Past Perfect Tense | English Grammar Advanced - Class 10 PDF Download

Understanding the Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect Tense is used to indicate that an action was completed at a certain point in the past before another action took place.

Past Perfect Tense Formula for First Person Singular

The formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Singular is that the sentence starts with ‘I’ and ‘had’ , then a verb in its 3rd form, followed by an object which is optional.

So, we can say that the formula for Past Perfect Tense for First Person Singular is as follows: ‘I’ + had + verb(3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some example sentences with formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Singular:

1) I had studied hard for exams.
मैं परीक्षा के लिए कड़ी मेहनत कर चुका था।

2) I had gone to work.
मैं काम पर जा चुका था ।

3) I  had slept late on Saturday.
मैं शनिवार को देर से सोया था।

Negative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative sentences the formula is that you add ‘not’ before the 3rd form of the verb and the rest of the rule remains the same.

‘I’ + ‘had’+ not + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)

Let us see some examples of negative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Singular:

1) I had not studied hard for exams.
मैं परीक्षा के लिए कड़ी मेहनत नहीं कर चुका था।

2) I had not gone to work.
मैं काम पर नहीं जा चुका था ।

Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘was’ at the start of the sentence followed by the subject and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + [subject] + verb (3rd form)+ object(optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Person is Singular:
1) Had I studied hard for exams?

क्या मैंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था?

2) Had I gone to work every day?
क्या मैं हर दिन काम करने गया था?

Negative Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘Had ’at the start of the sentence, then the subject and then ‘not’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

had + [subject] + not + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Person is Singular:

1) Had I not  studied hard for exams?
क्या मैंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था?

2) Had I not  gone to work?

क्या मैं काम पर नहीं गया था?

3) Had I not slept late on Saturday?
क्या मैं शनिवार को देर से नहीं सोया था?

Past Perfect Tense Formula for First Person Plural

The formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Plural are that the sentence starts with ‘We’ and had, then a verb in its 3rd form followed by an object which is optional. So, we can say that the formula for Past Perfect Tense for First Person Plural is as follows: ‘We’ + had + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)

Let us see some example sentences with formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Plural:
1) We had studied hard for exams.

हमने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था।

2) We had gone to work.
हम काम पर गए थे।

3) We had slept late on Saturday.
हम शनिवार को देर से सोए थे।

Negative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative sentences the formula is that you add ‘not’ before the verb and the rest of the rule remains the same.

We’ + had + not + verb(3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some examples of negative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the First Person is Plural:

1) We had not studied hard for exams.
हमने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था।

2) We had not gone to work.
हम काम पर नहीं गए थे।

Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘had’  at the start of the sentence followed by the subject and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + [subject] + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:
1) Had we studied hard for exams?
क्या हमने परीक्षा के लिए कड़ी मेहनत की थी?

2) Had we gone to work?
क्या हम काम पर गए थे?

Negative Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ’had’ at the start of the sentence, then the subject and then ‘not’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + [subject] + not + verb (3rd  form)+ object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:
1) Had we not studied hard for exams?

क्या हमने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था?

2) Had we not gone to work?
क्या हम काम पर नहीं गए थे?

3) Had we not slept late on Saturday?
क्या हम शनिवार को देर से नहीं सोए  थे?

Past Perfect Tense Formula for Second Person

The formula for Past Perfect Tense when there is a Second Person involved are that the sentence starts with ‘you’ and ‘had’, then a verb in its 3rd form, followed by an object which is optional.

So, we can say that the formula for Past Perfect Tense when a Second Person is involved is as follows: ‘You’ + had + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)

Let us see some example sentences with formula for Past Perfect Tense when a Second Person is involved:

1) You had studied hard for exams.
आपने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था।

2) You had gone to work.
तुम काम पर गए थे।

3) You had slept late on Saturday.
आप शनिवार को देर से सोए थे।

Negative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative sentences the formula is that you add ‘had not’ before the verb and the rest of the rule remains the same.

‘You’ + had + not + verb (3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some examples of negative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when there is a second person:
1) You had not studied hard for exams
आपने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था

2) You had not gone to work.
आप काम पर नहीं गए थे।

3) You had not slept late on Saturday.
आप शनिवार को देर से नहीं सोए थे।

Interrogative Sentences 
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘had’  at the start of the sentence followed by ‘you’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + you + verb (3rd  form) + object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when there is a Second Person Involved:

1) Had you studied hard for exams?
क्या आपने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था?

