Using the Past Perfect Tense

I.

Learning Objectives
Use the past perfect tense
Write the past perfect form of verbs
Show care for others by giving and not expecting something in return

II.

Subject Matter
A. Topic:

Using the Past Perfect Tense

B. References:

PELC II 5
Effective Communication in English for Filipinos
pp. 289-291 by Purification T. Reyes

C. Materials:

pictures, charts

Value Focus: Thoughtfulness/Unity

III.

Procedure

A. Preparatory Activities
1. Motivation
Every December 25, we celebrate one of the happiest
celebrations in our country and perhaps all over the world. Why is it
considered the happiest celebration? With whom do you celebrate it?
What do you do on this day?
2. Unlocking of Difficulties
a. To believe in something or someone means to have faith or trust
in that thing or that person.
b. The sky is the limit is an expression which means the liberal
spending on food, clothing, pleasure, or anything which gratifies.
c. To set off something is to start or to explode it.
d. Someone is tied down by something if he is hampered by it.

B. Developmental Activities
1. Presentation
Present the short story.
Christmas with Uncle Bert
Christmas at the Mercados had been an occasion of much fun
before Uncle Bert left for the States. Uncle Bert, a prosperous
businessman, had been generous to the Mercado children. Ramon,
Lito, Anita, and Angie had much fun with him before he went abroad.
Uncle Bert believed in giving the children as much fun as
possible on Christmas. That Christmas Eve, after the Mercado
children had sung carols to him in his apartment, he brought them to
the carnival where they had such a wonderful time. The sky was the
limit! Before they went home he had given them a treat at a
restaurant along Roxas Boulevard.
Uncle Bert bought them fancy hats, paper horns, and
firecrackers on the way but by the time they reached home at half
past eleven, Anjoe had already set off all his firecrackers. Mr. and
Mrs. Mercado werent home for they had gone to church to hear
midnight Mass.
Uncle Bert and the children found the table all set for the
traditional Noche Buena. Mrs. Mercado had cooked a number of
festive dishes including the traditional sweetened ham which was still
sizzling hot and smelling of burnt brown sugar. Mrs. Mercado, a
perfect housewife tied down to her housekeeping, was a superb
cook.
The brightly illuminated Christmas tree in the sala was laden with
gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Mercado had hung them up before they left.
Seeing these gifts, Uncle Bert sneaked out to get the gifts which he
had been hiding in the car all the while. The children were happy to
receive such wonderful gifts. That was one Christmas they would
long remember.
2-3. Comprehension Check Up/Elicitation
Answer these questions.
1. How had Christmas been at the Mercados home before Uncle
Bert left for the States?

Christmas at the Mercados home had been an occasion of

much fun before Uncle Bert left for the States.
2. How had he treated the children?
He had treated the children generously.
3. Where did he take the children after they had sung carols to
him?
He brought them to the carnival after the children had
sung carols to him.
4. What had Anjoe done with his firecrackers by the time they
reached home?
Anjoe had already set off all his firecrackers by the time
they reached home.
5. Where had Mr. and Mrs. Mercado gone by the time the
children got home?
Mr. and Mrs. Mercado had gone to church by the time the
children got home.
6. What had Mrs. Mercado cooked?
Mrs. Mercado had cooked a number of festive dishes.
4. Analysis
In each of the sentences, there are two past actions. Which
action happened first? Study the form of the verb that states the first
past action. In what tense is it? Note that the verb phrase consists of
had and the main verb in the past participle form. In what tense is the
later action? What time expression is used?
Present other sentences for analysis (as in no. 2)
a. The postman had given me the letters when the heavy
rain fell.
b. We had begun our lessons before the lights were put off.
c. I had eaten when he called up.
d. She had called up before you left.
5. Generalization
The past perfect tense is used to indicate a completed action in
the past before another past action.
The verb in the past perfect tense is formed by had + verb in the
past participle.

The time expression is a clause that may begin with when or

before. The verb in the time clause is in the simple past.
C. Post Activity
1. Application
a. Write the past perfect form of the following verbs.
_____ 1.

line

_____ 6.

buy

_____ 2.

lose

_____ 7.

go

_____ 3.

sleep

_____ 8.

hear

_____ 4.

speak

_____ 9.

say

_____ 5.

win

_____ 10. tell

b. Write the correct form of the verb in the following time clauses to
be used with the past perfect tense.
spread

1. when the news ________

go

2. before we _______ to sleep

rise

3. before the sun __________

build

4. when the laborers ________ a house

break

5. when the dam __________

2. Enrichment Activities
Write C if the underlined verb is correct. If it is incorrect, write
the correct verb form.
____

1. The child had been lost for five hours before

neighbors found her.

____
____

2. She had cleaned her room when her friends came.

3. They had canvassed the prices before they made a
decision.
4. The food had been cooked when the visitors
arrived.
5. The airplane left already when we arrived at the
airport.
6. The program had began when we arrived at the
auditorium.
7. The class had noisy before the accident happened.

____
____
____
____

____
____
____
Answers:

8. They had wrote each other before they met.

9. The fishermen had returned home when a strong
wind came blowing up.
10.The farmers had plant their crops before the dry
season came.

1. c 2. c 3. c 4. c 5. had left
7. had been 8. had written
9. c

6. had begun
10. Had planted

3. Values Integration

What are the family practices you observe during Christmas time?
Are these practices good? Why or Why not?
Do you agree with the saying It is more blessed to give than to
receive?

IV. Evaluation
Encircle the correct past perfect form of the verb in each of the sentences.
1. Anita (a. has eaten b. ate c. had eaten) when Rosie called.
2. They (a. had gone b. have gone c. has went) before Ramon came.
3. Mrs. Cruz (a. have prepare b. has prepared c. had prepared) breakfast
when Mr. Cruz got up.
4. Anita (a. took b. had taken c. has take) her book before she left the
house.
5. Cielo (a. have finished b. has finished c. had finished) cooking when we
arrived.
V.

Assignment
Write five sentences using verbs in the past perfect form. Underline the verbs
you used.