i had a lot of homework yesterday

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Past Perfect Tense With Examples, Rules, Usage

The past perfect tense is a grammatical form used to describe actions that were completed before a specific point in the past. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “had” followed by the past participle of the main verb.

• She had finished the work.
• They had visited the museum last summer.
• They had not seen the movie.
• He had never been to Paris before this vacation.
• Had you studied for the test before it was announced?
• Had the mail arrived before you left the house?

Forming the Past Perfect Tense

Affirmative Sentences

Affirmative sentences in past perfect tense are statements that express an action that was completed before a specific point in the past. They are structured using the following formula.

Subject + had +verb(3rd form) + object.

• She had already finished her breakfast.
• They had watched the movie before bedtime.
• He had visited the new museum in town.
• The children had played in the park all afternoon.
• By the time I arrived, they had already eaten dinner.
• She realized she had forgotten her keys at home.
• We had never been to this restaurant before.
• The teacher had explained the lesson before the test.
• He told me he had already seen the new movie.
• The sun had set by the time we reached the beach.

The sentences given above are broken down according to their grammatical structure.

Negative Sentences

Interrogative sentences in past perfect tense are questions that inquire about actions or events that occurred before a specific point in the past. They are formed by using the auxiliary verb “had” followed by the subject and the past participle of the main verb.

Subject + had + not + verb(3rd form) + object.

• She hadn’t finished her chores before dinner.
• They hadn’t visited the park in months.
• He hadn’t heard that song until yesterday.
• The team hadn’t practiced enough before the match.
• We hadn’t met our new neighbors until last week.
• The store hadn’t restocked the shelves by noon.
• He hadn’t tried sushi before last night.
• She hadn’t watched that TV series until now.
• They hadn’t seen that movie before last night.
• He hadn’t spoken to his cousin in years.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences in past perfect tense are questions about actions or events that happened before a specific point in the past. They start with “Had” followed by the subject and the past participle of the main verb.

Had + subject + verb(3rd form) + object?

• Had she eaten breakfast before leaving for work?
• Had they visited the museum before the trip?
• Had he finished his chores before going out to play?
• Had you heard the news before we told you?
• Had they cleaned the house before the party?
• Had she read the book before watching the movie?
• Had we met our new neighbors before the event?
• Had he seen that movie before last night?
• Had they played any games before the picnic?
• Had she finished her work by the time you called?

Usages of the Past Perfect Tense

Describing Completed Actions Before Another Past Action

Describing Completed Actions Before Another Past Action” is one of the key uses of the past perfect tense. It helps establish a clear sequence of events in the past.

• By the time we arrived, they had already finished their meal .
• She had completed the project before the deadline.
• The train had left the station before we reached it.
• They hadn’t started the meeting before the boss arrived.
• The bakery hadn’t sold out of croissants when we got there.
• She hadn’t visited that museum before last summer.
• Had you finished your homework before the teacher collected it?
• Had they seen that movie before it won an award?
• Had she ever traveled to Europe before this trip?

Narrating Past Events in a Sequence

“Narrating Past Events in a Sequence” is another important use of the past perfect tense. It helps in presenting a series of past events in the order in which they occurred.

• She had breakfast , then went for a walk , and finally read a book .
• They had a picnic , then played games , and afterwards shared stories .
• She didn’t have time to finish her drawing , so she left it for tomorrow .
• They didn’t find any ripe apples , so they postponed making the pie .
• Had she already finished her snack before going for a walk?
• Had they played any games before having the picnic?

Expressing Regrets or Hypothetical Scenarios in the Past

Expressing regrets or hypothetical scenarios in the past involves using the past perfect tense to discuss situations that didn’t happen, or to express a sense of regret or longing for different outcomes in the past.

• If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.
• She wishes she had taken that job offer last year.
• He believes he would have won the race if he had trained harder.
• If she had arrived earlier, she wouldn’t have missed the train.
• He wishes he hadn’t sold his antique collection.

