Lecture on Past Perfect Tense

Jul 23, 2024

Lecture on Past Perfect Tense

Introduction

  • Focus on using the Past Perfect Tense
  • English has 12 different tenses
  • Special courses available for each tense
  • Two ways to improve English:
    1. Study grammar, structure, usage
    2. Practice understanding and using it in context
  • Aim: Quickly start using Past Perfect Tense

Timeline Explanation

  • Now: Present
  • Past: Before now
  • Future: After now
  • Past Simple: Events in the past
  • Past Perfect: Sequence of past events (one happened before another)

Example Sentences

  1. I had planned to call you, but my phone died
    • "I had planned" (Past Perfect)
    • "my phone died" (Past Simple)
  2. I had hoped to meet John, but he left early
    • "I had hoped" (Past Perfect)
    • "he left" (Past Simple)
  3. I had wanted to study tonight, but I was too tired
    • "I had wanted" (Past Perfect)
    • "I was" (Past Simple)

Structure and Usage

  • Past Perfect followed by Past Simple
  • Past Perfect examples: "had planned," "had hoped," "had wanted"
  • Context: Shows two events in the past, one before the other

Additional Examples

  1. I had decided to arrive home early, but there was a lot of traffic
  2. I had expected to receive their reply, but it didn't arrive
  3. He had promised to help me, but he had to work late
  4. She had offered to join me at the party, but she was out of town

Practice Suggestions

  • Think of personal life examples:
    • Something you had planned/hoped/expected to do, but something else happened
  • Write sentences using the Past Perfect + Past Simple structure

Using Past Perfect with Nouns

  • Example Sentences:
    1. "We had ordered a large pizza, but they sent a small one"
    2. "He had made an appointment, but it was postponed"
    3. "She had requested a window seat, but none were available"
  • Past Perfect ("had ordered," "had made," "had requested") followed by nouns

Conclusion

  • Past Perfect Tense is useful in daily and professional life
  • Writing personal examples can help internalize the tense
  • Full courses available for detailed study on each English tense
  • Visit engvid.com for more practice

Take care!