Are you a teacher struggling to explain the past perfect tense to your students? Maybe you’ve found it difficult — English grammar isn’t always intuitive! However, learning about verb tenses is essential to mastering any language and understanding communication nuances.
That’s why today we’ll be exploring what makes the past perfect, when and how it should be used, and some easy tips for effectively teaching this verb form in your classroom. So read on whether you need help reviewing or reteaching the past perfect!
Related: Check out our article on the Future Perfect Continuous Tense here for more.
| Aspect | Explanation | Example | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Function | Expresses an action completed before another past action. | “She had finished her work before she went to lunch.” | To show which of two past actions happened first. |
| Form | “had” + past participle of the verb. | “They had walked to the park before it started to rain.” | Standard structure for all subjects. |
| Keywords | Often used with “before,” “after,” “by the time,” “when.” | “By the time he arrived, the meeting had already started.” | Signal words that often accompany the tense. |
| Questions | Formed by inverting the subject and “had.” | “Had you ever visited the city before that trip?” | To ask about experiences up to a point in the past. |
| Negatives | Made by adding “not” after “had.” | “I hadn’t seen the film before yesterday’s screening.” | To express that something hadn’t happened before a certain time. |
The Past Perfect Tense
The Past Perfect is a verb tense that indicates that a past action was completed before another past action or point in time. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb ‘had’ followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example: “I had eaten breakfast before I went to work.”
The Past Perfect Tense helps to clarify the order of past events and is often used when telling a story, recounting past experiences or in conversations. This tense describes an action before another step in the past, usually indicated by the simple past tense.
For instance, “She had finished her book before she started watching TV” shows that finishing the book happened before watching TV.
The Past Perfect Tense can also be used for a sequence of events that happened in the past. For instance: “By the time she arrived at the party, they had already eaten the cake, played games and opened presents.”
It is essential to note that this tense should only be used when indicating the time before a particular past event in the sentence. If circumstances need to be clarified, it may create ambiguous sentences.
The 12 Tenses in English Grammar
In case you had forgotten, English has twelve verb tenses. The three primary tenses are present, past and future.
Here is a comprehensive list of the 12 verb tenses in English grammar:
- Simple present tense
- Present continuous tense
- Present perfect tense
- Present perfect continuous tense.
- Simple past tense
- Past continuous tense
- Past perfect tense
- Past perfect continuous tense
- Simple future tense
- Future continuous tense
- Future perfect tense
- Future perfect continuous tense
Understanding the Difference between Past Perfect and Past Tense
The past perfect and past tense are two verb tenses that are commonly used in the English language. While they may seem similar, significant differences are essential to understand.
The past tense is used to describe a completed action in the past. It is formed by adding “-ed” to the base form of regular verbs or using the second form of irregular verbs. For example, “walk” becomes “walked” in the past tense, while “eat” becomes “ate.”
On the other hand, the past perfect tense describes an action completed before another past action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “had,” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, “I had eaten breakfast before I went to work.”
In other words, while the past tense describes a single completed action that occurred in the past, the past perfect describes a sequence of two completed steps in the past. The past perfect emphasizes that the first action was completed before the second action.
Understanding the difference between the past perfect and past tense is essential in correctly using English grammar. By using them correctly, you can convey your message more effectively and clearly.
The Past Perfect Tense Examples
- I had slept for eight hours before I woke up feeling refreshed.
- They had already finished their dinner by the time we arrived at the restaurant.
- The concert had already started when we got to the venue.
- By the time my flight landed, my sister had already picked me up from the airport.
- When I arrived at the party, everyone had already gone home.
- The movie had already started by the time we got to the theatre.
- I had never seen such a beautiful sunset before I went on that trip.
- She had read the book twice before she watched the movie.
- They had been dating for six years before they got married.
- He had already left the store when I wanted to ask him a question.
- It had rained heavily before the sun came out, leaving the streets wet.
- By the time we got to the beach, the tide had already gone out.
- She had forgotten her phone at home when she left for the meeting.
- We had never tasted such delicious food until we went to that restaurant.
- After her suitcase was stolen, she realized that she had left it in the cab.
- The flowers had wilted by the time she watered them.
- We had been working on the project for a month when we received approval from the boss.
- They had already painted the walls before we arrived to help decorate the house.
- The train had left the station before I could buy the ticket.
