Past Perfect Tense

We use the Past Perfect Tense to talk about an event in the past that happened before another event in the past.

Think of the Past Perfect as the past of the past.

<------x------x-------now------- >

I had left the cinema when she arrived.

I was at the cinema. I left the cinema. She arrived at the cinema after I left.

We had already eaten when they invited us to dinner.

We ate before they invited us.

We use the Past Perfect Tense for the event that happened first (1st), and we use the Past Simple Tense for the event that happened second (2nd).

Making the Past Perfect Tense

+ I had left the cinema when she arrived. s='I' + had + past participle='left'

- I hadn't left the cinema when she arrived. s='I' + had + not + past participle='left'

? Had you left the cinema when she arrived? had + s='you' + past participle='left'

I had left the cinema when she arrived.

I hadn't left the cinema when she arrived.

Had you left the cinema when she arrived?