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a2440
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past-perfect-0
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Secondaire 2
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past perfect
verbs
perfect tenses
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Titre (niveau 2)
Past Perfect: Uses
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past-perfect-uses
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Past Perfect: Uses
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The past perfect tense expresses:

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  1. A finished action before a second action in the past

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Past perfect uses
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  1. Emphasis on the duration of an action before another action or moment in the past

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Past perfect uses
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  1. A finished action before a second action in the past

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Past perfect uses
Description

The alien, DeToX, had finished all the routine checks before landing on planet Earth.

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  1. The duration of an action before another action in the past

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Past perfect uses
Description

DeToX had studied humans for many years before he travelled to Earth.

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Past Perfect Keywords

Many keywords can help you recognize situations where the past perfect is used. 

A word A combination of words
because when before by the time...
after already just prior to...
never until since  
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Titre (niveau 3)
Simple Past vs Past Perfect
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simple-past-vs-past-perfect
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When you’re describing many actions that happened in chronological order in the past, use the simple past

For example:
When Charlie arrived, he sat down with Chloe, ordered a coffee, and they talked for a few hours.


However, if you want to specify an action was finished before another happened, use the past perfect. 

For example: 
When Charlie arrived, Chloe had already ordered a hot chocolate.

Titre (niveau 3)
Third Conditional Use
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third-conditional-use
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For Advanced Users
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It’s possible to use the past perfect as the third conditional, for unreal and imaginary situations.

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Past perfect uses
Description

If DeToX had gone to sleep earlier, the alien would not be tired today.

Titre (niveau 2)
Past Perfect: Affirmative Form
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past-perfect-affirmative-form
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Points to remember when forming affirmative past perfect sentences

  1. Use the past tense of to have (had)

  2. Use the past participle form of the main verb.

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Past perfect affirmative sentences structure
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Affirmative form contractions:

I'd bought a new spaceship.

You'd researched the planet for years.

She'd left everything behind.

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Past perfect affirmative sentences
Description

DeToX had seen beautiful cities on its planet, but that was before the alien landed in Quebec City.

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Past perfect affirmative sentences
Description

It had always wanted to try a Beaver Tail but DeToX never had the chance on its planet.

Largeur de l'exercice
720
Hauteur de l'exercice
720
Titre (niveau 2)
Past Perfect: Negative Form
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past-perfect-negative-form
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Points to remember when forming negative past perfect sentences

  1. Use the auxiliary verb had.

  2. Place the function word not after had.

  3. Use the past participle of the verb.

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Past continuous negative sentences structure
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Past perfect negative sentences
Description

DeToX had not seen a movie theatre before crashing into one.

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Past perfect negative sentences
Description

By the time DeToX’s planet called back, it still had not visited all of Quebec City.

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Contractions are often used in the negative form.

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Past perfect contracted negative
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Past perfect contracted negative
Largeur de l'exercice
720
Hauteur de l'exercice
720
Titre (niveau 2)
Past Perfect: Question Form
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past-perfect-question-form
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Points to remember when forming questions in the past perfect

  1. Place the auxiliary had before the subject.

  2. Use the past participle of the verb.

For information questions only:

  1. Place a question word at the beginning.
     

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Past perfect question form
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  1. Yes/no questions

Had subject verb object*?
Had the aliens finished the project when DeToX came back?
Had they  planned their itinerary before they left?
  1. Information questions

Question
word
had subject verb object*?
What had DeToX  eaten before going to Quebec City?
Why had the alien disappeared?  

*The object is used only when necessary.

Largeur de l'exercice
720
Hauteur de l'exercice
720
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