- He had learned how to ski before he went on his first skiing trip.
Teaching Children About the Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is an essential aspect of English grammar that allows us to describe actions that were completed before a certain point in the past.
Teaching children about the past perfect tense can be both challenging and rewarding. Below are some key points to include in your article section on teaching children about the past perfect tense:
Understanding the Concept:
- Begin with the basic concept that the past perfect tense represents an action that occurred before another action in the past. It can be helpful to use a timeline to illustrate this point, showing where different actions fall in time.
Structure of the Past Perfect Tense:
- Teach the structure of the past perfect tense, which is formed using the past tense of the auxiliary verb “to have” (had) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
- For example: “She had finished her homework before dinner.”
Regular and Irregular Verbs:
- Explain the difference between regular and irregular verbs in the past participle form. Regular verbs typically have an -ed ending (e.g., walked, jumped), while irregular verbs vary and must be memorized (e.g., gone, eaten).
Signal Words:
- Introduce signal words that often accompany the past perfect tense, such as “before,” “after,” “by the time,” “as soon as,” “until,” and “when.” These words can help indicate that the past perfect tense is needed.
- For example: “After she had read the book, she watched the movie.”
Contrast with Simple Past:
- It is important to contrast the past perfect with the simple past to avoid confusion. Give examples showing that the simple past is used for actions that happened sequentially, while the past perfect is used for actions that had already happened at a previous point in time.
- For example: “He watched TV (simple past) after he had done his homework (past perfect).”
Practice with Examples and Exercises:
- Provide plenty of examples and create exercises where children can practice forming and using the past perfect tense. This could include gap-filling exercises, sentence transformation, or creating their own sentences based on prompts.
Use of Stories and Contextual Learning:
- Incorporate stories or narratives that require the use of the past perfect tense to describe the sequence of events. This contextual learning can help children understand how and why the past perfect tense is used.
Reinforcement Through Games:
- Use educational games that reinforce the use of the past perfect tense. Games such as verb tense matching, sentence construction challenges, or even past perfect tense bingo can make learning more interactive and enjoyable.
Encouraging Writing Practice:
- Encourage children to write short paragraphs or stories that require the use of the past perfect tense. This allows them to apply what they’ve learned creatively and contextually. Provide feedback that focuses on their use of the past perfect tense to help them improve.
Listening Activities:
- Include listening activities where children can hear the past perfect tense used in context. This could be through songs, video clips, or spoken stories. Afterwards, discuss the examples of the past perfect tense they heard and the context in which it was used.
Role-Playing:
- Role-playing can be an effective method for teaching verb tenses. Have children act out scenarios where they naturally have to use the past perfect tense, such as recounting events of a day or explaining what had happened before a certain event.
Consistent Review:
- Regularly review the past perfect tense to help children retain the concept. Spaced repetition can be particularly effective, where the tense is revisited at increasing intervals to reinforce memory.
Real-Life Connections:
- Make connections to real-life situations where they might need to use the past perfect tense, such as telling a family member about their day at school or explaining the sequence of events in a book or movie they are familiar with.
Positive Reinforcement:
- Provide positive reinforcement for correct usage of the past perfect tense. Celebrate successes and provide constructive feedback for mistakes to encourage continued practice and improvement.
Incorporating a variety of teaching methods can cater to different learning styles and help ensure that children grasp the past perfect tense in a way that is engaging and sustainable. With patience and creativity, teaching the past perfect tense can be a rewarding experience that enhances children’s overall mastery of English grammar.
Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan 1: Introduction to the Past Perfect Tense
Objective: Students will be able to recognize and form the past perfect tense.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Timeline visuals
- Verb cards (regular and irregular verbs)
- Worksheets with exercises
- Storybook with examples of past perfect tense
Introduction (10 minutes):
- Begin with a brief discussion about events that happen one after another. Ask students to share what they did yesterday, writing down two events for each student on the board.
- Introduce the concept of the past perfect tense using a timeline to show that one event happened before another in the past.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
- Write the structure of the past perfect tense on the board (had + past participle).
- Provide examples with both regular and irregular verbs, highlighting the formation of the past participle.
- Explain the use of signal words that often accompany the past perfect tense and provide examples.
Guided Practice (20 minutes):
- Hand out verb cards to students and have them form sentences using the past perfect tense, both orally and by writing them on the board.