Reporting Past Actions or Speech

Reporting past actions or speech” involves conveying what someone said or did in the past. This is typically done through indirect or reported speech, where the original statement or action is reported using a different verb tense (often the past perfect tense) to indicate that it happened in the past.

• She told me, I finished the report .
• He said, She has already left .
• They mentioned, We visited the museum .
• She told me that she hadn’t finished the report.
• He said that she had already left .
• They mentioned that they hadn’t visited the museum.
• Did she tell you she had finished the report?
• Had he mentioned that she had already left?
• Did they ask if we had visited the museum?

Past Perfect Tense Chart

Signal words for Past Perfect Tense

Signal words for Past Perfect Tense indicate that an action or event occurred before another action in the past.

• She had finished her work before the meeting started.
•  They had already eaten when I arrived.
•   By the time we got to the cinema, the movie had already begun.
•  She hadn’t seen the movie until last night.
•   After they had left, I realized I forgot my keys.
• He hadn’t heard the news before we told him.
• She had never visited that city before.
•  She didn’t taste that type of food until today.
•   No sooner had they finished the project than the deadline arrived.
• Had you finished your work before the call?
•   Hadn’t they seen the movie before last night?
• Had you ever been to this city before your trip?
• Had they finished the project by the deadline?
•   Before we arrived, had they already played the game?

Time Expressions

Time expressions are words or phrases that indicate when an action or event took place. In the context of past perfect tense, they help establish the relationship between different past actions.

• She finished her homework before dinner .
• He had known her since kindergarten .
• By morning, the rain had stopped .
• They had watched the movie twice already.
• She had read the book before bedtime .
• He hadn’t eaten breakfast yet .
• She realized she hadn’t studied in a while .
• They hadn’t seen that show since last year .
• He hadn’t visited the museum in years .
• She hadn’t traveled abroad before last summer .
• Had you finished your chores by the time I called? ( Time Expression )
• When did they first meet each other? ( Time Expression )
• By what time had they completed the project? ( Time Expression )
• Had they ever been to this city before? ( Time Expression )
• Since when had he known about this new technology? (Time Expression)

Past Perfect vs. Simple Past Tense

Differentiating Between Past Perfect and Simple Past

Here’s a table comparing Past Perfect Tense and Simple Past Tense

• Past Perfect Tense Example Sentences
• The mother had cooked food before the sun rose.
• I had recited the Holy Quran before you came.
• The bell had rung when we reached the school.
• The train had gone when I reached the station.
• They had taken tea when I reached there.
• The patient had died before the doctor came.
• They had already finished their work.
• He had reached here till 2’O clock.
• The girl had already sung songs.
• The teacher had already taught us lesson.
• By then, he had finished all his work.
• They were tired because they had walked a lot.
• We were surprised because they hadn’t told us.
• The movie was over because they had watched it.
• She knew the answer because she had studied.
• They were happy because they had won the prize.
• He was full because he had eaten a big meal.
• The students were tired because they had studied.
• She had a great time because she had danced a lot.
• They were sleepy because they had stayed up late.
• He had not taken breakfast before you came.
• They had not bought tickets before the train came.
• Aslam had not heard this good news yet.
• It had not rained yet.
• I had never eaten such a delicious fruit before.
• He hadn’t visited his grandparents in a long time.
• She hadn’t tried that new restaurant yet.
• They hadn’t met their new neighbors before the party.
• By the time they arrived, the show hadn’t started yet.
• He hadn’t seen a shooting star until last night.
• She hadn’t been to the beach in years.
• We hadn’t seen each other in a long time.
• The cat hadn’t eaten its food yet.
• She hadn’t visited the museum in a while.
• They hadn’t finished the puzzle by bedtime.
• He hadn’t cooked dinner before the guests arrived.
• She hadn’t heard the news until now.
• They hadn’t bought groceries for the week.
• By the time they left, the party hadn’t even started.
• He hadn’t taken a vacation in years.
• Had you finished your work before the sun set?
• Had the police already dispersed the crowd?
• Had they already left for Lahore?
• Why had you not posted the letter before you went to school?
• Had they already reached the school?
• Had he fixed the car before the road trip?
• Had she learned to swim before the summer?
• Had they packed their bags before the vacation?
• Had we finished all the tasks before leaving?
• Had he visited his grandparents before the holidays?
• Had you met the new neighbors before the barbecue?
• Had they chosen a restaurant before the reservation?
• Had she attended any classes before the conference?
• Had we booked the tickets before they were sold out?
• Had he heard about the new job before the interview?
• Had they received the package before leaving home?
• Had she completed the assignment before the deadline?
• Had we packed our bags before the trip started?
• Had he visited that museum before it closed down?
• Had you tried that dish before today?

