Past Perfect

Learn had + past participle in affirmative, negative, and question forms.

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Topic

Had + Past Participle

The past perfect talks about an action that happened before another past action. We use had with a past participle.

I had finished.
She had eaten.
We had not gone.
Had Ali arrived?
They had played.
What does it mean?

Earlier past action.

I had lost my key before I left.Losing happened first.Earlier past.
She had finished before dinner.Finishing happened before dinner.First past action.
They had visited Dubai before 2025.The visit happened before another past time.Before a past point.
Main rule

Use had + past participle.

All subjects use hadI had played.
They had eaten.Use had for every subject.
He / She / It hadHe had played.
It had broken.No has/have here.
Names use hadSara had called.
Omar had gone.One name uses had too.
Affirmative form

Subject + had + past participle.

I had cleaned.Short form: I'd cleaned.I + had
Maha had started.Short form: Maha'd started.Name + had
We had seen it.Short form: We'd seen it.We + had
Negative form

Add not after had.

I had not finished.Short form: I hadn't finished.had not = hadn't
She had not arrived.Short form: She hadn't arrived.Use had not.
They had not eaten.Short form: They hadn't eaten.Use the past participle.
Question form

Move had to the front.

Had I / you / we / they?Had you finished?
Had they gone?Use had.
Had he / she / it?Had she eaten?
Had it started?Use had.
Had + name?Had Ali arrived?
Had Sara called?Names use had.
Short answers

Answer with had or hadn't.

Had you finished?Yes, I had.
No, I hadn't.Had question -> had answer.
Had Sara arrived?Yes, she had.
No, she hadn't.Use had.
Had they eaten?Yes, they had.
No, they hadn't.Use the subject again.
Regular verbs

Regular past participles usually add ed.

Just add edplay -> played
clean -> cleaned
visit -> visitedMost regular verbs.
Drop e, add dlive -> lived
like -> liked
close -> closedVerbs ending in e.
Consonant + ystudy -> studied
try -> tried
cry -> criedChange y to ied.
Double letters

Some short verbs double the last letter.

stop -> stoppedThe bus has stopped.Double p.
plan -> plannedWe have planned a trip.Double n.
travel -> travelledThey have travelled far.Often double l in British English.
Irregular verbs

Some verbs have special past participles.

go -> goneHe had gone home.Not goed.
eat -> eatenThey have eaten lunch.Not eated.
see -> seenI have seen that film.Not saw here.
More irregular verbs

Learn common past participles.

do -> doneShe had done her homework.Use done after had.
write -> writtenAli has written a story.Not wrote here.
break -> brokenThe glass has broken.Not breaked.
Sentence completion 1

Choose the correct words.

I ___ my homework before dinner.

Sentence completion 2

Choose the correct negative form.

Sara ___ lunch before the trip.

Sentence completion 3

Choose the question starter.

___ they visited the museum before it closed?

MCQ 1

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is correct?

MCQ 2

Choose the correct question.

Which question is correct?

Paragraph completion 1

Fill five blanks.

Choose the best past perfect form for each blank.

I my room before my friend came.
Ali his project before the lesson started.
We that film before Friday.
Sara eaten before she left?
Yes, she to the kitchen earlier.
Test 1

Mixed question types of 5

Answer all five. Then tap Finish test to see your result sheet.

1. Sentence completion

The cup ___ before I saw it.

2. MCQ

Which sentence is correct?

3. Type the answer

___ you done your homework before class?

4. Type the past participle

study -> ___

5. MCQ

Answer: Had Omar arrived before 8?

Cumulative result sheet

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