PAST PERFECT TENSE

1. Use the past perfect tense when one action in the past happened before another action in the past. Put the earlier action in the past perfect and the later action in the simple past. The second action does not have to be in the same sentence. When you use before and after you do not have to use the past perfect because the time relationship is clear. You can use the simple past instead.

• We had just finished dinner when we decided to go see a movie.
• By the time, we arrived at the theatre, the movie had already begun.
• We had not seen a good movie in weeks.
• We (had) called the theatre before we left home.