Wie du weißt, drückt das simple past aus, dass Handlungen oder Ereignisse zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit stattfanden.
I arrived at the party at 9 oclock.
Mike was late for school yesterday.
We had some cake this afternoon.
Wenn du sagen willst, dass etwas bereits vor einem Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit stattgefunden hat, verwendest du das past perfect (Plusquamperfekt, Vorvergangenheit).
When I arrivedSue had already gone home. Mike was late becausehed missed his bus. Ann wanted some cakeafter Id washed the dishes. geschah in der Vergangenheit: simple past geschah noch davor: past perfect
I arrived at the party at 9 oclock. When I arrived, Sue had already gone home. Mike was late for school yesterday. Mike was late because he had missed his bus. Ann had some cake this afternoon. Anne had some cake after I had washed the dishes.
.. I arrived at the party.Sue went home. 9 oclock8 oclock
.. I arrived at the party.Sue went home. When I arrived, Sue had already gone home. 9 oclock8 oclock
In Nebensätzen mit after (= nachdem) steht oft simple past statt past perfect, weil eindeutig ist, in welcher Reihenfolge die Handlungen oder Ereignisse stattgefunden haben:
Ann wanted some cake after I washed the dishes.
Das past perfect wird mit had (Kurzform: `d) + Partizip Perfekt gebildet. English G Unit 6; Cornelsen Verlag, Berlin, 1998 (2001), Seite 126
Tom was happy. He had won the race.
We hadnt finished dinner when the phone rang.
By the end of the day, wed visited six churches!
Had you ever eaten Turkish food before todays lunch?
Wenn man über mehrere aufeinander folgende Handlungen in der Vergangenheit berichtet, verwendet man für alle Handlungen das simple past.
First we bought some T-shirts, then we stopped at a café. After that we went home.
We watched TV until 10, and then we went to bed.
Die folgenden Beispiele zeigen, dass sich die Bedeutung ändert, je nachdem ob man past perfect oder simple past verwendet.
The lesson had started when Mike got there.
The lesson started when Mike got there.