8 GRAMMAR WORKSHEET A Past perfect

1 Choose the correct alternative. 3 Complete the text with the correct past perfect or
1 We ate / had eaten ice cream after we past simple form of the verbs in brackets.
had / had had dinner. Alan 1 (start) working in a supermarket
2 Emma cooked / had cooked the chicken before a month ago. Yesterday afternoon while he was
she added / had added it to the salad. putting some things on the shelves, he 2
3 We didn’t buy / hadn’t bought a cake because (find) a little box. Someone 3 (cover) it
Mum made / had made cupcakes. with coloured paper so that it 4 (look)
4 Dave tried / had tried the pasta before he like a present. Then, they 5 (hide) it
served / had served it. right behind the bottles of shampoo. At first, Alan
6
(want) to call his boss and show it to
5 After Claire cut / had cut the carrots, she
her but then he 7 (notice) a little piece
put / had put them in a salad bowl.
of paper on the side. To his surprise he 8
6 I didn’t know / hadn’t known about the maths (discover) that someone 9 (write)
test because nobody told / had told me about it. his own name there. That couldn’t be true! Alan
7 When I read / had read the recipe for the second 10
(take) the box and 11
time, I realised I didn’t buy / hadn’t bought some (look) around but nobody 12 (be) there.
of the ingredients. Slowly, he 13 (open) the box. There
8 Before Senyo went / had gone to bed last night, he 14
(be) a bag of his favourite sweets
did / had done his homework. inside. At the same moment, all his colleagues
15
2 Complete the sentences with the past simple or past (appear) shouting ‘Congratulations on
perfect form of the correct verbs. your first month at work!’
1 leave / arrive
By the time we at the bus
stop, our bus .
2 give up / begin
After Mason unhealthy food,
he to feel better.
3 not study / not get
Florence a good grade for her
biology test because she .
4 call / already hear
When I Josh, he
the news about the accident.
5 buy / go
Hugo a new bike before he
on his cycling trip to Italy.
6 already send / answer
By the time I Ivy’s email, she
me four text messages.
7 move / get
She to China before she
her job in Shanghai.
8 forget / miss
They their flight because they
their passports.

4 Work in pairs. Take turns to read out and match the beginnings and endings of your sentences, using the correct
past perfect form of the verbs in brackets.
Student A Student B
• There was no milk in the fridge • because we (drink) it all for breakfast.
• The food was cold • because nobody (clean) it.
• The bowl was dirty • because Dad (not put) in the microwave for
• because we (not load) the dishwasher after dinner enough time.
last night. • We were tired
• because I (bake) it for too long. • The dinner wasn’t ready
• because we (not sleep) much last night. • The kitchen looked untidy
• because we (forget) to boil the pasta. • The cake wasn’t good

Life Vision Pre-Intermediate Grammar worksheet 8A  PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press