . . and including a superlative. It was the best meal I ’d ever had. It was the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced. Unit 15 Superlatives 5) reported speech. When we report what someone’s said using the past simple or present perfect, we often use the past perfect. cHe broke the record’ -> She said that he had broken the record. T’ve never met Mr Jones’ -> He said that he had never met Mr Jones. Unit 63 Direct and reported speech 179