The past perfect tense

Утвердительная форма	Вопросительная форма	Отрицательная форма
I He She It }had worked We (‘d worked) You They	I he she Had { it } worked ? we you they	I He She It } had not worked We (hadn’t worked) You They

Past Perfect образуется при помощи вспомогательного глагола to have в Past Indefinite (had для всех лиц и чисел) и причастия прошедшего времени смыслового глагола.

Например:

He had written the letter by 6 o’clock yesterday.

– Он написал письмо вчера к 6 часам.

Past Perfect употребляется для выражения действия, которое совершилось до определенного момента в прошлом ( поэтому иногда это действие называют предпрошедшим).

Этот момент в прошлом может быть указан:

а) обстоятельством времени с предлогом by (к) – by 5 o’clock, by Saturday, by that time, и т.д.

Например:

I had done it by yesterday morning.

– Я сделал это к вчерашнему утру (т.е. я завершил это действие до того, как настало утро).

б) другим (более поздним по времени ) действием в прошлом, если нам важно показать предшествование.

Например:

When his parents came he had already gone to bed. My mother had cooked dinner by the time I came home.

Когда пришли родители, он уже лег спать (т.е. он лег спать до того, как пришли родители). Мама приготовила обед к тому времени, как я пришел из школы (т.е. обед был готов раньше, чем я пришел).

в) контекстом (в самом предложении никакого указания нет).

Например:

She looked tired. She hadn’t slept.

Она выглядела усталой. Она не спала (до этого).

Exercises

Ex. 1. Translate into Russian. Pay attention to the use of the Past Perfect.

1. She was no fool. She had read much, in several languages, and she could talk of the books she had read with good sense.

2. At 10 o’clock he awoke and remembered that he hadn’t seen Lilly for three weeks.

3. Outside on the square it had stopped raining and the moon was trying to get through the clouds.

4. The rain had passed and the air was fresh and sweet.

5. The staff hadn’t left when I arrived.

6. I only wanted to know why he had lost his job.

7. She refused to go to the pictures with me because she had already seen the film.

8. He had heard the news before he ran up the stairs.

9. I discovered one piece of news before I had been in the house an hour.

10. We sat down to dinner only after all our guests had arrived.

Ex. 2. Put the verb into correct form. Imagine that you went back to your home town after many years and you found that many things were different.

Pattern: Most of my friends were no longer there. They had left.

1. My best friend, Kevin, was no longer there. He (go) away.

2. The local cinema was no longer open. It (close) down.

3. Mr. Johnson was no longer alive. He (die).

4. I didn’t recognize Mrs. Johnson. She (change) a lot.

5. Bill no longer had his car. He (sell) it.

Ex. 3. Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets.

Pattern: The woman was a complete stranger to me . (see) – I had never seen her before.

1. Margaret was late for work. Her boss was very surprised. (be late) before.

2. Jane played tennis yesterday at least she tried to play tennis. She wasn’t good at it because she (play) … before.

3. It was Keith’s first driving lesson. He was very nervous and didn’t know what to do. (drive) before.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were in an airplane. They were very nervous as the plane took off because they (fly) … before.

5. Tom wasn’t at home when I arrived. He just (go out).

6. I wasn’t hungry. I just (have lunch).

7. We arrived at the cinema late. The film already (begin).

8. They weren’t eating when I went to see them. They just (finish) their dinner.

9. I invited Ann to dinner last night but she couldn’t come. She already (arrange) to do something else.

10. I was very pleased to see Nora again after such a long time. I (not see) her for five years.

11. Alice was late. (miss the 5 o’clock train)

12. I wasn’t hungry. (have dinner)

13. I couldn’t write to her. (lose her address)

14. Mary was upset. (get bad news)

15. George didn’t come to the party. (leave for Moscow)

16. My father was angry with me. (break his car)

17. I was free in the evening. (finish the translation)

18. My mother was happy. (buy a new dress)

Ex. 4. Combine the sentences, using the conjunctions in brackets. Change one