Past Perfect Tense – Definition Formula Exercise

Learn past perfect tense, followed by concepts, definitions, formulas, negative sentences, and interrogative and interro-negative sentences.

Definitoin of Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect Tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action or a specific time in the past. It emphasizes that one event happened before another in the past.

Past = Passed

Perfect = Complete

Tense =  Time

Present Perfect Tense =Passed the time completely

Definition of Past Perfect Tense

In this tense, anything is done, happened or borne in past complete aspects. Moreover, any work which was started in past and completed in the past time.                                                                                                 

Formula of Past Perfect Tense

S +had+ 3rd form of Verb + O

Subject

Verb

Object

The function in any sentence is called action, and the time when the work is done is called action, whereas the work on which it is done is called object.

They had done their duty.

In this sentence, ‘they’ are doing their duty. So, ‘they’ will be the subject. The work is being done on ‘duty’, so, it is ‘an object’. Meanwhile, ‘done’ is a verb that is called a tense/verb.

First of all, the subject is placed at the start of the sentence, then 3rd form of the verb followed by “had” and the object at the end with a full stop.

Examples* 3V=3rd form of verb

Whatever the subject is, ‘had’ will act as a helping verb.

S    + had+ 3V  +        O

S  +  had  + 3V  +  O

S + has  +  3V  +  O

Recognizing the Tense

We can recognize this sentence by finding ‘had’ right after the subject.          

Exercise

We had played cricket.         

You had driven a car.

Negative Sentences of Past Perfect Tense

To make a sentence negative, place “ not” right after had. Let us formulate it.

S +  had  + not +3V  + O

Negative Sentences of Past Perfect Tense

He had not gone school.

They had not done homework.

Interrogative Sentence

To make a sentence interrogative, place “had” right before the subject or at the start of the sentence. Let us formulate it.

Had  + S  + 3V  + O + ?

Examples of Past Perfect Tense Interrogative Sentences

Had he gone to school?

Had they done homework?

Interro-Negative Sentences

To make a sentence interro-negative, add “ had” right before the subject of a negative sentence and put the sign of interrogation at the end. Let us formulate it.

S +had  +3V  + O (Simple)

S + had+ not +3V  + O (-ve)

Examples of Past Perfect Tense Interrogative Sentences

Now, the Interronegative Sentence will be as:

Had + S+not +3V  + O? 

Had you not gone abroad?

Had they not done homework?

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some important questions related to past perfect tense the students may have in their minds to ask.

1. Past Perfect Tense Ks2

The Past Perfect Tense is used to describe an action that happened before another past event. It helps show which event happened first.

Structure:

✅ Subject + had + past participle

Examples for KS2:

1. I had finished my homework before dinner.
2. She had baked a cake before the guests arrived.
3. We had already left when it started raining.
4. The train had departed before we got to the station.
5. He had never seen a lion before visiting the zoo.

How It Works:

• The past perfect action happens first.
• The simple past action happens after it.

Example:
✅ I had eaten (past perfect) before my friend arrived (simple past).

2. Past Perfect Tense Verb Form

In the Past Perfect Tense, the verb form follows this structure:

✅ had + past participle

Formation of Verbs in Past Perfect

You may also learn:

• Past Indefinite Tense – Definition Rules Exercise
• Past Continuous Tense – All Rules Exercise
• Present Perfect Tense – Definition, Rules, Exercise, FAQs