Past Perfect Exercise

Remember:

Past perfect talks about an action that happened and completed before another action. Both of them are in the past. We use the simple past for the action that happened next.

Example 1:

First, I checked the company’s website.

Second, I went to the job interview.

⇒ I had checked the company’s website before I went to the job interview.

⇒ I went to the job interview after I had checked the company’s website.

Example 2:

I finished cooking at 2 p.m. The guests arrived at 3 p.m.

⇒ By the time the guests arrived, I had finished cooking.

Choose the correct verb forms to complete these sentences.

1. By the time he __________ (arrive), the party __________ (finish).

had arrived – finished

arrived – had finished

None

2. I __________ (not/be) to the cinema before I __________ (go) with my son last month.

had not been – went

was not – had gone

None

3. She __________ (send) an email after we __________ (talk) on the phone.

had sent – talked

sent – had talked

None

4. After I __________ (discover) the damage in the sofa, I __________ (ring) the shop.

had discovered – rang

discovered – had rung

None

5. They __________ (take) a good rest after all the guests __________ (leave).

had taken- left

took – had left

None

6. By the time I __________ (arrive) at work, everyone __________ (already/start) the meeting.

had arrived – already started

arrived – had already started

None

7. The children __________ (already/sleep) when the food __________ (be) ready.

had already slept – was

slept – had been

None

8. The sun __________ (set) before I __________ (reach) the mountain peak.

had set – reached

set – had reached

None

9. I __________ (miss) my flight because I __________ (overslept).

had missed – overslept

missed – had overslept

None

10. He never __________ (forget) the people who __________ (help) him.

had forgotten – helped

forgot – had helped

None

11. They __________ (have) a lot of trouble before they finally __________ (solve) the problem.

had had – solved

had – had solved

None

12. She __________ (come) in after we __________ (eat) all the pizza.

had come – ate

came – had eaten

None

13. All the students __________ (arrive) before the class __________ (begin).

had arrived – began

arrived – had begun

None

14. Before my father __________ (leave) the house, he __________ (drink) two cups of coffee.

had left – drank

left – had drunk

None

15. They __________ (live) in a small apartment before they __________ (move) to their current house.

had lived – moved

lived – had moved

None

Time’s up

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Simple Past vs. Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect

Simple Past vs Past Perfect

Past Continuous Exercise

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Past Perfect Exercise

Choose the correct verb forms to complete these sentences.

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