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the past perfect
noun [S]Definition
› the grammatical form used for an action that had already finished when another action happened. It is made with 'had' and a past participle: 'I had just cooked' is an example of the past perfect, and 'I had just been cooking' is an example of the past perfect continuous.Verb forms, tenses and types of verbs
(Definition of the past perfect noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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SMART Thesaurus: Linguistics: verb forms, tenses & types of verbs
Synonyms and related words:
- -ed suffix
- -ing suffix
- accusative noun
- aspect noun (GRAMMAR)
- bare infinitive noun
- base form noun
- conditional adjective, noun (VERB FORM)
- historic present noun
- imperative adjective (GRAMMAR)
- imperative noun (GRAMMAR)
- imperfect noun
- infinitive noun
- modal noun
- perfect adjective (PAST TENSE)
- perfect noun
- present participle noun
- subjunctive noun
- tense noun
- the first person noun
- the present continuous noun
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