Past Perfect & Past Simple

A. Read the sentences carefully and choose the correct options.

1. The robbers left / had left the bank when the policemen finally arrived / had arrived.

2. When the rain started / had started , the Atkinsons finished / had finished planting
trees.

3. By the time Rebecca went / had gone into the store, she got / had got soaked.

4. Darcey saw / had seen this castle before she came / had come again last Sunday.

5. Mr.Palmer didn't speak / hadn't spoken any Chinese before he moved / had moved to
Peking.

6. Sonny got / had got fainted by the time the ambulance reached / had reached the
hospital.

7. When my mother brought / had brought me an apple , I finished / had finished my

homework.

8. Mrs.Wilkinson refused / had refused to drive the car because she had / had had a
terrible accident on the highway about a year ago.

9. I didn't think / hadn't thought of having a new house before I saw / had seen that ad
on TV.

10. My uncle didn't try / hadn't tried Italian food before went / had gone to that
restaurant.

B. Time markers which can be used with the Past Perfect Simple and connect (or relate
to) two different times in the past.

YESTERDAY
AFTER
BEFORE
AGO
JUST
YET
ALREADY
OFTEN
BY THE TIME
USUALLY
BY
WHEN
WHILE
 Past Perfect & Past Simple
B. Complete the sentences with the Past Perfect or Past Simple tense.

1. My mother _____________________ (worry) a lot about me before

she_____________________ (hear) that I was safe with my friends.

2. I didn’t like Romania; It _____________________ (be) much smaller

than I ____________________ (expect).

3. By the time the firefighters ____________________(arrive) the building

_________________(already / burn) down.

4. They _____________________ (go) to the cinema after they

_____________________(finish) their dinner.

5. She ______________ just _____________ (enter) the room when the

door_____________________ (open) and Jason __________________
(enter).

6. His mother wanted to know why he ____________________ (not /

study) his lessons the previous day.

7. After he _____________________ (work) for the software company for

two years he____________________ (decide) to give it up.

8. When I _____________________ (arrive) at the station the train

_____________ already ____________(leave).

9. Anne ____________________ (give) me the present after she

___________________ (show) it to our friends the previous day.

SILVIA JOVER