- Use a worksheet with fill-in-the-blank exercises where students have to use the correct form of the past perfect tense.
- Correct the exercises as a class, discussing any common mistakes.
Independent Practice (15 minutes):
- Give students a short paragraph with missing verbs and have them fill in the blanks using the past perfect tense.
- Ask students to write two sentences of their own using the past perfect tense, one with a regular verb and one with an irregular verb.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Summarize the key points of the lesson.
- Read a short excerpt from a storybook that uses the past perfect tense and discuss the context in which it was used.
Homework:
- Students will write a short story or a diary entry from a previous day using at least five examples of the past perfect tense.
Lesson Plan 2: Practicing the Past Perfect Tense
Objective: Students will be able to use the past perfect tense in various contexts.
Materials:
- Past perfect tense board game
- Role-play scenario cards
- Worksheets with past perfect tense exercises
- Audio clips or videos demonstrating past perfect tense usage
Review (10 minutes):
- Quickly review the structure and usage of the past perfect tense, asking students to provide examples.
- Discuss any questions from the previous lesson’s homework and clarify any misunderstandings.
Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes):
- Play a quick game of “Past Perfect Charades” where students act out an event, and their peers guess by forming a sentence in the past perfect tense, e.g., “You had just finished eating when…?”
Interactive Learning (20 minutes):
- Introduce the past perfect tense board game, which includes moving pieces on a board based on correctly forming past perfect tense sentences.
- Students play in small groups, and each square they land on requires them to construct a sentence in the past perfect tense related to a given subject or verb.
Role-Playing Activity (20 minutes):
- Provide role-play scenario cards to pairs of students. Each card describes a situation that requires the use of the past perfect tense.
- Students prepare a short dialogue based on their scenario and then perform it for the class.
- The class can discuss and provide feedback on the correct use of the past perfect tense in each role-play.
Listening Practice (15 minutes):
- Play audio clips or show videos that include examples of the past perfect tense. Ensure that the context is clear so that students understand why the tense is being used.
- After listening or watching, have students identify and write down the sentences that used the past perfect tense and discuss why it was used in each case.
Independent Practice (15 minutes):
- Hand out worksheets with a variety of exercises, including sentence transformations, where students convert sentences from the simple past to the past perfect tense, and vice versa.
- Students complete the worksheets individually, and then they review the answers as a class.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Recap the importance of the past perfect tense in expressing the sequence of past events.
- Highlight the progress made during the lesson and praise students for their efforts.
Homework:
- Assign a creative writing task where students have to write a letter to a friend telling them about an interesting event from their past using the past perfect tense multiple times.
By alternating between structured exercises and interactive activities, students can engage with the past perfect tense in a dynamic way that reinforces their understanding and helps them to use it confidently in both written and spoken English.
Lesson Plan 3: Reinforcing the Past Perfect Tense
Objective: Students will reinforce their understanding of the past perfect tense by correcting errors and using the tense in various speaking activities.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Error correction worksheet
- Past perfect tense cue cards
- Story prompts
- Past perfect tense quiz
Review (10 minutes):
- Begin by reviewing the past perfect tense structure and usage with a few oral examples from students. Correct any errors on the spot and provide immediate feedback.
Error Correction Activity (15 minutes):
- Distribute an error correction worksheet that includes sentences with incorrect use of the past perfect tense.
- Students work individually to identify and correct the errors, then share their corrections with a partner.
- Review the corrections as a class, discussing why each error was made and how to avoid it.
Speaking Activity (20 minutes):
- Prepare past perfect tense cue cards with a variety of verbs and situations.
- In pairs, students draw a card and then take turns making up a sentence or a short story using the past perfect tense based on the cue.
- Encourage creativity and elaborate storytelling to make the practice more engaging.
Story Completion Exercise (20 minutes):
- Provide the beginning of a story that includes several past perfect tense sentences.
- Ask students to continue the story in small groups, ensuring that they use the past perfect tense correctly to describe earlier events.
- Each group presents their story continuation, and the class votes on the most creative and grammatically correct story.
Assessment (10 minutes):
- Conclude the lesson with a short quiz on the past perfect tense to assess students’ understanding and retention.
- The quiz should include sentence completion, error spotting, and sentence transformation exercises.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Review the main points covered in the lesson, emphasizing the importance of attention to detail when using the past perfect tense.
- Provide positive feedback and encourage students to continue practicing.
