1. 时间状语不同：过去完成时在时间上强调"过去的过去"；而一般过去时只强调过去某一特定的时间。试比较：
They had arrived at the station by ten yesterday.
They arrived at the station at ten yesterday.
2. 在没有明确的过去时间状语作标志时，谓语动词动作发生的时间先后须依据上下文来判断：先发生的用过去完成时，后发生的则用一般过去时。如：
She was very happy. Her whole family were pleased with her, too. She had just won the first in the composition competition.
3. 当两个或两个以上接连发生的动作用 and 或 but 连接时，按时间顺序，只需用一般过去时来代替过去完成时；另外，在 before ，after，as soon as 引导的从句中，由于这些连词本身已经表示出时间的先后，因此也可以用过去时来代替过去完成时。如：
He entered the room, turned on the light and read an evening paper.
I (had) called her before I left the office.