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Avoiding common mistakes in language use is crucial for effective communication.

Here are some tips to help you steer clear of frequent errors:

• Watch Subject-Verb Agreement : Ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number (singular or plural).
• Avoid Double Negatives : Using two negatives in a sentence can lead to confusion. For example, “I can’t hardly wait” should be “I can hardly wait.”
• Be Consistent with Verb Tenses : Stick to one tense throughout a piece of writing, unless there’s a specific reason for a shift.
• The Past Perfect Tense is a verb form that is used to describe an action that took place before another action or a specific point in the past.
• The Past Perfect Tense is formed using the auxiliary verb “had” followed by the past participle form of the main verb (e.g., had + eaten).
• Time expressions like “before,” “by the time,” “already,” “until,” and “hadn’t” are commonly used with the Past Perfect Tense.
• The Simple Past Tense describes an action that happened at a specific point in the past, while the Past Perfect Tense describes an action that occurred before another past action.
• “Hadn’t” is the contraction of “had not” and is used in negative sentences (e.g., “She hadn’t finished her work.”). “Didn’t” is the contraction of “did not” and is used in negative sentences in the Simple Past Tense (e.g., “She didn’t finish her work.”).
• Yes, the Past Perfect Tense can be used in reported speech to convey information that was said or thought in the past (e.g., “He said he had already seen the movie.”).
• Yes, adverbs like “already,” “just,” “never,” “yet,” and others can be used with the Past Perfect Tense to provide additional information about the timing of the action.

Free Grammar and Vocabulary Worksheets Resources

• Worksheet Tenses
• English Worksheets
• Action Verbs Worksheets
• Past Perfect Tense Worksheets

You May Also Like

• Present Perfect Tense With Examples
• Time Expressions in English
• Future Perfect Tense With Examples
• Past Perfect
• Past Perfect Tense
• Past Perfect Tense Definition
• Past Perfect Tense Exercise
• Past Perfect Tense Formula
• Past Perfect Tense In English
• Past Perfect Tense In Grammar
• Past Perfect Tense Rules
• Past Perfect Tense Structure
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Home › Study Tips › How To Deal With A Lot Of Homework? 8 Tips

How To Deal With A Lot Of Homework? 8 Tips

• Published January 22, 2023

Deadlines can be an incredibly stress-inducing thing. With each passing day, the homework deadlines grow ever closer.

But your work output doesn’t seem to keep pace until finally, in a fit of frantic desperation, you complete the majority of the task in the last 3 hours before it’s due. You’re not alone.

We have no firm figures but based upon our own rather hasty research directly before writing this piece. The percentage of people in the world who habitually procrastinate to some degree equals approximately 99.9999999%.

We don’t know who that .0000001 is, but we’re reasonably sure we wouldn’t enjoy their company.

1. Examples Of Procrastinators

Some famous habitual procrastinators include the likes of French poet and novelist Victor Hugo. Or, American author Herman Melville, and British author Douglas Adams.

Of course, based on their creative output, one would assume that each of these people found ways of meeting their deadlines, and you’d be right.

Victor Hugo used the popular focusing technique of being stripped naked in his study by a servant, who was given strict orders not to return with the clothing until a pre-arranged hour. Melville had his wife chain him to his desk in order to finish Moby Dick.

