We use it

This tense is used to refer to an action which had happened (started and ended) before another situation in the past.

IMPORTANT

Sentences in this tense can be accompanied by words such as...

- Never

- Just

- Already

- Since

- Yet

- For

- As soon as

- Until

STRUCTURE

Auxiliary "Had".

Translation available

Listen to content to improve your pronunciation or translate if you need help with the comprehension.

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Subject + Had + Past Participle of The Verb + the rest of the sentence.

To formulate affirmative sentences in this tense, we use the auxiliary "Had", regardless of the subject of the sentence.

The main verb is conjugated in Past Participle but its form will depend on the regular or irregular form of the verb.

If the verb is Regular, we add -Ed at the end of it.

If the verb is Irregular, it will appear in the irregular verb list, the Past Participle appears in the 3rd column.

  • Examples

    I wrote an essay about the book that I had read before.

    Susan had worked the whole day before she went back home.

    He had finished school when he met Kate.

    She had never been to India.

Subject + Had Not + Verb Conjugated In The Past Participle + the rest of the sentence.

In the negative sentences, add "Not" to the auxiliary verb

Had Not (Hadn't).

The Verb is always conjugated in the Past Participle.

  • Examples

    She hadn't ridden a horse for a long time so she was scared.

    I hadn't been to England until 2002.

    Bobby had not cleaned his room when mum arrived.

Had + Subject + Verb Conjugated In Past Participle + the rest of the sentence?

The interrogative form is formulated writing the auxiliary "Had" before the Subject.

The verb of the sentence is always written in Past Participle.

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Answer

Correct Answer

_ _ _ _ _ the robbery several months before.

They had planned

Well done!

They have planned

Try again

They had plan

Wrong answer

The kids _ _ _ _ _ the wall.

have already painted

Keep trying

had already paint

Try again

had already painted

Good!

I _ _ _ _ _ so scared since your mother was pregnant.

had to be

Wrong answer

hadn't been

You did it!

hadn't being

Keep trying

We can use either 'HAD NOT' or its short form 'HADN'T'.

True

Great!

False

Try again

_ _ _ _ _ your exam?

Had you prepared

Cool!

Had prepared you

Keep trying

Had you preparing

Try again

The auxiliary used in this tense is HAD.

True

You did it!

False

Wrong answer

We use DIDN'T in the negative form.

True

Try again

False

That´s it!

We use the infinitive form of the verb.

True

Try again

False

Correct answer!

We use the Participle form of the verb.

True

Well done!

False

Keep trying

You had _ _ _ _ _ your essay when she arrived.

finish

Wrong answer

finished

Good!

finishing

Keep trying

Emma _ _ _ _ _ the window when it started raining.

had closed

Great!

has closed

Try again

have closed

Wrong answer

The thief _ _ _ _ _ the bank.

has stolen

Keep trying

had steal

Try again

had stolen

Cool!

I _ _ _ _ _ you there.

hadn't seen

You did it!

have see

Wrong answer

hadn't saw

Keep trying

_ _ _ _ _ they found the bag?

Have

Try again

Had

That´s it!

Did

Wrong answer

When her mum entered, Kathy _ _ _ _ _ the glass.

hadn't break

Keep trying

had broken

Correct answer!

had broke

Try again

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