TODAY’S OBJECTIVE

•Reading Comprehension
•Grammar : The Past Perfect
•Exercises
Oprah Winfrey
 THE PAST PERFECT
•We use past perfect when we are talking about the past.
But, not just any situation in the past.

•We use the past perfect when we are talking about two
events that happened in the past. And when one event
happened before the other event.

•Think of the past perfect as helping us to create a timeline.

Example : I had just stepped outside when it started to
rain.

There are two events here. I stepped outside and it

started to rain.

If we use the past simple for both these events, then

we will not know which one happened first. All we
know is that both of these events happened in the
past. So by using the past perfect to describe one
event, we know which of these events happened
before /earlier and which event happened later.
I had just stepped outside when it started to rain.
So which one came first?

Present
Past (Event 1) : Past (Event 2 ):
moment
I had stepped It started to
outside. rain.
 EXAMPLE:
She had just finished her exam when the timer went off.

So which of these two events happened first?

Answer : She finished her exam first, but only by a little.

(hint : just)

And we know this because of the past perfect.

• I couldn’t go out for dinner because I had left my wallet at
home.
Try to imagine the story here. That will also help you
understand which event happened before and which event
happened afterwards.

• He had mentioned feeling sick, but then they were surprised

when he suddenly fainted.

So the past perfect helps our story to unfold over time.

 THE PAST PERFECT
• The past perfect ( had + past participle) is used
to talk about an action that was completed
before a definite time or before another action
that took place in the past.

• We had finished our dinner by 12:30 yesterday.

• After we had completed our homework, father
let us watch TV.
Had + past participle
(aux. verb) (main. Verb)
• He had mentioned feeling sick, but then they were
surprised when he suddenly fainted.

• I couldn’t go out for dinner because I had left my

wallet at home.
 Past Perfect Vs Past Simple
• The Past Perfect always shows a relationship with another
past event.
• We use the past perfect for the earlier(first) event and the
past simple for the later (second) event.

• In 1990, Oprah Winfrey invited Matt on the show. He had

been an author for two years. ( stating that he was an author
before 1990.)
• By the time Jill got home, ”The Oprah Winfrey Show” had
finished.
PAST PERFECT – 1ST Event. PAST SIMPLE – 2ND
Event.
• When we are telling our story, the first event that happened is
always in the past perfect, and the second event that
happened is always in the past simple tense.

PAST PERFECT

Event 2
Event 1 Present

PAST SIMPLE
 Example:
• I had just smelled smoke when the fire alarm went off.

• When the fire alarm went off, I had just smelled smoke.

• So in both the examples, I smelled the smoke first. And then

the fire alarm went off.
• It does not matter how the sentence is structured, the order of
the events (which happened first/earlier and which happened
later) remains the same because of the tenses we use.
IN SENTENCES WITH “WHEN”
• In sentences with when, notice the difference in
meaning between the past simple and the past
perfect.

• When the show ended, she left. (First the show

ended. Then she left.)
• When the show ended, she had left. (First she
left. Then the show ended.)
 USING ADVERBS LIKE JUST, REALLY,
ALREADY
• These adverbs are often used in the past perfect tense and
they go between had and the main verb.
• HAD + ADVERB + MAIN VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE)
• Had just finished (when one event happens immediately
before the other)
• He had just got in the shower when he heard a knock on the
door. (It was only a moment before that he had gotten in the
shower and then he heard the knock.)
• Had really tried
• Had already eaten.
 What is wrong here?

•They have just left when I stopped by .

They have just left when I stopped by .
USING THE WORD “BY” IN PAST
PERFECT
• We often use the past perfect with by ( a certain
time).

• By 1966, Oprah had decided on a career.

 PRACTICE
• Event 1 : We heard a strange noise.
• Event 2 : The lights went out. (immediately after)

We had just heard a strange noise when the lights

went out.
 TRY YOURSELF.
• Event 1 : I decided to leave.
• Event 2 : The boss called me for a meeting.

• Event 1 : The prices increased.

• Event 2: We bought plane tickets.

• Event 1: She looked around for help.

• Event 2: A salesperson appeared (immediately after)
Read the sentence and answer with True or False for
the statement that follows.
1. When I got home, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” started.
First the Oprah show started. Then I got home. __T/F___
2. When I got home, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” had started.
First the Oprah show started. Then I got home. __T/F___
3. Oprah’s guest had lost 25 thousand dollars when she interviewed him.
The guest lost the money before the interview. __T/F ____
4. By the end of the show, I had fallen asleep.
I feel asleep after the show. ___T/F______
5. By midnight, I had finished the magazine article.
I finished the article before midnight. _____T/F______
Edit: Read the report below and find six mistakes in
the use of the past perfect. Find and correct them.
Use the past simple or the past perfect in the
following sentences.
• Before the police arrived, the robbers _______ (leave) the
bank.
• After Saman had broken the window, he _____ (run) from the
school.
• Before the fire _____ (destroy) the camp, they had left it.
• Raman _____ (already/arrive) when they asked me about him.
• The president ______ (just/leave) when we reached his office.
• Shiva ______ (break) his ruler when the teacher asked for it.
• By the end of June last year, the farmer ______ (plant) the rice.
But this year, there is no sign of rain.
There are two actions in the following sentences.
Find which action that happened first.
• They had finished their work before they went for a walk.
• She came in after the boss had left the office.
• The villagers became poor after the flood had swept away
their fields.
• Dad called to say that he had forgotten his mobile phone.
• The farmer stopped ploughing only after the sun had set.
• My friend told me that he had discovered a cave near the
cliff.
 Match to make sentences
a. When we had written our
stories,
b. I couldn’t sleep well for a
week
c. By the time I reached the
shop,
d. The next time I saw her
e. The man had run away
f. I had never believed in
magic
1. She had changed
completely.
2. Until I saw his show.
3. After I had seen that film.
4. By the time the police
arrived.
5. We gave them to the
teacher.
6. I had forgotten what I
wanted.