Douglas Adams regularly required publishers to lock him in rooms and stand guard, glowering menacingly until he produced a manuscript. Alright, then.

Let’s explore a few less extreme ways to cope with an impending deadline.

2. Take Smaller Bites If You Have Too Much Homework

Anyone who’s ever attempted to shed a few unwanted pounds has probably heard or read the advice to take smaller bites, chew your food thoroughly, etc., etc.… This is excellent advice in both weight loss and in the avoidance of procrastination (albeit for very different reasons).

One of the biggest triggers of procrastination is making the crippling mistake of thinking of whatever project you’re working on as one gigantic, hulking menace glaring at you from a distance. He’s probably also holding a large club with spikes coming out of it (although that may just be us).

Divide the overall workload into smaller, more manageable bites. Say, for example, that you’re writing an article listing and detailing the top 20 universities in the UK.

The assignment is to write a total of 10,000 words. Returning briefly to our diet analogy, that initially seems roughly equivalent to being asked to consume an entire roasted goose in one sitting (but without the irresistible allure of the roasted goose).

Following the principle of the smaller bite, however, you’re able to say to yourself, “I don’t have to spill out 10,000 brilliant words onto the page all at once. I’ve got 20 universities to write about. That’s 500 words apiece. Let’s tackle that first one and then worry about the next.”

Taken even further, you realise that each university will have sub-sections of approximately 100 words each. “100 words is nothing!” you exclaim.

And so, you’re able to jump into your project with much less trepidation and despair.

3. Break The Task Up

Of course, breaking the task into smaller pieces is fine for getting you past that stumbling block of the blank page. But you should be aware of one possible pitfall: If you break things down too far, you might decide the project is so easy that you can wait a week or two to get started.

This is bad. A necessary addendum to the “Take Smaller Bites” technique is the “Make Smaller Deadlines” technique. With each sub-step you identify, you should also set a sub-deadline to keep you on track toward completing the entire project.

This is especially important when the overall deadline is further off into the hazy future. The farther out the deadline is, the easier it is to convince yourself to wait another day. Or two. Or twelve.

Smaller bites work well, but if you don’t pair them with smaller deadlines, you’ll likely end up facing the entire project in one go just as you feared you would from the beginning.

4. Give Yourself Permission to Fail

One of the biggest reasons for procrastination is not laziness  but perfectionism . Thomas Edison is a famous American inventor and originator of the electric light bulb and other modern conveniences. He famously refused to accept that he had  failed 10,000 times , opting instead to assert that he’d  found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.

It’s a valid point. From inventors to scientists to actors in rehearsals, brilliant discoveries and stunning performances can’t just spring fully-formed out of nothingness. They’re invariably the result of working through countless failures on the way toward eventual success.

Suppose you’re putting off starting a project because it’s just not the perfect time or because it might not be good enough. Well, you’re right. There is no ideal time, and your first (and second, and third…) try probably won’t be good enough. But you have to allow yourself the freedom to make those initial failures if you ever aspire to succeed truly.

If you’re writing an essay , a poem, or a novel, get something on the page. Sit down now and scribble down an initial list of required tasks if you’re planning an event. That first page may well end up in the trash, and that initial list will no doubt be incomplete.

But that “failure” will lead you to the next try and the next until perched upon a tower of failures, you finally grasp the elusive fruit of success. It’s in the doing that you’ll find success, not in waiting for the perfect time to begin.

5. Eliminate Distractions

Easier said than done these days is the task of eliminating distractions during the time you’ve committed to working. From phone calls to emails to texts to Facebook to Twitter to Snapchat and on and on and on, it seems the world today is nothing but distractions (or that work is just a distraction from the far more interesting buzzing phone in our pocket).

When it comes to time management, procrastination can be the anti-hero that you really don’t want in a time like this. The trick is to find a way to remove yourself from those things.

