Lesson: The Past Perfect - 1st & 2nd Year Bac (full lesson + examples & exercises)
What is the Past Perfect?
We use the Past Perfect to talk about an action that happened before another past action or was completed before a specific past time.
Key Concept: Past Perfect shows which action happened first when we talk about two past events.
Timeline Concept
Past Perfect
(Earlier)
(Earlier)
Past Simple
(Later)
(Later)
Now
I had studied before I took the exam.
Structure of Past Perfect
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + had + past participle | She had finished her work before lunch. |
| Negative | Subject + had + not + past participle | She hadn't finished her work before lunch. |
| Question | Had + subject + past participle? | Had she finished her work before lunch? |
Remember: Past Perfect uses had for ALL subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
Past Participles
Regular Past Participles
Regular past participles are the same as Past Simple (base verb + -ed):
- work → worked → I had worked there for 5 years before I quit.
- study → studied → She had studied French before moving to Paris.
- finish → finished → They had finished dinner when we arrived.
Common Irregular Past Participles
These are the same as Present Perfect irregular forms:
| Base Form | Past Participle | Base Form | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | been | go | gone |
| see | seen | do | done |
| eat | eaten | write | written |
| take | taken | make | made |
| give | given | come | come |
| know | known | speak | spoken |
Time Expressions with Past Perfect
Showing Sequence
- before → She had left before I arrived.
- after → After he had finished work, he went home.
- by the time → By the time we got there, the movie had started.
- when → When I woke up, it had stopped raining.
Completion Before a Specific Time
- by + past time → By 2020, they had moved to Rabat.
- until → I had never seen snow until I visited Europe.
- already → He had already left when I called.
Past Perfect vs Past Simple
Key Rule: Use Past Perfect for the FIRST action (what happened earlier) and Past Simple for the SECOND action (what happened later).
Examples:
- When I arrived (2nd), she had already left (1st).
- After he had studied (1st), he took the exam (2nd).
- I had never been to Morocco (1st) before I visited Marrakech (2nd).
Common Mistake:
❌ I went to bed after I watched TV.
✅ I went to bed after I had watched TV.
❌ I went to bed after I watched TV.
✅ I went to bed after I had watched TV.
Common Uses
Sequence of Events
- Before the teacher arrived, the students had prepared the presentation.
- By the time I got to the station, the train had left.
Life Experience up to a Past Point
- It was the most delicious meal I had ever tasted.
- By age 25, he had visited 15 countries.
Explaining Past Situations
- I was tired because I had worked all day.
- The ground was wet because it had rained.
Practice Exercises
A. Complete with Past Perfect or Past Simple
- 1. When I arrived at the party, everyone __________ (already/leave).
- 2. After she __________ (finish) her studies, she found a job.
- 3. I was hungry because I __________ (not/eat) breakfast.
- 4. By the time we got to the cinema, the movie __________ (start).
- 5. He __________ (live) in London for 5 years before he moved to Paris.
B. Put the events in order using Past Perfect and Past Simple
- 1. I/go/to bed - I/watch/the news
- 2. She/be/tired - she/work/all day
- 3. We/miss/the bus - we/arrive/late
Speaking Practice: Tell someone about your life experiences using "Before I was 18, I had..." or "By the time I finished school, I had never..."
