On utilise le past perfect pour situer une action dans le passé par rapport à un autre moment dans le passé, le plus souvent défini par le prétérit. Le past perfect correspond au passé antérieur français.
| sujet + had + participe passé (+ complément)
|
| sujet + had not + participe passé (+ complément)
|
- On peut contracter had et not en hadn't.
| Wh- + had + sujet + participe passé (+ complément) ?
|
| Had + sujet + participe passé (+ complément) ?
|
- I didn't understand what had happened to it.
- My aunt had not met him before.
- What had you done?
- Had you finished it?
On emploie le past perfect progressif pour parler d'actions qui continuaient à un moment du passé.
| sujet + had + been + V-ing (+ complément)
|
| Sujet + had not + been + V-ing (+ complément)
|
- I had been waiting for one hour when he arrived. Je l'attendais depuis une heure quand il arriva.
- I hadn't been going to training every week.
