"What is the Past Perfect Tense? In English, the past perfect tense is used to describe the relationship between two actions that happened in the past. Using had + past participle makes the order of the two events clear. For example, one can say, “I had studied English before I moved to Australia”. This sentence is clear and concise. As well, one can see the past perfect contained in the if clause in the third conditional. Ultimately, the past perfect is used in complex sentences, which may be why new English learners are so intimidated by it. Don’t worry, with practice your students will be confident expressing their ideas using the past perfect. If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account."