Here's a breakdown:
* Structure: "had" + past participle of the verb (e.g., had studied, had walked, had eaten)
* Meaning: An action was completed before another action in the past.
* Example: "I had studied for the test all week, so I felt confident."
Here's what this example tells us:
* Action 1: Studying for the test (happened before)
* Action 2: Feeling confident (happened after)
* Cause and effect: Studying caused the feeling of confidence.
Key points to remember about the past perfect tense:
* It's used to show a sequence of events in the past.
* It emphasizes the completion of an action before another one.
* It's often used with words like "already," "before," and "by the time."
Here are some more examples:
* "The train had left by the time I arrived at the station."
* "She had already eaten lunch before we arrived at the restaurant."
* "He had been working for the company for five years before he got promoted."
By understanding the past perfect tense, you can better understand the sequence of events in the past and the relationships between them.