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### The Sequence of Tenses: Past to Pluperfect

When reporting a present-tense statement using a past-tense reporting verb, the reported clause backshifts to the *imparfait*. If the original statement was already in the past (the **passé composé**), it shifts one step further back in time to the **plus-que-parfait** (pluperfect).

To form the *plus-que-parfait*, use the *imparfait* of the auxiliary verb (*avoir* or *être*) plus the past participle.

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### Explaining the Accident

When detailing exactly what happened in an accident report, you will frequently report the previous actions of drivers and vehicles.

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Just like in the *passé composé*, negations wrap around the auxiliary verb. When backshifting *il y a eu* (there was / there has been) to the *plus-que-parfait*, it becomes *il y avait eu* (there had been).

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### Auxiliary *Être* and Pronouns

When the original verb takes *être* as its auxiliary (like *aller* or reflexive verbs), the *plus-que-parfait* uses the *imparfait* of *être* (*j'étais*, *il était*, *nous étions*, etc.). Pronouns like *y* stay exactly where they belong: right before the auxiliary verb.

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Reported speech: past to pluperfect

adjective

adverb

conjunction

contraction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Definite articles and elision (le, la, l')

Indefinite articles (un, une)

Identifying vs. describing (c'est vs. il est)

Feminine adjective agreement (+e)

Plural pronouns and 'to be' (nous sommes, vous êtes)

Formal and informal you (tu vs. vous)

Plural nouns and indefinite articles (des... -s)

Plural definite articles (les)

Plural adjective agreement (+s)

Stressed pronouns (moi, toi, lui)

The verb "to have" singular (j'ai, tu as, il a)

The verb "to have" plural (nous avons, vous avez, ils ont)

There is / there are (il y a)

Basic verbal negation (ne... pas)

Negating "there is" (il n'y a pas de)

Regular -er verbs singular (je parle, tu parles, il parle)

Regular -er verbs plural (nous parlons, vous parlez, ils parlent)

The verb "to be called" (s'appeler)

Yes/no questions with intonation (Tu parles ?)

Yes/no questions with "Est-ce que" (Est-ce que tu parles ?)

Informal questions (qui, que, quoi)

Standard questions (est-ce que)

Singular possessives (mon, ton, son)

Plural possessives (notre, votre, leur)

Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces)

Adjective placement

Numbers 1 to 20

Numbers 21 to 100

Age and physical states (avoir)

The verb to go (aller)

The preposition to/at (à, au, aux)

Question word for location (où)

Prepositions for cities and countries (à, en, au, aux)

The verb to come (venir)

The preposition from/of (de, du, des)

Question word for origin (d'où)

The verb to do/make (faire)

Days of the week (lundi, mardi)

Telling time (il est... heure)

Question words for time (quand, à quelle heure)

The verb to take or have (prendre)

The verb to drink (boire)

Partitive articles (du, de la, de l')

Zero quantity (pas de)

Expressions of quantity (un peu de, beaucoup de)

Asking how much or how many (combien, combien de)

Very vs. a lot (très, beaucoup)

The verb to want (vouloir)

Polite requests (je voudrais)

The verb to be able to (pouvoir)

Obligation (devoir)

General obligation (il faut)

Why and because (pourquoi, parce que)

Expressing purpose (pour)

Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous)

Daily routine verbs (se lever, s'habiller)

Adverbs of frequency (parfois, rarement)

Never (ne... jamais)

Regular -ir verbs (choisir, finir)

Regular -re verbs (attendre, répondre)

Irregular -ir verbs (sortir, partir, dormir)

Informal 'we' (on)

The imperative mood

Direct object pronouns (le, la, les, l')

The near future (aller + infinitive)

The recent past (venir de + infinitive)

The passé composé with avoir

Irregular past participles (eu, été, fait, pris, vu)

The passé composé with être

The negative passé composé (ne ... pas)

Saying goodbye

Please, sorry and thank you

Which / what (quel)

The indefinite adjective (tout, tous)

Irregular feminine adjectives (-euse, -ve)

Double consonant adjectives (-enne, -ette)

Feminine adjective endings (-ère, -trice)

Irregular plurals (-x)

Plurals ending in -al (-aux)

Present tense stem changes (e to è)

Accent stem changes (é to è)

Double consonant verbs (appeler, jeter)

Verbs ending in -yer (payer, envoyer)

Irregular communication verbs (dire, lire)

Irregular action verbs (écrire, mettre)

Question	Answer
the insurance (f)	l'assurance
I told the insurance company that I had reported the accident.	J'ai dit à l'assurance que j'avais déclaré l'accident.
the accident report	le constat
We explained to the insurance company that we had filled out the accident report.	Nous avons expliqué à l'assurance que nous avions rempli le constat.
the driver	le conducteur
to brake	freiner
I explained that the driver had braked because it was raining.	J'ai expliqué que le conducteur avait freiné parce qu'il pleuvait.
to damage (e.g., property, structures)	endommager
the car door	la portière
The driver confirmed that he had damaged the car door.	Le conducteur a confirmé qu'il avait endommagé la portière.
to strike	percuter
She said that a bike had struck the car door.	Elle a dit qu'un vélo avait percuté la portière.
the speed	la vitesse
the damage	le dégât
He stated that the speed had caused the damage.	Il a affirmé que la vitesse avait provoqué les dégâts.
I reported that the car had struck the tree.	J'ai déclaré que la voiture avait percuté l'arbre.
He explained that there had been no damage.	Il a expliqué qu'il n'y avait pas eu de dégâts.
We wrote on the accident report that he had not braked.	Nous avons écrit sur le constat qu'il n'avait pas freiné.
The witness said that the truck had damaged the wall.	Le témoin a dit que le camion avait endommagé le mur.
The driver declared that he had respected the speed.	Le conducteur a déclaré qu'il avait respecté la vitesse.
The driver explained that he had struck the door.	Le conducteur a expliqué qu'il avait percuté la portière.
to back up	reculer
It is the woman who declared that the taxi had backed up.	C'est la femme qui a déclaré que le taxi avait reculé.
the expert (m)	l'expert
The expert added that they had gone there.	L'expert a ajouté qu'ils y étaient allés.
the bumper	le pare-chocs
He explained to me that she had damaged the bumper.	Il m'a expliqué qu'elle avait endommagé le pare-chocs.
The expert stated that the accident had happened there.	L'expert a affirmé que l'accident s'y était passé.
He stated that the truck had backed into his bumper.	Il a affirmé que le camion avait reculé dans son pare-chocs.