Grammar basics
Past perfect
Use the past perfect for an action that happened before another action in the past. It is the "earlier past".
Structure
| Sentence | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + had + V3 | The meeting had started before I arrived. |
| Negative | Subject + had + not + V3 | I hadn't saved my work. |
| Question | Had + subject + V3? | Had you met her before? |
Use had with every subject. The short form is 'd: I'd, she'd, they'd.
When to use
The earlier of two past actions
When I got to the station, the train had already left.
To explain a past situation
I was tired because I had worked all night.
Only when the order matters
If the order is clear, the past simple is fine: I saved my work and closed my laptop. Use the past perfect when you need to show which action came first.
Time words
These words often go with the past perfect.
Before
Earlier than another action.
I had never used Django before I started this project.
After
Later than another action.
After I had finished my work, I went to the gym.
By the time
When something happened, another thing was already finished.
By the time I woke up, my roommate had gone to work.