40

Past Perfect

We use the past perfect:

for an action which happened before another past action or before a stated time in the past.

She had finished work when she met her friends for coffee. (She finished work first and then she met her friends.)

for an action which finished in the past and whose result was visible in the past.

He was happy. He had signed an important contract.

The past perfect is used with the following time expressions: before, after, already, just, for, since, till/until, when, by, by the time, etc.

By the end of the day I had interviewed six candidates for the job.

The past perfect is used with the conjunctions:

Hardly + Past Perfect … when + Past Simple No sooner + Past Perfect … than + Past Simple

He had hardly done it when they came.

No sooner he had arrived than it started to rain.

Practice

Exercise 1

One verb in each sentence should be in the past perfect. Write the correction.

1.When I got to the meeting, I realized that I left all my papers behind.

2.I went to Manchester and saw that they converted all the old warehouses into apartments.

3.I was sure I didn’t receive the invoice, but I checked one more time.

41

4.I really enjoyed my holiday in Peru – I visited Latin America several times before, but only for short business trips.

5.I was lucky – I arrived at the hall late, but her presentation didn’t start.

6.I started working as freelance consultant in 2004, but before that I already worked as a software engineer in the telecommunications industry for many years.

7.One day I realized that I gained enough experience to start my own business.

Exercise 2

Complete the first line in two ways, either using so + past simple or because + past perfect.

a)(I/work/hard/in our main city-center branch) ______________________________

b)(I/control/my subordinates’ work) _______________________________________

Exercise 3

In each case you have two events in the order in which they took place. Write the information in one sentence using the words in brackets.

1.The driver started the car. Then, Lady James appeared. (already … when)

2.Jim finished the work. Then, the manager came back. (by the time)

3.The thieves spent the money. Then, the police caught them. (when)

4.I went to bed. Then, Philip telephoned. (after)

5.Alice and Jack had lunch. Then, their children came home. (when)

6.Ian prepared the supper. Then, his wife got home from work. (already … when)

Exercise 4

Put the verb in brackets in the required tense form.

1. He hardly (reach) the door of his office when he (run into) two young men.

42

2.No sooner she (start) her own business than she (get) in debts.

3.We hardly (ask) our questions when she (answer) them.

4.I hardly (take off) my coat when I (begin) to read the letter.

5.No sooner he (arrive) at London than his boss (call) him.

6.She hardly (say) the first words when he (interrupt) her.

Exercise 5

Complete the interview with the past perfect or the past continuous from the verbs in brackets.

Journalist: You opened your first clothes shop in 1998. So, did your interest in fashion begin there or … (you always be) interested?

Mary: Yes, I suppose so. I … (have) a number of jobs in the Hong Kong fashion industry long before I opened my own shop. And that was all at the time when clothes with a Chinese look … (become) quickly very fashionable around the world. Although, even as a child, while I … (grow up) in America, I knew that was something I wanted to do.

Journalist: So why didn’t you stay in the USA, where there was already an established industry?

Mary: Well, when my boyfriend, now my husband, was offered a job in Hong Kong, I … (just graduate), so I was free to go anywhere.

Journalist: And was it while you … (run) your own shop that Tiger Retro approached you?

Mary: That’s right. Actually, they … (ask) me once before. Journalist: So why … you (not take) the job previously?

Mary: At that time my business … (do) really well and I wanted to see how far we could go with that …

Exercise 6

Translate from Russian into English.

1. Войдя в офис, он увидел документы там, где он их оставил. 2. Я заметил, что кто-то из наших партнёров забыл мобильный телефон на столе. 3. Она знала, что они вели переговоры ещё до открытия нового филиала. 4. Когда мой начальник вернулся, я показал ему, что сделал. 5. Мы закончили паковать вещи к тому времени, когда приехало такси. 6. Не успел он подойти к двери, как зазвонил телефон. 7. Едва она вернулась из командировки, как созвала совещание.

43

Past Simple – Past Continuous – Past Perfect?

Practice

Exercise 1

Complete the dialogue by putting verbs in the past perfect, past simple and past continuous.

A:Excuse me, Mr. Anderson, can I come in? I … (try) to speak to you earlier, but you … (already go) to lunch.

B:Yes, of course, please come in. I … (just look) at these sales figures for the third quarter. Would you like a coffee?

A:No thanks, I have just had one.

B:So, what … (you come) to see me about?

A:Well, I’m probably getting worried for no reason – but while I … (speak) to Fernando he mentioned that he … (hear) some rumors that the whole Latin

American division is going to be reorganized. Is that true?

B:No, no, there has been a misunderstanding. We are going to make some changes at senior management level, but there will be no impact on day-to-day operations. I’ll clarify the situation at the meeting tomorrow.

44

Exercise 2

Look at these sentences and then chose the right answer.

1.David and Tom were talking together when a young woman spoke to them. Which took more time, a) what David and Tom said, or b) what the woman said?

2.Mike had put up the tent, but Harriet was still unloading things from the car. Which finished first, a) putting up the tent, or b) unloading?

3.Mark went home and switched off the computer.

What did he do first, a) go home, or b) switch off the computer?

4.When Claire arrived, Henry was walking up and down.

Which started earlier, a) Claire’s arrival, or b) Henry’s walking?

5.When Sarah had phoned the office, she drove to the hotel.

Did she phone the office a) before, or b) after driving to the hotel?

Exercise 3

Read a story written by Janek, a student who had a holiday job. Put the verbs into correct form: past simple (×7), past continuous (×3) and past perfect (×4).

One day last summer I … (work) in a bar on the beach. I … (just leave) school and I was young and naïve. Anyway, on that day I … (serve) the drinks by myself – my other colleagues … (not arrive) for work yet. A man … (come) up to the counter and … (ask for) “a whisky on the rocks”. I … (want) to be helpful, so I filled a glass with whisky, … (take) it over to where he … (sit) with his friends and … (place) it on the rocks next to him. The next thing that happened was that all started laughing and laughing. I … (never be) so embarrassed in my life. Of course, when I realized my mistake I … (see) the funny side as well, and in the end everything … (be) OK. In fact, by the end of the evening, I … (become) friends with them all. But, even today, when I hear “on the rocks” it reminds me of that day.