Past Perfect

The past perfect tense is often used in English when we are relating two events which happened in the past. It helps to show which event heppened first. This page will explain the rules for forming and using the tense.
Forming the past perfect tense
This tense is formed using two components: the verb HAVE (in the past tense), and the past participle form of a verb. With a regular verb the past participle ends with -ED (just like the simple past). Irregular verbs have a special past participle form that you have to learn. Here are the rules, using the regular verb "arrive" and the irregular verb "eat":
Subject
HAVE+Past Participle
Contraction
I had arrived. I had eaten.
I'd arrived. I'd eaten.
You had arrived You had eaten.
You'd arrived.You'd eaten.
He had arrived. He had eaten.
He'd arrived. He'd eaten.
She had arrived. She had eaten.
She'd arrived. She'd eaten.
It had arrived. It had eaten.
It'd arrived.It'd eaten.
We had arrived. We had eaten.
We'd arrived.We'd eaten.
They had arrived. They had eaten.
They'd arrived.They'd eaten.



Using the Past Perfect
The past perfect is used to show you which of two events happened first. Imagine that two things happened in the past:
I went to see the movie.
We discussed the movie in class.
Here, we don't know which order the events happened in. That may be important -- perhaps I went to see the movie after the discussion, or maybe I saw the movie before the discussion. There are many ways to make this sequence clear, and the past perfect is one of them. This is how we do it:
I went to see the movie. We had discussed it in class.
Here, we KNOW that the discussion took place FIRST -- even though the sentence describing it comes afterwards. We discussed the movie, and THEN I went to see it. This can be very useful when you are telling a story or relating a sequence of events. At any point in your story, you can jump BACK to a previous event, and your reader will not be confused, because the past perfect will make it clear that the event happened previously. Here is another example:
I wanted to live in a foreign country, so I applied for a job in Japan. Judy lived in Japan, so I called her to find out more about the culture and lifestyle there.
(Judy was probably still living in Japan when I called her.)
I wanted to live in a foreign country, so I applied for a job in Japan. Judy had lived in Japan, so I called her to find out more about the culture and lifestyle there.










Past Perfect
with "after" "before" and "when"


Note the use of "after", "before" and "when" with past perfect tense use.


Earlier

Later
After
I had stopped at an ATM

I took my friends out to lunch.

I had stopped at an ATM
before
I took my friends out to lunch.





Later

Earlier

I took my friends out to lunch
after
I had stopped at an ATM.
Before
I took my friends out to lunch

I had stopped at an ATM.





Earlier

Later

I had just closed my eyes
when
the telephone rang.





Later

Earlier
When
the telephone rang

I had just closed my eyes.


Practice


1. Consider the logical sequence of events, then, decide where to put the adverb.Next, decide whether to use past perfect verb tense.
2. Then click anywhere in the background of the page to see if your answer is partially or all correct. If all of your answer is correct then all of it will remain in the box. If it is partially correct , your answer will be erased to the right of the correct letters entered.

Parte superior do formulário
EXAMPLE: We (just sit) down to dinner. A fire (break out) in the kitchen. when
Step 1: Consider the logical sequence of events, then, decide where to put the adverb. We (just sit) down to dinner. when A fire (break out) in the kitchen.
Step2: Join the sentences and adjust the verb tense in each clause.



1. He (just buy) a new home. His company (transfer) him to another city. when



2. The examination (already begin). They (discover) one of the pages was missing. after

3.His daughter (just given up) hope. She (receive) a telegram saying she had been awarded first prize.
when


