11/4/2020 Simple Past and Past Perfect - English Grammar

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Simple Past – Past Perfect Simple
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Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
 Countries
2nd column of irregular verbs had + 3rd column of irregular verbs
(/en/read- Example: I spoke Example: I had spoken
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regular verbs: infinitive + ed regular verbs: form of have + infinitive + ed
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Example: I worked Example: I had worked
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(/en/read- when the final letter is e, only add d
on/literature) Example: love - loved
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled
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 Communication final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

(/en/business- Example: travel - travelled

english/communication) after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example: worry - worried
 Grammar
but: play - played
(/en/business-
english/grammar) See also explanations on Simple Past (/en/cram-
 Business-Info up/grammar/simple-past) and Past Perfect Simple (/en/cram-
(/en/business- up/grammar/past-perfect-simple)
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11/4/2020 Simple Past and Past Perfect - English Grammar

 Calendar 2020 Use

(/en/take- We use Simple Past if we give past events in the order in which
on/calendar?2020) they occured. However, when we look back from a certain time
in the past to tell what had happened before, we use Past
 Teach In Perfect.
 Cultural Studies
Normal order in the past or looking back to an event before
(/en/teach-
a certain time in the past?
in/cultural-studies)
Do you just want to tell what happened some time in the past
 Lessons (/en/teach-
or do you want to tell what had happened before/up to a
in/lessons) certain time in the past?

Simple Past Past Perfect Simple

some time in the past before/up to a certain time in the past

Example: Jane got up at seven. She opened Example: Before her sixth birthday, Jane had
her birthday presents and then the never been to the zoo.
whole family went to the zoo.

Signal Words

Simple Past Past Perfect Simple

first already
then up to then
before that day
after*

*Note: "After" is only used as a signal word for Past Perfect if it

is followed by a subject + verb, meaning that one action had
been completed before another action began (the new action is
in Simple Past).
Example: After the family had had breakfast, they went to the zoo.

However, if "after" is followed by object + subject + verb, the

verb belongs to the new action and is therefore in Simple Past.
Example: After her visit to the zoo, Jane was exhausted.

More exceptions with signal words

When

Depending on the situation, "when" can be used with Simple

Past or Past Perfect. Compare the following examples:
Example: When Jane saw the elephants, she was amazed. (at the
same time)
When Jane had seen the elephants, she wanted to see
the giraffes. (second action happened after the first action
had been completed)
When Jane went to see the elephants, she had already
seen the lions. (second action had been completed when
the first action took place)

Before

"Before" as well can either be used with Simple Past or Past

Perfect. If the action after "before" is a new action, use Simple
Past. If the action after "before" started (and was not
completed) before a certain time in the past, use Past Perfect.
Compare the following examples:
Example: Jane had read a lot about elephants before she went to
the zoo.
Jane went to the zoo before she had finished reading her
new book about elephants.

Exercises on Simple Past and Past Perfect Simple

Exercise 1 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/exercises),
Exercise 2 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/exercises?
ex02), Exercise 3 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-

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11/4/2020 Simple Past and Past Perfect - English Grammar
pasper/exercises?ex03), Exercise 4 (/en/cram-
up/grammar/simpas-pasper/exercises?ex04)
Exercise on the text Orlando (/en/read-
on/countries/usa/tour/orlando)
The Visitor (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/exercises?
ex05), The Pilgrims (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-
pasper/exercises?ex06)
Special use of signal words 1 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-
pasper/exercises?ex07), Special use of signal words 2
(/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/exercises?ex08)

Tests on Simple Past and Past Perfect Simple

Test 1 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/tests?test1)

Test 2 (/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-pasper/tests?test2)

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