Past perfect tense - rules - examples

 Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense rules:

Affirmative sentences:

•  Helping verb (had)
• Always use 3rd form of the verb

Negative sentences:

• Had not
• Always use 3rd form of the verb in negative sentences of the past perfect tense

Interrogative sentences:

• Always use "had" at the beginning of interrogative sentences.
• Always use 3rd form of verb

Past perfect tense rules

Past Perfect Tense Examples:

1.

• She had gone to school.
• She had not gone to school.
• Had she gone to school?

• Had she not gone to school?

2.

• They had played Hockey.
• They had not played Hockey.
• Had they played Hockey?
• Had they not played Hockey?

3. 

• The peon had rung the bell.
• The peon had not rung the bell.
• Had the peon not rung the bell?
• Had the peon rung the bell?

4.

• I had written a letter.
• I had not written a letter.
• Had I not written a letter?
• Had I written a letter?

How to make sentences of past perfect tense?

Affirmative Sentences:

In the above example "I had written a letter", we use "had" in this sentence because it is the sentence of the past perfect tense. "had" is the helping verb. We use "written" because it is the third form of the verb. According to past perfect tense rules, we use the third form of the verb and "had".

Negative Sentences:

We use the above example "I had not written a letter", in this sentence we use "not" after the helping verb (had).

Interrogative sentences:

In the above example " Had I not written a letter?" and "Had I written a letter?". The helping verb (had) is written at the beginning of the sentence.