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The past perfect tense is most often used for the following:
- For actions that happened before a past event
- In reported speech
- In if (conditional) sentences

For actions that happened before a past event
When we want to talk about an action that happened before a past event, we often use
the past perfect. Look at these examples:
- When I got home yesterday, my father had already cooked dinner.
- I didn't want to go to the movies with my friends because I had seen the film
already.
- My friend offered me an apple in class yesterday, but I wasn't hungry because I
had just eaten lunch.
- I arrived very late at the party. All my friends had already gonehome.
- As soon as she had done her homework, she went to bed.
- I was very tired as I hadn't slept well for several days.
- Had you seen the film before?

Notice how often words like already, just, never etc. are used with the past perfect.
In reported speech
The past perfect is common when we report people's words or thoughts .., as in the
following examples:
- John said that he had never eaten sushi before.
- She told me that she had finished, but I knew she had not.
- She wondered why he had been so unkind to her.
- He told me he hadn't done his homework, but he was hoping to finish it on the
bus.
- I thought I had sent her a birthday card, but I was wrong.
In if (conditional) sentences
The past perfect tense is used in unreal or hypothetical stituations, as in the following
sentences:
- If I had known you were in Frankfurt, I would have called you. (but I didn't
know you were here so I didn't call you!)
- If I had had enough money, I would have bought you a better present. (but I
didn't have enough money.)
- I would have been very angy if you had laughed when I got the answer wrong.
(but you didn't laugh, so I wasn't angry.)
- She wouldn't have been able to finish, if you hadn't helped her. (but you did help
her and she did finish.)
- I wish I had studied for my exams. (but I didn't study - and I got bad grades!)

Task 4. Test your knowledge on the Past Perfect. You have 15 minutes to do it.
TEST ON THE PAST PERFECT
1.Before I came home I __________________________________________
(buy) some bread.
2.When we reached the theatre the performance ____________
___________________________(already/start).
3.I knew I ________________________(see) the man somewhere.
4.She _______________________ (never/write) a letter to the Queen.
5.I tried my friend’s bike. I _______________________________________
____________________(not+ride) a bike before.
6.Tom did not come to school yesterday because he _________________

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