2) Had you gone to work?
क्या आप काम पर गए थे?

3) Had you slept late on Saturday?
क्या आप शनिवार को देर से सोए थे?

Negative Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘Had’ at the start of the sentence, then the subject and then ‘not’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + you + not + verb(3rd  form) + object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when there is a second person involved:

1) Had you not studied hard for exams?
क्या आपने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था?

2) Had you not gone to work?
क्या आप काम पर नहीं गए थे?

Past Perfect Tense Formula for Third Person Singular

The formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Singular are that the sentence starts with He, She, Common noun or proper noun with ‘had’, then a verb in its 3rd form with   followed by an object which is optional.

So, we can say that the formula for Past Perfect Tense for Third Person Singular is as follows: He/ She/ Common Nouns/ Proper Nouns + had + verb (3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some example sentences with formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Singular:

1) He had studied hard for exams.
उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कड़ी मेहनत से पढ़ाई की थी।

2) Father had gone to work.
पिता काम पर गए थे।

Negative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative sentences the formula is that you add ‘not’ before the verb and the rest of the rule remains the same.

He/ She/ Common Nouns/ Proper Nouns + had + not + verb(3rd form) + object (optional)

Let us see some examples of negative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Singular:

1) He had not studied hard for exams
उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था

2) He had not gone to work.
वह काम पर नहीं गया था।

Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘had’ at the start of the sentence followed by He/ She/ Common Nouns/ Proper Nouns and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + subject (He/ She/ Common Nouns/ Proper Nouns) + verb (root form) + object(optional)

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Singular:

1) Had he studied hard for exams?
क्या उसने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था?

2) Had father gone to work?
क्या पिताजी काम पर गए थे?

Negative Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘Had’ at the start of the sentence, then the subject and then ‘not’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had+ [subject] + not + verb (3rd form)  + object(optional)

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Singular:

1) Had he not studied hard for exams?
क्या उसने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था?

2) Had father not gone to work?
क्या पिताजी काम पर नहीं गए थे?

Past Perfect Tense Formula for Third Person Plural

The formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural are that the sentence starts with ‘They’ or common nouns and had , then a verb in its 3rd form followed by an object which is optional

So, we can say that the formula for Past Perfect Tense for Third Person Plural is as follows: They/ Common Nouns + had + verb (3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some example sentences with formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:

1) They had studied hard for exams.
उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था।

2) Boys had gone to work.
लड़के काम पर गए थे।

Negative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative sentences the formula is that you add ‘not’ before the verb and the rest of the rule remains the same.

They/ Common Nouns + had + ‘not’ + verb(3rd  form) + object (optional)

Let us see some examples of negative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:

1) They had not studied hard for exams

उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था

2) They had not gone to work.
वे काम पर नहीं गए थे।

3) They had not slept late on Saturday.
वे शनिवार को देर से नहीं सोए थे।

Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘Had’ at the start of the sentence followed by ‘They/ Common nouns’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.

Had + they/ common nouns + verb (3rd form) + object (optional) ?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:

1) Had they studied hard for exams?

क्या उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन किया था?

2) Had they gone to work?

क्या वे काम पर गए थे?

Negative Interrogative Sentences
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add ‘Had’ at the start of the sentence, then the subject and then ‘not’ and the rest of the rule remains the same.
Had + they/ common nouns + not + verb (3rd form) + object (optional)?

Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences with the formula for Past Perfect Tense when the Third Person is Plural:
1) Had they not studied hard for exams?
क्या उन्होंने परीक्षा के लिए कठिन अध्ययन नहीं किया था?

2) Had they not gone to work?
क्या वे काम पर नहीं गए थे?

Q. Translate the following sentences using the Past Perfect Tense exercises and the answers follow:
1. मैं टेलीविज़न  देख  चुकी  थी।
2. हम खाना पहले ही खा चुके थे
3.  वह मेरे उठने से पहले ही  जा चुका था।
4. वे गाना गा  चुके थे।
5. क्या हम कपड़े धो चुके थे?

Answers:
1. I had watched television.
2. We had already eaten our meal.
3. He had left before I woke up.
4. They had sung the song.
5. Had we washed the clothes?