Past perfect tense

​Excerpt in Harry Potter

The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.​

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (Chapter 1)

How can we describe the situation below? ​

​E.g. In the story where characters want to mention something that happened in the past.

​Past Perfect Tense

​Form: had + past participle​

3 Reasons to use

​

1. To make it clear which action happened first.​

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2. ​Something that started in the past and continued up to another action or time in the past.

​3. To talk about unreal or imaginary things in the

past.

​Situation

Why? What's does this sentence mean?

After I arrived, the bus left. ​

​Past Perfect Tense

​Form: had + past participle

​

After I arrived, the train ____________ (leave).

​Usage of Past Perfect Tense

1. To make it clear which action happened first.​

   ​

   ​

2. ​Something that started in the past and continued up to another action or time in the past.

​

​Example

When he graduated, he had been in London for six years.

​

= He arrived in London six years before he graduated and lived there until he graduated, or even longer.

​Excerpt in Harry Potter

The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.​

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (Chapter 1)

​Unreal or imaginary things in the past ​

​How you wish you to change the past

• I wish I hadn't gone to bed so late!​

Example: Third Conditionals (Type 3)

• ​If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you.

• She would have passed the exam if she had studied harder.

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