PERFECT TENSES – REWRITING

TYPE 1 - Two simple sentences in the Past simple

↔ Subordinated Time clause:
▪ (Time clause) Before + Past simple // (Main clause)
Past perfect
▪ (Time clause) After/As soon as/Only after/When + Past
perfect // (Main clause) Past simple

e.g. They finished their homework. Then they went out.

↔
1. Before they went out, they had finished their
homework.
2. After they had finished their homework, they
went out.
3. As soon as they had finished their homework,
they went out.
4. Only after they had finished their homework,
they went out.
5. When they had finished their homework, they
went out.
1. We sold our house in Madrid and then moved to Granada.
▪ Only after …
▪ Before …

2. She finished writing her book and then published it.

▪ As soon as …

3. He started waiting for the bus at 9.00 and it finally arrived at 11.30.
▪ Before …
▪ After …

4. We arrived at the wedding at 12.15 . The ceremony began at 12.00.

▪ After …
▪ Before …

5. The film began at 9.30 and we arrived at the cinema just after that.
▪ When …
6. The secretary typed all the letters. Then her boss decided to make
changes.
▪ When…

TYPE 2 - When+ Past Simple ? ↔ How long +

Present perfect simple or continuous?
e. g. When did you start learning English? ↔ How long have you been
learning English?
1. When did you start working here?
▪ How long …?

2. How long have you been using a computer?

▪ When…?

3. When did you bought that car?

▪ How long …?

4. When did they move to their new flat?

▪ How long…?

5. When did you start hearing that strange noise in your car?
▪ How long …?

TYPE 3 - Past Simple + AGO / IN / LAST / FIRST /

FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME

Present Perfect Continuous or Simple (for stative

verbs) + FOR / SINCE
e.g. She came to live here thirteen years ago. ↔ She has been living here
for thirteen years. / She has been living here since 1997.

1. My father started professional driving 45 years ago.

(since / for)
2. Concord first flew 26 years ago.

(since / for)

3. We started working on this project four weeks ago.

(since / for)

4. I first met Alan ten years ago and we are still friends.

(since / for)

5. Our neighbours last washed their car three weeks ago.

(since / for)

6. He began his stamp collection in 1975.

(since / for)

7. The tourists from Spain arrived in Greece a month ago.

(since / for)

8. The Levi Strauss company started selling jeans in 1849.

(since / for)

9. Rose moved to her new flat 5 years ago. She still lives there.

(since / for)

10. They got engaged three months ago.

(since / for)

11. My husband started working in this company in 1995.

(since /for)

12. We came to live in La Coruña four years ago.

(since / for)

13. I smoked my last cigarettes last year.

(since / for)
14. I haven’t been to an art gallery for three years.

(ago)

15. The last time she wrote a novel was three years ago.

(for)

16. They got married ten years ago.

(for / since)

17. We started writing to each other six years ago.

(since / for)

18. The police started looking for him two months ago.

(since / for)

TYPE 4 - IT’S AGES / YEARS / A LONG TIME SINCE +

Past Simple ↔ Present Perfect + FOR
e.g. Its’s ages since we met the Springers for the last time. ↔We
haven’t met the Springers for ages.

1.Maria hasn’t travelled abroad for years.

▪ It’s …

2. It’s ages since I last had a holiday

▪ I…

3. My parents haven’t gone to the cinema for a long time.

▪ It’s …

4. It’s years since I had such a good time.

▪ I…

5. I haven’t talked to George for four weeks.

▪ It’s …
6. It’s years since he last went to a football match.
▪ He …

7. We haven’t been to the beach for ages.

▪ It’s …

8. I haven’t worked so hard for years.

▪ It’s …

9. We haven’t enjoyed ourselves so much for ages.

▪ It’s …