The first step is to identify the worst offenders. Is it the TikTok notifications popping up simultaneously on your phone and computer screen? The email or texts making your phone chime every 30 seconds? Or, simply the outside world as viewed through the window in front of your desk? Most likely, it’s a combination of some of these and a few other things we haven’t mentioned.

Once you’ve identified the problem, the actions you take are entirely up to you. Is signing out of TikTok enough, or do you need the nuclear option of deactivating the account? Will turning off the phone suffice, or will you need to have a friend or family member keep it for you? Can you close the blind or move your desk? Or must you board up the window? Be honest with yourself. Only you know the extents to which you need to resort to finish your homework.

…To yourself. Only to yourself.

When dealing with a deadline of any sort, it’s usually an excellent idea to set a personal deadline in advance of the actual due date. In other words, lie to yourself about when it’s due. The benefits of this approach are apparent. If your project is due in 3 weeks, and you give yourself 2 weeks, that gives you an entire week to address any unexpected issues that may arise. For example, a part of the homework assignment might be more complex than you initially anticipated.

Of course, this only works if you’re particularly good at lying to yourself. Some can’t ignore the actual due date, so they end up skipping a day of work here and there because they know they’ve got an extra week to get it done. If you’re not gullible enough to believe your own lies, the only option is to add some urgency to your earlier deadline. Have a trusted friend or family member change your social media passwords and only reveal them once you’ve met the deadline.

Give your debit card to your mom and live off only a small daily allowance until the deadline is met. Be creative, but make it something that will motivate you. You’ll thank yourself when you’ve finished your project a week early, and you can relax while everyone else is still sweating it out.

7. Prioritise the most important or difficult tasks first

You may be asking yourself how you can do this – and the simple answer to that is to create an Eisenhower Matrix. It’s a time management skills tool that can help students prioritise difficult assignments by tackling them first.

The Eisenhower Matrix, or the Urgent-Important Matrix, can help prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance. It may feel like a chore, but use these steps to give you a head start before you complete all your work:

• Write a list of your homework tasks.
• Divide a sheet of paper into four quadrants, labelling each one as “Urgent and Important,” “Important but Not Urgent,” “Urgent but Not Important,” and “Not Urgent or Important.”
• Place each homework task into the appropriate quadrant based on its level of urgency and importance.
• Start with the “Urgent and Important” tasks and work on them first. These are the homework projects that are due soon and are critical to your grades.
• Next, move on to the “Important but Not Urgent” tasks. These are assignments that are important to your long-term success but do not have a pressing deadline.
• Next, the “Urgent but Not Important” assignments. These are tasks that may be due soon but are not critical to your success.
• Finally, the bottom of the pile is “Not Urgent or Important” tasks. These tasks are neither critical nor time-sensitive.

Using this matrix will help you to prioritise your homework and ensure that you are focusing on the most important tasks first.

8. Manage Your Time To Avoid Burnout

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work into 25-minute intervals called “Pomodoros” followed by short breaks. During each interval, focus solely on completing a specific task , and then take a short break before starting another Pomodoro.

Repeat this cycle until you have completed all of your homework tasks. Ultimately, this technique helps to increase productivity and prevent burnout by giving your brain regular breaks even though you’re getting too much homework.

9. Seek help when needed, such as from a teacher or tutor.

Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of homework you have as a secondary school student? Fear not, my friend. One strategy to conquer this mountain of assignments is to seek help when needed. But how do you do that?

• Identify the problem: what specifically is causing you to have too much homework? Is it a lack of understanding of the material, difficulty with time management, or something else? Knowing the problem will help you to better communicate it to your teacher or tutor.
• Ask the teacher: your first point of contact should be your teacher. Explain your situation and ask for help. Your teacher may be able to provide you with additional resources or offer to provide extra help during class or after the school day.
• Seek a tutor: If you are still struggling after talking to your teacher, consider seeking help from a tutor. Tutors can provide one-on-one help, can work with you at your own pace and help you with exam preparation .
• Utilise school resources: Many schools have resources such as a homework club or study groups that can help you to manage your workload. Take advantage of these resources if they are available to you.

