G25.13.

301
Simple Past and Past Perfect
Level 1
EX.1

The simple past and the past perfect

Use the SIMPLE PAST or the PAST PERFECT of the verbs in parentheses. In some cases, both
forms are correct.

1. Yesterday I (go) ____went____to my daughter’s dance recital. I (be, never)___had never

been___ to a dance recital before. I (take, not) ___didn’t take___dancing lessons when I (be)
___was___ a child.

2. Last night, I (eat)_____________four servings of food at the “all-you-can-eat” special dinner

at The Village Restaurant. Until that time, I (eat, never)_____________so much in one meal.
I’ve felt miserable all day today.

3. A friend of mine, Judith Nelson, is presently working in the international sales division at an
electronics firm. She’s just returned from a trip to Japan. She was asked to go to Japan because
she can speak Japanese. When she (be)_____________a business student at Boston University,
she (study)_____________Japanese for four years. She (have, never)_____________the
opportunity to use her Japanese until she went to Tokyo last month. While she was there, she
(speak)_____________Japanese every day and (enjoy)_____________every minute of it.
She’s anxious to return.

4. A : I (see)_____________you in the school play last night. You (do)_____________a terrific

acting job. (Act, you, ever)_____________in a play before this one?
B : Yes, I (start)_____________acting when I was in elementary school.

5. Last year, I (go)_____________mountain climbing for the first time. It was exciting and
terrifying at the same time. We (move)_____________slowly and carefully, and it
(take)_____________three days to get to the top. Imagine our surprise when we climbed onto
the summit and found another group of climbers. They (arrive)_____________several hours
ahead of us. They were having dinner and listening to Beethoven. We (laugh)_____________,
and they (invite)_____________us to join them. The climb (be)_____________, to say the
least, an unforgettable experience.

6. When I first (travel)_____________abroad to study, I (live, never)_____________in a

dormitory before. During the first year, I (have)_____________a roommate from Switzerland
who (become)_____________a very good friend. Prior to that time, I (live,
never)_____________with anyone from another culture.
G25.13.301
Simple Past and Past Perfect
Level 1
EX.1

ANSWER KEY

1. went………….. had never been ………….. didn’t take ………….. was

2. ate ………….. had never eaten
3. was ………….. studied ………….. had never had ………….. spoke ………….. enjoyed
4. saw ………….. did ………….. Had you ever acted ………….. started
5. went ………….. moved ………….. took ………….. had arrived ………….. laughed
………….. invited ………….. was
6. travelled ………….. had never lived ………….. had ………….. became ………….. had
never lived

Source: Understanding & Using English Grammar