# 1. Paco had had a dream about this journey before (introduction to past perfect)

> In this topic you are going to learn the Past Perfect Tense in affirmative, negative and interrogative. As you are learning the Past Perfect tense, you will see that it's similar to the Present Perfect and that will help you a lot.

# Actividad de lectura

ING01-05-01-audio02.mp3
Paco had dreamt about this journey before. When he won the lottery, he had always wanted to travel to the U.S.A. He had travelled in some European countries but now Paco expected to find a different way of life and discover lots of new adventures, people and culture.

Imagen de Andrew en wikipedia. Licencia GNU

Paco had not imagined such an enormous country. In fact, some states in the USA are bigger than many countries in Europe, so he decided to travel to New York first, then to Washington D.C. Later, he would go to a warmer place, Florida, in the south east. Finally, he decided to travel to Chicago, the third largest city in the USA.
Had Paco planned this journey in detail before leaving Europe? Had he taken into consideration all the possible events he could find on his way? We'll see soon.
Try to identify all the verbs in the Past Perfect Tense in affirmative, negative and interrogative.

# Retroalimentación

to expect: esperar

in detail: en detalle, en profundidad

to take into consideration: tener en cuenta

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Affirmative: had had a dream / had always wanted / had travelled

Negative: had not imagined

Interrogative: Had Paco planned ... / had he taken ...

#

# Ejercicio Resuelto

Which of these sentences are in Past Perfect Simple?

1) Paco had had a dream about this journey before.

2) Alex and Andrés have played tennis in the park.

3) Sonia had taught English to his brother.

4) My father had not seen that film before.

5) The children had been playing football for an hour.

6) Had your family been there before?

# Retroalimentación

1) Yes. As you have properly deduced, the past perfect is formed in the same way as the present perfect, but with the past of the auxiliary verb to have.

2) No. This is present perfect tense and not past perfect.

3) Yes.

4) Yes. When the past perfect is in the negative, we place not after the auxiliary had.

5) No. This is past perfect continuous tense.

6) Yes. When the past perfect is in the interrogative form the following structure is applied:

Auxiliary verb had + subject + past participle + complement(s) + ?

# Comprueba lo aprendido

# Pregunta

Watch this video about the form and uses of the Past Perfect Tense.
Then say if the statements below are true or false.

Vídeo de BBC Learning English - ¿Quieres aprender a hablar inglés?

1. The Past Perfect can only be used with regular verbs.

# Respuestas

Opción 1

A. False.

Opción 2

B. True.

# Retroalimentación

Right. Obviously, it can also be used with irregular verbs.
Wrong.

# Solución

1. Opción correcta (Retroalimentación)
2. Incorrecto (Retroalimentación)

# Pregunta

2. The Past Perfect takes place before another past action.

# Respuestas

Opción 1

A. False.

Opción 2

B. True.

# Retroalimentación

Wrong. It takes place before another past action.
It is one of its uses.

# Solución

1. Incorrecto (Retroalimentación)
2. Opción correcta (Retroalimentación)

# Reflexiona

This tense is formed by using two components: the verb HAVE in the past tense (HAD) and the past participle form of a verb. With a regular verb the past participle ends in -ED. As you already know, irregular verbs have a special past participle form that you have to learn by heart.
Click here if you want to check your knowledge of irregular verbs.

# Retroalimentación

I had been to London twice. (IRREGULAR VERB)

My sister had visited him several times before he visited her. (REGULAR VERB)

# Curiosidad

About the American Flag
The flag of the United States of America (more commonly known simply as the American Flag) consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The fifty stars on the flag represent the fifty American states and the thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory and The Star-Spangled Banner (also the name of the national anthem).

Imagen de Nironen . Dominio público. | Imagen de Zscout370 . Dominio público

The flag of the United States is one of the nation's most widely recognized symbols. Within the U.S.A. it is frequently displayed, not only on public buildings, but on private residences. It is also used as a motif on decals for car windows, and clothing ornaments such as badges and lapel pins. Throughout the world it is used in public discourse to refer to the U.S.A., not only as a nation, state, government, and set of policies, but also as an ideology and set of ideas.

Apart from the numbers of stars and stripes representing the number of current and original states, respectively, and the union with its stars representing a constellation, there is no legally defined symbolism to the colors and shapes on the flag. However, folk theories and traditions abound.

Taken from wikipedia.

# Para saber más

Further information and examples about forming and using the Past Perfect Tense.

Have a look here to see the differences between the Simple Past and the Past Perfect.

> Now that we have seen the Past Perfect in context, let's see if we can identify and recognize the third type of conditional sentences. You will learn types 1 and 2 and will practise type 3 in the next unit, anyway. Don't worry. Well, what are we waiting for?