English Exercises > exercises

Past Simple and Past Perfect Tense




Downloadable worksheets:
Present Perfect or Past Simple ( B&W and KEY included )
Level: elementary
Age: 11-17
Downloads: 3470
 
The Past Perfect Tense: Use and Form + Practice: Past Simple or Past Perfect? - Inductive Approach
Level: intermediate
Age: 12-17
Downloads: 1809
 
The future perfect - Grammar guide & lots of exercises (fully editable - keys included)
Level: advanced
Age: 14-17
Downloads: 1634
 
TENSES - REVISION OF ALL TENSES (180 Questions)
Level: advanced
Age: 10-17
Downloads: 1469
 
1 of 3 Long Time No See - Practise PAST Tenses - Reading and Speaking activity
Level: intermediate
Age: 14-17
Downloads: 801
 
Simple Past or Past Perfect? - An Inductive Approach
Level: intermediate
Age: 12-17
Downloads: 778
 

The Past Perfect Tense ("Past of the past")

FORM:
I/we/they/you
he/she/it  +  HAD + past participle (eaten, gone, seen, finished...)
 
INTERROGATIVE:
HAD   +   I/we/they/you
he/she/it   +  past participle (eaten, gone, seen, finished...)?
 
NEGATIVE:
I/we/they/you
he/she/it  + HAD NOT (hadn't) (eaten, gone, seen, finished...)
 
 
 
USE:
 
for actions happened BEFORE another past action
 

 
EXAMPLES:
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                      
                                                                              Be careful:
 
First: I ate breakfast. (past perfect) 
Secound: I went to school. (past simple)
I had eaten breakfast BEFORE I went to school.
AFTER I had eaten breakfast, I went to school.
BY THE TIME (= before) I went to school, I had eaten breakfast.
WHEN I had eaten breakfast, I went to school.
    !WHEN I ate breakfast, I went to school.
  (First I ate breakfast and then I went to school.)
 
I Choose the correct explanation:
 
  • When Amy arrived at the party, Tom had already gone home.
 
  • When Amy arrived at the party, Tom went home.
 
 
II Fill in the sentences using the PAST PERFECT TENSE of the given verbs:
 
1. When we got home last night, we found that somebody     (break) into the flat.
2. Mary didn't want to go to the cinema, because she    (already see) the film.  
3. Tom was very nervous on the plane. He  (never fly) before.
 
 
III Read the following sentences. Look at the given words in brackets and make sentences using the PAST PERFECT TENSE:
 
ex. Peter went to Mary's flat but she wasn't there. (she/go/out) She had gone out.
 
1. Jim went back to his hometown aftr many years. It wasn't the same as before. (it/change/a lot) 
2. We invited Mark to the party but he couldn't come. (he/arrange/to do/something else)
3. Sarah went to the cinema last night. She was late. (the film/already/begin)
4. Tim offered me a sandwich but I wasn't hungry. (I/just/have lunch)
 
 
IV Make sentences using the PAST PERFECT or the PAST SIMPLE TENSE:
 
1. When the police , the car .
2. They  everything by the time I  at the party.
3. When we  the beach, the rain .
4. I  phoning her several times but she  the country.
5. When I  my purse, someone  the money out of it.
6. The car  when I  into the street.
7. The patient  by the time I  her.
8. All the garages  by the time we  the border.  
9. He  when the trouble .
10. The post  when I  the house this morning.
 
 
V Complete the sentences using the PAST PERFECT (action happened BEFORE another past action) or the PAST SIMPLE TENSE (actions happened one after another):
 
1. "Was Tom at the party when you arrived?"  "No, he  (go) home.
2. I felt tired when I got home, so I  (go) straight to bed.
3. The house was very quiet when I got home. Everyone  (leave).
4. Sorry I'm late. The car  (break down) on my way here.
5. We were driving along the road when we   (see) a car which  (break down), so we  (stop) to see if we could help.
6. When I  (meet) her she was a widow. Her husband  (die) a long time ago.