SARF-Table: FuturePresentSimple PastPresent Perfect Past Perfect


SARF PAST PERFECT

This verb tense describes events that began in the past and ended there, too. It is used when you have several
events in the past and several of them happened earlier than others. When I received the phone call, I had
already written 20 pages. – I had worked

To start the animation, point the cursor on the person, such as „You“!

From top to bottom you can build your sentences. From bottom to top you can build your questions. For statements, always begin with the personal pronoun „I-you-he-she-it-we-you or they“. Indicate the past perfect form with “had” and then use the required action verb in the 3. form (choose, chose, chosen). Only after that can you complete the sentence with place and time. (place always comes before time – P before T).

I had worked in Berlin since 1991 when...

With questions, you begin from the bottom up. If, for instance, you would like to use the question word “why”, begin with this word, then include the signal word “had” to indicate the past perfect tense, the personal pronoun, the desired action verb. (Note! Use the action verb from the present perfect tense column) and finally, if necessary, place then time. If you do not require a question word, simply leave it out and continue building the sentence as just described.

(Where) had you worked since 1991?

1. Note:  he-she-it-they he-she-it-they“ can be replaced by proper nouns such as a first name instead of „he“ or a place such as „The shop“ instead of „it“.

The shop had opened that morning.



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