4. The student (barely have) a chance to use his new text book. He (lose) it on a bus. before




5. The company (already ship) the merchandise.They (realize) they had sent it to the wrong address. after




6. He (barely overcome) one financial difficulty. Another, more serious one (face) him. when





7. The couple (just enter) the house. They (begin) to argue. when




8. They (hire) a new cook. The old one (ask) for his job back. after



9. The car (hardly go) a mile. It (have) a flat tire. before



10. The foot ball players (just enter) the stadium. A cheer (arise) from the audience. when
Parte inferior do formulário

REPORTED SPEECH
Supply the correct form of the verbs.
1. I said, “I don’t fell well today”.
I said that I …………………………………… well that day.
2. Mother said, “The girls are playing in the park.”
Mother said that the girls …………………………… in the park.
3. She said, “I will be your new teacher”.
She said that she ……………………………………. my new teacher.
4. George said, “I read the newspaper yesterday”.
George said that he ……………………… the newspaper the day before.
5. My father said, “I will be working tomorrow”
My father said that he …………………………….. the next day.
Put into the reported speech.
1. Harold said, “I am studying biology now”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. The girls said, “We are going to buy some flowers”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. The bus driver said, “I will have reached Salvador next Friday”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. They said, “We want to swim now”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. He said, “I saw her last night”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Jane said, “Joe didn’t come this morning”.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Albert said, “ Raymond was playing in my room an hour ago”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. I said, “I will not write it tomorrow”.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Mr. Winston said, “John doesn’t live here”.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

10. Cecilia said, “You have to help me today”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Put into the direct speech.
1. Julie said that she would receive a letter from Bill.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. James said that I had to see his work that today.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. She said that she had lived there since the year before.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. They said that they were studying history then.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Mrs. Alison said that she was my new teacher

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Francis said that he would be in London the following week.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Paul said that his brother had worked in Madrid three years before.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. Alice said that she went to school with her father.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. They said that they would go to the movies if they had money

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

10. Peter said that he would have left the next day.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

STRUCTURE
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
John said, “I love Mary”.
John said that he loved Mary.
John said to Mary, “I love you”
John told Mary that he loved her.
He said, “Where is Linda?”
He asked where Linda was.
She said, “How do you go to school?”
She asked how I went to school.
They said, “When will she arrive?”
They asked when she would arrive.
She said, “Do you speak English?”
She asked if I spoke English.
They said, “Did she go to school?”
They asked if she had gone to school.
He said, “Will they help you?”
He asked if they would help me

Supply the correct form of the verbs.
1. Peter said, “Have you finished your homework?”
Peter asked if I ………………………………………… my homework.
2. I said to him, “Did you write your composition?”
I asked him if he ………………………………………… his composition.
3. Bob said, “Do you know the name of this school?”
Bob asked if I ………………………………………… the name of that school.
4. Joyce said to George, “Will you help me?”
Joyce asked George if he ………………………………………… her.
5. Frank said, “How do you go to work?”
6. Frank asked how I ………………………………………… to work.
Put into the reported speech.
1. My sister said to me, “Do you want to ski?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. He said to me, “How are you today?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. She said to him, “Where do you study?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. I said to Jane, “Are you going to school?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Joe said, “Why will you write the letter?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Dr. Watson said to me, “What have you seen?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Betty said, “What time is it?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Johnny said to his mother, “Can I go to the club?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Christine said, “Who wants to go with me?”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. Mother said, “Where did Lucy go?” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Put into the direct speech.
1. Carol asked me if I was tired.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. He asked where we would go.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. They asked him where he lived.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. She asked them if they had seen her book.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. I asked if you spoke English.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Mom asked me if I would study the next day.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. We asked them if they played the piano.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. She asked why I didn’t go with her.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Jane asked if I had brought the books.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Used to and Be used to doing

USED TO DO

Ross: when I was younger, I used to be a singer in a rock band. That was before I become an actress, I used to travel around the country doing gigs.

Used + to-infinitive means that something happened regularly or went on for a time in the past.
I used to travel means that in the past I regularly travelled, but I no longer do so.

Here are some examples:
We used to play that game when we were younger.
Nick used to smoke, but he gave it up.
I used to like fish, but I never eat it now.
There used to be a dancehall here, but they knocked it down:

We cannot use this structure in the present tense:
Claire travels a lot, NOT Claire uses to travel a lot.

We normally use didn’t use to in negatives and did… use to in questions:
We didn’t use to have computers. OR We never used to have computers.
Were did people used to buy their food before the supermarket was built?
Did you used to live in London?

BE USED TO DOING
Steve: I’m used to driving because I travel a lot in my job. I’m used to travelling around the country.
Be used to + ing- form means that something is familiar and is no longer strange. I’m used to travelling means that travelling is no longer strange or difficult because I have done it for so long.
Here are some more examples:
We’re used to getting up early. We do it every day. NOT we’re used to get up early
Sarah is used to working late at the office.
Most visitors to Britain aren’t used to driving on the left
I wasn’t used to wearing glasses. It seemed very strange at first.
We can also say get used to to talk about things becoming more familiar:
It was difficult at first, but Mike soon got to working at night.
After her husband died, the old woman had to get used to living on her own.