10. Run Away (haha!)

Sometimes all that’s needed to jumpstart your initiative and get you headed in the right direction is a simple change of venue. There are many resources on the internet to help you choose or arrange your workspace so as to maximise productivity.

One thing to keep in mind is that many productivity experts frown on combining your workspace with your sleeping space. The theory is that combining the two harms both your work and your sleep by confusing your brain as to exactly what the room is meant to be for.

Of course, as a student, your sleeping space may be the only workspace you’ve got. But if you do find your work or rest to be suffering, it might be worth it to move your work sessions to a friend’s room, the library, or another suitable space and save your room for relaxation.

It’s also good to remember that, just because your workspace of choice has been the most inspiring and focused place to get things done in the past, things can change. If your workspace no longer does the job, don’t waste too much time figuring out why. It may just be time for you to find someplace new.

What to do instead of homework?

Whether your homework is complete, or if you’re just managing your time and taking a break, then these 10 activities can keep you active without sitting in front of the TV:

• Exercise or go for a walk: it actually helps to boost your energy levels and improve your focus on your homework.
• Read a book: a great way to relax and unwind while also improving your vocabulary and concentration for future essay writing.
• Meditate or practice yoga: Mindfulness practices can help to reduce stress, and improve focus and other health benefits.
• Organise your space: Organising your workspace space can help to reduce stress and increase productivity.
• Take a nap: A short nap can help to refresh your mind and improve your focus, and who doesn’t love a quick nap?
• Use a study app for students to increase their productivity while keeping you on your phone
• Spend time with friends or family
• Learn a new skill or hobby
• Listen to music or an audiobook
• Write in a journal or diary about how your day is going
• Volunteer in your community

Can Too Much Homework Be Negative To A Student?

Yes, too much homework can be negative for students as it can lead to anxiety and stress due to them feeling overwhelmed. But it depends on the student, their level of understanding, and their individual needs. However, let’s say you’re spending more than 2 hours on homework every night, then that may be ‘too much’.

This can also contribute to sleep deprivation, problems with friends and family and a lack of motivation to learn more.

What is Homework Anxiety?

Homework anxiety is a type of anxiety that can occur in students when they are assigned homework. It is characterised by feelings of stress, worry, and pressure in relation to completing homework assignments. Symptoms of homework anxiety can include procrastination, difficulty concentrating, and physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches.

What Causes Homework Anxiety?

For some students, it may be due to a lack of understanding of the material or difficulty with time management. For others, it may be related to perfectionism or fear of failure. Additionally, students who experience homework anxiety may also have underlying anxiety disorders, such as generalised anxiety disorder or OCD.

Do You Feel More Confident To Do Your Homework?

Procrastination is a very common ailment. One that has afflicted most of us at one time or another, but there are ways to keep yourself on track. These six tips are just a few things to consider if you find yourself consistently clamouring to finish your work at the last minute. There are many other resources on the web if you find that these don’t work out for you.

Now, get to work (and good luck).

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How to use the 'Present Perfect'

'I have been to Boston.'

Have/has + past participle makes the present perfect .

She has lost her bag. They have taken a taxi I have been to Australia

The present perfect tense is used to describe something that happened in the past, but the exact time it happened is not important. It has a relationship with the present.

I have done my homework = I finished my homework in the past. It is not important at what exact time, only that it is now done. I have forgotten my bag. = Exactly when in the past that I forgot it is not important. The important thing is that I don't have it now .

As we do not use exact time expressions with the past perfect, we cannot say: I have done my homework yesterday

In this case we use the past simple tense: I did my homework yesterday.

Using already just and yet with the present perfect

Already , just and yet can are all used with the present perfect.

Already means 'something has happened sooner than we expected: 'The movie only came out yesterday, but I have already seen it.'

Just means 'a short time ago': 'I have just seen your brother going into the bank with a gun!'

Yet is only used in questions and negative sentences. It means 'something is expected to happen': 'Have you finished the report yet?' No, I haven't finished it yet.'

