----|-------|-----|---->其構成是had +過去分詞構成。
那時以前 那時 現在
2） 用法
a. 在told, said, knew, heard, thought等動詞後的賓語從句。
She said (that) she had never been to Paris.
b. 狀語從句
在過去不同時間發生的兩個動作中，發生在先，用過去完成時；發生在後，用壹般過去時。
When the police arrived, the thieves had run away.
c. 表示意向的動詞，如hope, wish, expect, think, intend, mean, suppose等，用過去完成時表示"原本…，未能…"
We had hoped that you would come, but you didn't.
3) 過去完成時的時間狀語before, by, until , when, after, once, as soon as。
He said that he had learned some English before.
By the time he was twelve, Edison had began to make a living by himself.
Tom was disappointed that most of the guests had left when he arrived at the party.
典型例題
The students ___ busily when Miss Brown went to get a book she ___ in the office.
A. had written, left B，were writing, has left C. had written, had left D. were writing, had left
答案D. "把書忘在辦公室"發生在"去取書"這壹過去的動作之前，因此"忘了書"這壹動作發生在過去的過去，用過去完成時。句中when表示的是時間的壹點，表示在"同學們正忙於……"這壹背景下，when所引導的動作發生。因此
前壹句應用過去進行時。
註意： had no … when 還沒等…… 就……
had no sooner… than 剛…… 就……
He had no sooner bought the car than he sold it.
11.16 用壹般過去時代替完成時
1) 兩個動作如按順序發生，又不強調先後，或用then，and，but 等連詞時，多用壹般過去時。
When she saw the mouse，she screamed.
My aunt gave me a hat and I lost it.
2 ) 兩個動作相繼發生，可用壹般過去時；如第壹個動作需要若幹時間完成，用過去完成時。
When I heard the news, I was very excited.
3) 敘述歷史事實，可不用過去完成時，而只用壹般過去時。
Our teacher told us that Columbus discovered America in 1492.