Past perfect - B1

past perfect and past simple; used to

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Context listening

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You are going to hear Peter talking on the radio about a city he visited last week. Here are two pictures of the city. Which is from last week? Which is from seven years ago?

What changes did he see?

Listen again and complete the sentences below. Stop the recording if you need to.

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GRAMMAR

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Past Perfect vs Present Perfect form

We form the past perfect with had + past participle.

We’d eaten lunch.

I hadn’t eaten lunch.

Had they eaten lunch?

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Past perfect vs past simple

We use the past perfect

to talk about something that happened before a past event:

Last week I visited my home city. It had changed a lot.

to talk about something that happened before a past event:

I walked into the restaurant and I saw all my old friends. Stefan had invited them to join us.

in sentences that have when + past simple, to show that one event happened before the other:

When I arrived, Stefan had finished his work.

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We use the past simple

When the two actions are separate.

Compare:

When I arrived, Stefan stopped work.

When the two actions are probably connected.

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Past perfect not past simple

We always use the past perfect not the past simple with already, ever, never and just when we mean before a time in the past

They’d just started the year I left. (not They just started the year I left.)

I had already decided to become an engineer. (not I already decided)

I’d never seen anything like it. (not I never saw)

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used to

I used to live in the city.

They didn’t use to live in the city.

Did she use to live in the city?

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NOTE! There is no present tense of used to (not I use to etc.). We use the present simple

I meet my friends on Saturday evenings.

not I use to meet my friends on Saturday evenings

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GRAMMAR PRACTICE

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