高中英语(译林牛津版)必修二教案(湖南) Unit3 Amazing people-grammar and usage

● Grammar and Usage

Here we will learn to recognize situations where the past perfect tense is used and the time

expressions used together with the tense. We will also see how the tense is formed. You will read two

stories and complete them using the correct verb forms. Pay attention to the differences between the

past perfect tense and the simple past tense.

Step 1: Past perfect tense

Past perfect tense is used to indicate that one action occurred before another action in the past. In

other words, past perfect tense indicates the first of the two actions.

Form of Past Perfect

[had] + [past participle]

Examples:

I had studied a little English when I came to the U.S.

They had never met an American until they met John.

The past perfect tense is often used with the simple

past tense. If one action happens before another in

the past, the past perfect tense is used.presentpastThe past perfect

tense shows us

过去的过去

The past perfect tense used in

reported speechPresentPast“We emptiedthe tomb of everything it

contained,”said Carter.

Carter saidthat they had emptiedthe tomb of

everything it containedThey emptied the

tomb of everything

it containedCarter said that

they had emptied

the tomb The use of the past perfect

tense simply indicates that an

action comes before another

past action.happen

beforeI had donemy homework this

morning before I

wentto the

museum.

used with time expressions such

as when, after, before, as soon as,

until, by, for and alreadyCarter opened King

Tutankhamun’stombThen a few months after Carter had openedthe tomb, Lord Carnarvonfellill with a fever

and died.Lord CarnarvondiedPastPresent

Note: When you are using a verb tense with more than one part such as Past Perfect (had met),

adverbs often come between the first part and the second part (had never met).

USE 1

Completed Action Before Something in Past

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can

also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

Examples:

I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai. Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 1992?

Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before in 1988.

USE 2

Duration Before Something in the Past

(Non-continuous Verbs)

With Non-progressive Verbs and some non-progressive uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past

Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

Examples:

We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.

IMPORTANT Specific Times with the Past Perfect

Unlike the Present Perfect, it is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect.

Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.

EXAMPLE:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the

Past Perfect when before or after is used in the sentence. The words before and after actually tell you

what happens first so the Past Perfect is optional. Both sentences below are correct.

EXAMPLE:

She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

HOWEVER

If the Past Perfect action did not happen at a specific time, Past Perfect MUST be used at all times.

Compare the two sentences below.

EXAMPLE:

She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct

ACTIVE / PASSIVE FORMS of Past Perfect

EXAMPLES

George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanics license. ACTIVE

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanics license. PASSIVE

Step 2: Practice

1. Read Point 1 on page 48 to see which action happens first in the sentence given. Note that the past

perfect tense is often used with the simple past tense. If one action happens before another in the

past, the past perfect tense is used. So these two tenses are often used together. Look at the diagram in Point 1 first, and then read the example sentence. Note how the past

perfect tense is used with the simple past tense.

2. Read the following two sentences to see how the predicate is changed when the sentence is turned

from the direct speech into the indirect speech.

Toby said, “I will/shall not be in London next week.”

Toby said that he would not be in London the next week.