Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the past perfect simple form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. By the time I got to the airport, the plane __________ (take off).
2. She __________ (finish) her homework before the TV show started.
3. They __________ (leave) the party before we arrived.
4. By the time we reached the station, the train __________ (depart).
5. When I arrived at the cinema, the movie __________ (begin).
6. He __________ (already/eat) breakfast when I called him.
7. By the time the concert started, they __________ (find) their seats.
8. She __________ (read) the book before she saw the movie.
9. By the time we arrived, the storm __________ (stop).
10. When I checked my phone, I saw that I __________ (miss) five calls.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences

Rewrite the following sentences using the past perfect simple.

1. When I arrived at the office, the meeting had already started.

o The meeting __________ (start) when I arrived at the office.
2. She realized she had left her keys at home after she reached the office.
o After she reached the office, she __________ (leave) her keys at home.
3. By the time he was 30, he had traveled to 20 countries.
o He __________ (travel) to 20 countries by the time he was 30.
4. The train had already left by the time we got to the station.
o By the time we got to the station, the train __________ (leave).
5. They had never seen such a beautiful sunset before their trip to Hawaii.
o Before their trip to Hawaii, they __________ (never/see) such a beautiful sunset.

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct past perfect simple form to complete the sentences.

1. By the time we got to the theater, the movie __________.

o a) has started
o b) had started
o c) had start
2. She __________ her homework before she went out to play.
o a) have finished
o b) had finished
o c) finished
3. When I looked at the scoreboard, I saw that our team __________.
o a) had won
o b) has won
o c) win
 4. By the time the train arrived, we __________ at the station for an hour.
o a) has been waiting
o b) had been waiting
o c) had waited
5. They __________ dinner before the guests arrived.
o a) have prepared
o b) had prepared
o c) prepared

Exercise 4: Create Sentences

Use the following prompts to create sentences in the past perfect simple.

1. By the time / I / arrive / the party / already / start.

2. She / never / see / a real tiger / before / visit / the zoo.
3. We / finish / dinner / before / they / come / to our house.
4. By the end of the day / he / write / ten emails.
5. They / never / be / to Paris / before / last summer.

Answers

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. had taken off

2. had finished
3. had left
4. had departed
5. had begun
6. had already eaten
7. had found
8. had read
9. had stopped
10. had missed

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences

1. The meeting had already started when I arrived at the office.

2. After she reached the office, she realized she had left her keys at home.
3. He had traveled to 20 countries by the time he was 30.
4. By the time we got to the station, the train had already left.
5. Before their trip to Hawaii, they had never seen such a beautiful sunset.

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

1. b) had started
2. b) had finished
 3. a) had won
4. b) had been waiting
5. b) had prepared

Exercise 4: Create Sentences

1. By the time I arrived, the party had already started.

2. She had never seen a real tiger before she visited the zoo.
3. We had finished dinner before they came to our house.
4. By the end of the day, he had written ten emails.
5. They had never been to Paris before last summer.