Past Perfect Tense

When to Use The Past Perfect Tense

Expressing action in the past before another action in the past. This is the past in the past.

  • The train left at 9am. We arrived at 9:15am. When we arrived, the train had left.

In reported speech after verbs like: said, told, asked, thought, wondered

  • He told us that the train had left.
  • I thought I had met her before, but I was wrong.

Instead of the time being now the time is before.

For example, imagine that you arrive at the station at 9:15am. The stationmaster says to you:

  • “You are too late. The train has left.”

Later, you tell your friends:

  • “We were too late. The train had left.”