ESL 170: Grammar 4

Past Perfect Practice Exercises

PART II – Uses

A. Read the information in the chart below and write one sentence for each person. Use the
past perfect with the simple past and the time expressions. Write in the space below the
chart. The first one has been done for you.

Example: 1. Marie had stayed in a hotel for two weeks when she ran out of money.

(Tip: Review slides 13-19 in the PPT file “Uses of the Past Perfect 2.”)

Person Event 1 How long Event 2 Time

expression

1. Marie stay in a hotel two weeks run out of when

money

2. Mende work as a seven years gain her before

slave freedom

3. The rehearse their five hours the judges by the time

contestants songs arrive

4. You run ten miles reach the when

border
5. The sun shine brightly three hours dark clouds until
cover it
6. The negotiate several days reach an after
companies agreement

7. I give birth stop working as soon as

______

2. Mende had worked s a slave before seven years had gained her freedom.
3. The contestants had rehearsed their songs for five hours by the time the judges had
arrived.

4. You had runned ten miles when had reached the border.

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5.

6. The companies had negotiated several days after reach an agreement.

7. I give birth as soon as had stopped working.

B: Make a time line about yourself from birth to the present. Write five sentences about
your life. Use the past perfect with before, after, by, when, and until.

Write your time line below. (See Grammar and Beyond 3, page 48 for an example of a time
line.)

Write your sentences below.

1.2003- I was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico

2. 2019-My family had to moved to Massachusetts when my stepfather decided to come to spend
more time with her mother

3. 2020- After a few months that I was already here in Massachusetts I had to travel to Puerto
Rico because my grandmother was very sick.

4.2021-Before two years my stepfather's mother died

5.2022-I graduate from my senior year and I started the college

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C: Complete the answers to the following questions using for or since.

(Tip: Review slides 2-4 in the PPT file “Uses of the Past Perfect 2.”)

1. How long had she been afraid of flying?

She had been afraid of flying ever ___since______ her last trip to New York.

2. How long had Margaret been at a college in Pasadena?

She had been at a college in Pasadena ____since_____ three semesters.

3. How long had you played tennis at the club?

I had played tennis at the club ___since_______ I got free membership.

4. How long had the women suffered domestic violence?

They had suffered domestic violence ____for____ many years.

5. How long had the classified documents been in the President’s home?
They had been in the President’s home ___since________ his time as Senator and Vice-
President.

6. How long had the search for the documents lasted?

It had lasted _____for_______ several days.

D: Read the following situations. Then write sentences in the past perfect about them. Use
the correct past perfect forms of the verbs in parentheses with an appropriate adverb:
already, just, always, never, ever, probably, still, yet.

Example: I (forget) my keys at work. (This likely happened.)

I had probably forgotten my keys at work.

(Tip: Review slides 6-11 in the PPT file “Uses of the Past Perfect 2.”)

1. The twins (find) their biological parents. (You want to know if this happened at any time. Ask
a question.)
The twins had found their biological parents.

2. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, (sign) the Twitter deal. (This did not happen at the time expected.
Ask a question.)

Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, just signed the Twitter deal.

3. The government (write off) the student loan debts. (This happened sooner than expected.)
The government has always written off student loan debts.

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4. The police (investigate) the case following the arrest. (This likely did not happen.)

The police still investigated the case following the arrest.

5. The city council (open) a new recreational center for the public. (This did not happen even
though the public wanted it to happen.)

The city council is already opened a new recreational center for the public.
6. Marcia (take) her family responsibilities seriously. (This happened all the time.)

Marcia always takes her family responsibilities seriously.

7. The first responders (carry out) a search and rescue for the flood victims. (This happened
shortly before another action.)

The first responder already carries out a search and rescue for the flood victims.
8. The prosecutors (produce) any evidence against the accused man. (This did not happen at any
time.)

The prosecutors never produced any evidence against the accused man.