Unit 12

Past perfect

EXAMPLES

[+] When I woke up, the garden was all white. It had snowed during the night.
I suddenly realized that I'd left my phone in the taxi.
[–] We got home just in time – the match hadn't started.
When she got to class, she realized that she hadn't brought her book.
[?] A I went to Paris last weekend. I really loved it.
B Had you been there before?
A No, I hadn't.

FORM

• We use the past perfect when we are already talking about the past and want to talk about an earlier past action.
• When I woke up, the garden was all white. It had snowed during the night. = It snowed before I woke up.
• We make the past perfect with had / hadn't + the past participle.
• The form of the past perfect is the same for all persons.
• had is sometimes contracted to 'd.

Reported (or indirect) speech

EXAMPLES

Direct speech > reported speech

'I love you.' > He said (that) he loved me.
'I've just arrived.' > She said (that) she had just arrived.
We'll come at eight.' > He told me (that) they would come at eight.
'I don't want to go to the party.' > Jack told Anna (that) he didn't want to go to the party.

FORM

• We use reported speech to tell somebody what another person said.
• We often introduce reported speech with said or told (+ person).
• After said or told, that is optional,
  e.g. He said (that) he loved me.
• Pronouns often change in reported speech,
  e.g. I changes to he or she. 'I'm tired.' She told me (that) she was tired.
• Verb tenses change like this:
  'I can help you.' (present simple) > He said (that) he could help me. (past simple)
  'I'm driving.' (present continuous) > 'She said (that) she was driving. (past continuous)
  'I'll call you.' (will) > He told me (that) he would call me. (would)
  'I met a girl at a party.' (past simple) > John told me (that) he had met a girl at a party. (past perfect)
  'I've broken my arm.' (present perfect) > Sara said (that) she had broken her arm. (past perfect)