Past Perfect Tense

You tell a story in the simple past. Then you need to go one step further back. That step back is the past perfect. And there's good news: it's had for everyone.

How to make it

When do we use it?

1. Two past actions: which came first?

Look at the order of the two events:

First this, then that

සිංහලෙන්

• When I got to the station, the train had left.
• I had saved my work before the laptop crashed.
• When they arrived, we had already started eating.

Compare these two. One small word changes the whole story:

Spot the difference

සිංහලෙන්

• When I arrived, the party started.same time
• When I arrived, the party had started.earlier

2. The reason for something in the past

Because…

සිංහලෙන්

• He was very tired because he hadn't slept well.
• I couldn't buy a ticket because I'd left my wallet at home.

3. "Just" and "already"

just / already

සිංහලෙන්

• The train had just left when I got to the station.
• I'd already finished cooking when the guests arrived.

4. Never before that time

Never before

සිංහලෙන්

• I had never been on a plane before 2019.
• She had never seen the sea before that trip.

When before or after already makes the order clear, the simple past is fine too: I ate before I left. Both are correct.

Quick check

Tap an answer. Nothing is saved.

1. When we got to the cinema, the film .

   startedhad started

2. I couldn't get in because I my key.

   had forgottenforgot

3. I Kasun at the bank last week.

   methad met

4. Before that day in Jaffna, I odiyal kool.

   had never eatenhave never eaten

5. She just gone out when you called.

   hashad