XVII - EXERCISES Simple past & past perfect

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart
Verb tenses
Verb tenses guide

SIMPLE PAST / PAST PERFECT

Exercise one:

Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps in the correct tense Past Perfect or Simple Past.

Example: Pat ……………………………… (to live) in London before he ……………………………… (to move) to Rome.

Answer: Pat had lived in London before he moved to Rome.


1. After Fred ……………………………… (to spend) his holiday in Italy he ……………………………… (to want) to learn Italian.

2. Jill ……………………………… (to phone) Dad at work before she ……………………………… (to leave) for her trip.

3. Susan ……………………………… (to turn on) the radio after she ……………………………… (to wash) the dishes.

4. When she ……………………………… (to arrive) the match ……………………………… already ……………………………… (to start).

5. After the man ……………………………… (to come) home he ……………………………… (to feed) the cat.

6. Before he ……………………………… (to sing) a song he ……………………………… (to play) the guitar.

7. She ……………………………… (to watch) a video after the children ……………………………… (to go) to bed.

8. After Eric ……………………………… (to make) breakfast he ……………………………… (to phone) his friend.

9. I ……………………………… (to be) very tired because I ……………………………… (to study) too much.

10. They ……………………………… (to ride) their bikes before they ……………………………… (to meet) their friends.


Exercise two:

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

I can't believe I (get) ……………………………… that apartment. I (submit) ……………………………… my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) ……………………………… up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) ……………………………… before me. Most of them (fill, already) ……………………………… out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.

I (try) ……………………………… to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) ……………………………… me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) ……………………………… some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) ……………………………… up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) ……………………………… to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) ……………………………… to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) ……………………………… at my credit report. I really lucked out!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exercise one:

1.       After Fred had spent his holiday in Italy he wanted to learn Italian.

2.       Jill had phoned Dad at work before she left for her trip.

3.       Susan turned on the radio after she had washed the dishes.

4.       When she arrived the match had already started.

5.       After the man had come home he fed the cat.

6.       Before he sang a song he had played the guitar.

7.       She watched a video after the children had gone to bed.

8.       After Eric had made breakfast he phoned his friend.

9.       I was very tired because I had studied too much.

10.     They had ridden their bikes before they met their friends.

Exercise two:

I can't believe I (get) got that apartment. I (submit) submitted my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) showed up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) had arrived before me. Most of them (fill, already) had already filled out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.

I (try) tried to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) wanted me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) had had some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) ended up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) decided to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) had gone to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) looked at my credit report. I really lucked out!