Now choose the best answer to make the present perfect:

• My parents ___. have retired retired yet has retired
• Your sister ___ my car. has borrow has borrowed have borrowed
• Have you ___ the movie yet? looked have seen seen
• Please wait. I haven't finished ___. yet already just
• Water __ found on Mars. has be have has been
• I have ___ all my money. spent spend has spend
• They ___ you a cake. have make have made have maded

• Lesson Index

English language Schools

• B1-B2 grammar

Past perfect

Do you know how to use phrases like They'd finished the project by March or Had you finished work when I called?  Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how the past perfect is used.

He couldn't make a sandwich because he'd forgotten to buy bread. The hotel was full, so I was glad that we'd booked in advance. My new job wasn't exactly what I’d expected.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar B1-B2: Past perfect: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Time up to a point in the past.

We use the past perfect simple ( had + past participle) to talk about time up to a certain point in the past.

She'd published her first poem by the time she was eight.  We'd finished all the water before we were halfway up the mountain. Had the parcel arrived when you called yesterday?

Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions

We can use the past perfect to show the order of two past events. The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the later action.

When the police arrived, the thief had escaped .

It doesn't matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning.

The thief had escaped when the police arrived.

Note that if there's only a single event, we don't use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.

The Romans spoke Latin. (NOT The Romans had spoken Latin. )

Past perfect after  before

We can also use before + past perfect to show that an action was not done or was incomplete when the past simple action happened.

They left before I'd spoken to them. Sadly, the author died before he'd finished the series.

We often use the adverbs already (= 'before the specified time'), still (= as previously),  just (= 'a very short time before the specified time'), ever (= 'at any time before the specified time') or never (= 'at no time before the specified time') with the past perfect. 

I called his office but he'd already left. It still hadn't rained at the beginning of May. I went to visit her when she'd just moved to Berlin. It was the most beautiful photo I 'd ever seen . Had you ever visited London when you moved there? I 'd never met anyone from California before I met Jim.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar B1-B2: Past perfect: 2

Language level

Hello. Can I mix the simple past and past perfect in this sentence? Can the past perfect be used if I want to describe the completion of a period of time after a single action in the past? - Katerina Panos got married to Darwin Deason in 2008, they had spent 11 years together and got divorced in 2019.

#1 they got married;

#2 they had spent together 11 years;

#3 they got divorced. Thank you

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Hello Tony_M,

I don't think the past perfect works here. The problem is the conjunction 'and' which suggests a sequence of events. If you replace it with 'when' or 'by the time' then the sentence is clearer and more logical. With the conjunction 'and' I think you need the past simple (they spent) rather than the past perfect.

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you, Peter.

What about this one? - Katerina Panos got married to Darwin Deason in 2008, and they'd spent 11 years together by the time they divorced in 2019.

Hello again Tony,

That's perfectly fine.

Thank you very much.

In the sentence Tim visited his parents before he went shopping could we also say  Tim had visited or had been visiting his parents before he went shopping as the action of visiting happened before that of going shopping?

Hello Cilicia,

Yes, that is possible and correct, though the sentence with past simple is also correct. 

We typically use the past perfect when the order of events is important or because we want to emphasise it in some way. We might use this sentence (with the past perfect form) to begin a story, for example, when we are setting the scene for something that happened after he left his parents' house and before he arrived at the shops.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hello, 

It still hadn't rained at the beginning of May.

It still didn't rain at the beginning of May.

Can both sentences be grammatically correct?

Hello Aung Qui,

Yes, both sentences are grammatically correct.

The past simple is used when we are describing actions individually, often in sequence:

I got up, took a shower, got dressed and then drank a coffee.

The past perfect is used when we are looking back from a point in the past to an earlier point in the past and want to connect the events in some way:

After I had got up, I took a shower. Then once I had got dressed, I drank a coffee.

Thus, both of your sentences are grammatically correct. Whether they work in the larger context I cannot say as I don't know the larger context.

Thank you so much.

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