A class of truncated multipolar expansion pair functions (TMEPF) for the application in atomic structure calculations is defined and their properties as well as their relationships to pair functions which were applied previously are discussed briefly. In order to get a better insight into the effectiveness of TMEPF's in representing the properties essential for correlated pair functions a pilot calculation of the energy and expectation values of some operators for the ground state of H−, He, and Li+ is also presented.