English grammar
Past perfect: had + past participle
Say what had already happened before another past moment.
From the scene He'd already left
In short
To say something happened before another past moment, use had + past participle. Had is the same for everyone.
Your turn
Which one goes with question form?
Options: Had you already left? · I had already left · I had shut my door
Show answer
question form → Had you already left?
How it works
To say something had already happened before another past moment, use had + past participle: left, shut, arrived.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
You’d already (blank) that early?
Options: leave · leaving · left
Show answer
You’d already left that early?
¿Ya se había ido tan pronto?
Good to know
Had is the same for every person: I had, you had, she had, we had, they had.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
When the chaos started, I’d already (blank) my door.
Options: shuts · shutting · shut
Show answer
When the chaos started, I’d already shut my door.
Cuando empezó el lío, ya había cerrado mi puerta.
something finished before another past moment I had already left
Ramón
Me? I had already left.
¿Yo? Ya me había ido.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Me? (blank).
Options: Had you already left · I had shut my door · I had already left
Show answer
Ramón
Me? I had already left.
¿Yo? Ya me había ido.
question form Had you already left?
Your turn
What goes with Had you already left??
Options: something finished before another past moment · the same "had" for every person · question form
Show answer
Had you already left? → question form
the same "had" for every person I had shut my door
negative form you hadn't arrived
Your turn
What goes with you hadn't arrived?
Options: negative form · something finished before another past moment · question form
Show answer
you hadn't arrived → negative form
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| something finished before another past moment | I had already left |
|---|---|
| question form | Had you already left? |
| the same "had" for every person | I had shut my door |
| negative form | you hadn't arrived |
More lines from the story
- NuriaYou’d already left that early?¿Ya se había ido tan pronto?
- RamónWhen the chaos started, I’d already shut my door.Cuando empezó el lío, ya había cerrado mi puerta.
- RamónNo. You hadn’t arrived yet either, had you?No. Tú tampoco habías llegado todavía, ¿verdad?
- RamónI only went for one drink.Yo solo fui a tomar una copa.
- RamónWell at five someone was singing rancheras in the street. And I’d already fallen asleep!Pues a las cinco alguien cantaba rancheras en la calle. ¡Y yo ya me había dormido!