Exercises:
Used to do
Mrs. Bell is a hundred years old. She’s the oldest person in the village.
A radio reporter is interviewing her. Put in used to with the verb:
Mrs. Bell: I’ve always lived in the village, but not always in this house.
Reporter: where ______________ (you live)?
When I was a girl, we lived at Apple Tree Farm.
______________________________(we/like) it there.
Reporter: But life was hard, wasn’t it?
Mrs. Bell: Oh yes. Things __________________ (be) different from the way they are now. In those days ________________________(we/not/have) electricity.
Reporter: And _____________________ (you/help) with the farm work?
Mrs. Bell: Yes, _______________________( I/look) after the hens.


Used to do and be used to doing
Put in a to-infinitive or to + ing-form. Use the verbs in brackets:

When I was a child, I used to _____________ (dream) of being an astronaut.
I’m terribly nervous. I’m not used ____________(speak) to a large audience.
It took us ages to get used ___________________(live) in a block of flats.
Lots of trains used ________________( stop) here, but not many do now.
Didn’t Nick use_________________(work) on a building site?
There didn’t use____________________( be) so many soap operas on television.
I’ll have an orange juice, please. I’m not used _______________(drink) alcohol.
David doesn’t seem to mind being in hospital. I suppose he’s got used ____________(be) there.
When Laura was at the college, she used _________________(have) a picture of Elvis Presley on her bedroom wall.
Supposed to be' can be used to mean 'it is said/believed

The new James Bond movie is supposed to be excellent.
He is supposed to have been rude to Mark but I don't believe it.
It is supposed to be the best restaurant in town.
Supposed to be can also be used to talk about what is arranged, intended or expected. It is a bit like 'should'.

I'm supposed to get to work by 8.
John is supposed to turn off all the lights when he leaves.
I'm supposed to pay my rent on the first of the month.
It's not supposed to be here.
Often there is a suggestion that the action 'supposed to' happen does not actually happen.

I'm supposed to be there before 8 but I'm often late.
You were supposed to phone me.
I'm supposed to be getting on a plane to Tokyo at this very minute.
'Not supposed to' often suggests that something is not allowed or prohibited.

You're not supposed to smoke in here.
I'm not supposed to tell you.
We're not supposed to use the Internet for personal reasons at work.
'Suppose' can also be used as a conjunction to mean 'what if'. Notice that the verb which follows it is sometimes, but not always, put 'more in the past'.

Suppose we take the earlier train to Munich? It would give us more time there.
Suppose we took the plane instead? That would give us even more time.
There's nobody in reception to let our visitors in. Suppose I sit there until somebody comes?
I'm going to ask him for a pay increase. ~ Suppose he said 'no'? What would you do?

BE SUPPOSED TO

It has three different meanings:

It is supposed to = it is said to...

I'm going to buy his book. It's supposed to be very good (it is said to be very good)
Why hasn't the teacher come to school today? She is supposed to be ill (She is said to be ill)

Something that is supposed to happen= it is planned, arranged or expected. Often this is different from what really happens

The exam was supposed to start at 10.00 sharp but the teacher was late
I'm supposed to give a conference in Berlin tomorrow but I think I'm going down with flu.

You are not supposed to do something= it is not allowed or advisable for you to do that

She is not supposed to speak Spanish in an English class.


Rewrite the following sentences using the structure: Be supposed to.

1. It's your duty to make tea at eleven.
_______________tea at eleven.
2. We don't allow smoking here.
________________here.
3. It was your duty to obey him.
________________obey him.
4. It is said that Peter is a millionaire.
_________________Peter a millionaire.
5. My students can't talk to each other during the exams.
________________talk to each other during exams.

Fables

The Ass in the Lion's Skin
An Ass once found a Lion's skin which the hunters had left out in the sun to dry. He put it on and went towards his native village. All fled at his approach, both men and animals, and he was a proud Ass that day. In his delight he lifted up his voice and brayed, but then every one knew him, and his owner came up and gave him a sound cudgelling for the fright he had caused. And shortly afterwards a Fox came up to him and said: "Ah, I knew you by your voice."
Fine clothes may disguise, but silly words will disclose a fool.



The Bat and the Weasels
A Bat who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel,whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.
It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.