§ 19. The Past Indefinite and the Present Perfect.

An action expressed by the Past Indefinite belongs exclusively to the sphere of the past, while the Present Perfect shows that a past occurrence is connected with the present time.

She is not well and has changed very much of late./She changed very much a great many years ago.

The Present Perfect is never used with such adverbial modifiers of the past time as yesterday, the other day, last week, etc. With such adverbial modifiers as to-day, this week, etc. both the Present Perfect and the Past Indefinite are used.

I have told you three times this week that she is coming home for a year. / I want your sister, the woman who gave me money to-day.

With the adverb just the Present Perfect is used.

I have just hired a new pianist from St Joe.

With the expression just now the Past Indefinite is used.

I saw you come in just now.

THE PAST PERFECT

§ 20. The formation of the Past Perfect.

1. The Past Perfect is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to have and Participle II of the notional verb.

2. In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.

In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.

Affirmative Interrogative Negative

I had worked Had I worked? I had not worked

He had worked Had he worked? He had not worked

She had worked Had she worked? She had not worked

We had worked Had we worked? We had not worked

You had worked Had you worked? You had not worked

They had worked Had they worked? They had not worked

3. The contracted affirmative forms are:

I'd written; We’d written

The contracted negative forms are:

I hadn’t written; We hadn’t written

4. The negative-interrogative forms are:

Had he not written?\ Hadn’t he written?; Had you not written?\ Hadn’t you written?

§ 21. The use of the Past Perfect.

1. The Past Perfect denotes an action completed before a certain moment in the past. The moment may be indicated by another past action expressed by a verb in the Past Indefinite or by an adverbial phrase.

They had walked only a few steps when a second group of tanks drew up on the side road. Fortunately the rain had stopped before we started. The clock had not struck when he reached Gray’s Inn.

The definite moment can be understood from the situation.

The Squire had laid down his knife and fork, and was staring at his son in amazement.

The definite moment need not necessarily be expressed in the same sentence as the action expressed by the Past Perfect.

Everybody noticed how sad she was the whole- evening. She had got an unpleasant letter.

The Past Perfect is used with the conjunctions hardly... when, scarcely... when, no sooner... than.

They had no sooner arrived at this point than a most violent and startling knocking was heard. Nell had scarcely settled herself on a little heap of straw in the corner when she fell asleep.

The Past Perfect is frequently used with the adverbs just, already, yet.

Elsie, who had not yet assumed the white cap, was sweeping the stairs.

2. Sometimes the Past Perfect does not denote priority but only the completion of the action.

He waited until she had found the latch-key and opened the door.

The Squire was purple with anger before his son had done speaking.

3. The Past Perfect is used to denote an action which began before a definite moment in the past, continued up to that moment and was still going on at that moment. This use is called the Past Perfect Inclusive. The starting point or the whole period of duration of the action is indicated. To indicate the starting point the preposition since is used, to indicate the whole period of duration for is used.

The Past Perfect Inclusive is used:

(a) with verbs not admitting of the Continuous form.

Examination convinced him that the deacon was dead—had been dead for some time.

(b) in negative sentences.

Those two had not spoken to each other for three days.

(c) with non-terminative verbs such as to work, to live, to study, to teach, to travel, to last, etc

The ride had lasted about ten minutes, when the truck suddenly swerved to a halt.