(1) 与过去完成时连用的时间状语可以多种多样，使用它的主要依据是看其是否发生在“过去的过去”。如：
He had learnt some English before I went here. 在来这儿之前我学过一些英语。
He had written three stories by last year. 到去年他已经写了三篇故事。
We had cleaned the room when he got there. 当他到那儿时，我们已经把房子弄干净了。
He went there after he had finished his work. 他把事做完之后，就去哪儿了。
注意：当主句跟由before, after, as soon as所引导的时间从句的动作连接很紧密时，从句也可用一般过去时。
He went there after he read the letter. 他看了那封信后就去那儿了。
(2) 过去完成时还经常用于主句为过去时的宾语从句中。如：
He said he had been a soldier. 他说他当过兵。
They said they had seen the film. 他们说这幕电影他们看过。
(3) 在hardly / scarcely …when…, no sooner…than… 两个结构中的主句通常要用过去完成时。如：
Hardly had I told her the news when she began to cry out. 她一听到这一消息就大哭了起来。
Scarcely had he finished his supper when he went out. 他已吃完晚饭就出去了。
No sooner had he fallen asleep than he lay down on the bed. 他一躺倒床上就睡着了。
(4) 动词expect, hope, suppose, think, want等的过去完成时可用来表示未实现的计划、打算或希望。如：
I had hoped to see you. 我本希望来看你。
He had wanted to buy a house in Beijing. 他本想在北京买栋房子。