Homework:
- Students will write a letter of apology using the past perfect tense to describe events that led to a mistake or misunderstanding.
Lesson Plan 4: Mastering the Past Perfect Tense
Objective: Students will demonstrate mastery of the past perfect tense by integrating it into larger writing assignments and presentations.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Historical event timelines
- Research materials (books, articles, internet access)
- Peer review worksheets
- Presentation
Materials:
- Presentation equipment (computer, projector, etc.)
Review (5 minutes):
- Quickly recap the structure and function of the past perfect tense, asking students to provide one example each.
Historical Timelines Activity (20 minutes):
- Provide students with timelines of historical events or have them create their own timelines based on research.
- Students must write sentences using the past perfect tense to describe events that happened before specific points on the timeline.
- Discuss a few examples as a class, emphasizing the connection between the past perfect tense and the sequence of historical events.
Research and Presentation Preparation (30 minutes):
- Students choose or are assigned a historical event, figure, or period to research.
- They prepare a short presentation that includes at least five sentences using the past perfect tense to describe events that occurred prior to the main event or period.
- Provide students with access to research materials and guide them on how to incorporate the past perfect tense into their factual descriptions.
Peer Review Writing Exercise (20 minutes):
- Students write a short paragraph or essay about a personal experience, ensuring they use the past perfect tense multiple times to describe events leading up to the main story.
- After writing, students exchange their work with a peer and use a peer review worksheet to provide feedback on the use of the past perfect tense.
- Discuss the importance of peer feedback and how it can help improve writing skills.
Presentations (20 minutes):
- Students present their historical research to the class, focusing on their use of the past perfect tense.
- After each presentation, allow time for a brief Q&A session where classmates can ask questions about the historical content or the use of the past perfect tense.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Summarize the day’s activities, highlighting the effective use of the past perfect tense in different contexts.
- Acknowledge the effort put into the research and presentations, and how these activities deepen their understanding of the past perfect tense.
Homework:
- Students will reflect on the feedback received during the peer review and revise their personal experience essays accordingly.
- Additionally, they are to prepare a short reflection on what they learned from the presentations, using the past perfect tense to discuss new insights gained.
Through these lesson plans, students not only practice the grammatical structure of the past perfect tense but also learn to apply it in various contexts, from historical events to personal narratives. This comprehensive approach helps solidify their understanding and enhances their ability to use the tense fluently in both spoken and written English.
Lesson Plan 5: Past Perfect Tense in Literature and Media
Objective: Students will analyze the use of the past perfect tense in literature and media to understand its narrative value.
Materials:
- Excerpts from novels or short stories featuring the past perfect tense
- Clips from films or TV shows that use the past perfect tense
- Worksheets for analysis
- Group discussion questions
- Creative writing prompts
Introduction (5 minutes):
- Begin with a discussion on how the past perfect tense can be used to build suspense or give background information in stories.
Literature Analysis (20 minutes):
- Provide students with excerpts from novels or short stories where the past perfect tense is used.
- In small groups, students read the excerpts and identify all instances of the past perfect tense, discussing why it was used and how it affects the understanding of the narrative.
- Groups share their findings with the class, fostering a discussion on the narrative impact of the past perfect tense.
Media Analysis (20 minutes):
- Show clips from films or TV shows that demonstrate the use of the past perfect tense, preferably with flashbacks or characters recounting past events.
- Students work in pairs to discuss how the past perfect tense contributes to the storytelling and jot down their observations on a worksheet.
- Discuss as a class how the past perfect tense can shape viewers’ perceptions of the timeline and the characters’ experiences.
Creative Writing (20 minutes):
- Provide creative writing prompts that require the use of the past perfect tense, such as writing a mystery story with clues revealed through flashbacks.
- Students work individually to create short narratives, ensuring they incorporate the past perfect tense to add depth to their stories.
Group Discussion (10 minutes):
- Facilitate a group discussion with questions that prompt students to reflect on how the past perfect tense can be used effectively in writing and speech.
- Encourage students to share their thoughts on the challenges and benefits of using this tense in storytelling.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Summarize the importance of the past perfect tense in adding complexity to narratives.
- Highlight the key points from the group discussions and commend students on their analytical and creative efforts.
Homework:
- Students will find an example of the past perfect tense in a book they are reading or a show they are watching and write a paragraph explaining its use and impact on the narrative.
