Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
past-perfect
grammatical term
/pæst ˈpɜrfɛkt/
Definition
A grammatical tense used to express actions that were completed before a certain point in the past.
Examples
- She had finished her homework before the movie started.
- By the time he arrived, we had already left.
- They had known each other for years before they became partners.
Meaning
The past-perfect tense highlights events that happened prior to another event in the past, indicating a clear sequence of actions.
Synonyms
- pluperfect
