XVI - EXERCISES Past perfect

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Verb tenses timeline chart
Verb tenses
Verb tenses guide

PAST PERFECT

Exercise one:

1.       John ……………………….. (not /see) an elephant before he went to Africa.

2.       It started to rain after we……………………….. (come) to the station. 

3.       They told us that the children……………………….. (eat) all the cakes. 

4.       She……………………….. (want) to become a champion before the shark attacked her. 

5.       I……………………….. (not/realise) that people can eat sharks before you told me. 

6.       The jellyfish……………………….. (swim) to the shore before the rain started. 

7.       Mark……………………….. (not /eat) seaweeds before he came to Japan. 

8.       Tonic fainted after the jellyfish……………………….. (sting) him. 

9.       By dinner time I……………………….. (catch) two sea urchins. 

10.    By four o'clock the children……………………….. (eat) all the cookies. 

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Exercise one:

1. John hadn't seen -or- had not seen (not /see) an elephant before he went to Africa.
2. It started to rain after we had come (come) to the station.
3. They told us that the children had eaten (eat) all the cakes.
4. She had wanted (want) to become a champion before the shark attacked her.
5. I hadn't realized -or- had not realized (not/realize) that people can eat sharks before you told me.
6. The jellyfish had swum (swim) to the shore before the rain started.
7. Mark hadn't eaten -or- had not eaten (not /eat) seaweeds before he came to Japan.
8. Tonic fainted after the jellyfish had stung (sting) him.
9. By dinner time I had caught (catch) two sea urchins.
10.By four o'clock the children had eaten (eat) all the cookies.

XV - EXERCISES Past tenses I

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart
Verb tenses
Verb tenses guide

SIMPLE PAST, PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS, PAST PERFECT, PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Exercise one:

Choose the correct option:

I must have a break. I ……………………….………………… so long.

          A.      Have been driving

          B.      Had been driving

Before we parked our car we……………………….………………… the ticket.

          A.      Collected

          B.      Had collected

I arrived on Sunday. I……………………….………………… at home for two days.

          A.      Was not

          B.      Had not been

The roads were blocked in the morning. It……………………….………………… all night.

          A.      Had snowed

          B.      Had been snowing

They got to the beach after they ……………………….………………… for hours.

          A.      Were walking

          B.      Had been walking

She called the police when she……………………….………………… the light in the hall.

          A.      Saw

          B.      Had seen

His English was perfect. He……………………….………………… it since he started school.

          A.      Was studying

          B.      Had been studying

I was really hungry. I……………………….………………… anything since the morning.

          A.      Had not eaten

          B.      Had not been eating

She doesn't go to work. She……………………….………………… since last week.

          A.      Has been ill

          B.      Had been ill

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Exercise one: 

I must have a break. I have been driving so long.

Before we parked our car we had collected the ticket.

I arrived on Sunday. I had not been at home for two days.

The roads were blocked in the morning. It had been snowing all night.

They got to the beach after they had been walking for hours.

She called the police when she had seen the light in the hall.

His English was perfect. He had been studying it since he started school.

I was really hungry. I had not eaten anything since the morning.

She doesn't go to work. She has been ill since last week.

XIV - EXERCISES Still & yet & already

Related grammar:

Still, yet & ready

STILL, YET AND ALREADY 

Exercise one:  

Read the statements below and then decide which of the sentence (a or b) is correct. 

1. John went to live in France 5 years ago and he lives there now. 

a. He still lives in France.

b. He lives in France yet.

2. They haven’t arrived. We expect them to be here soon.

a. They didn’t arrive yet.

b. They haven’t arrived yet.

3. She’s unemployed. She’s been unemployed for 3 years. 

a. She still hasn’t got a job.

b. She’s got a job already.

4. I’ve just finished eating dinner. I’m hungry.

a. I’m hungry yet.

b. I’m still hungry.

5. He started looking for a job yesterday. He’s starting working tomorrow.

a. He’s got a job already.

b. He’s still got a job.

6. She stopped eating meat 10 years ago. Even though she likes steak she doesn’t eat meat now.

a. She already doesn’t eat meat.

b. She still doesn’t eat meat.

Exercise two:  

Read this information about Peter in the past and Peter now.

Peter in 1997	Peter now
I want to get married one day.	I’m engaged!
I’d like to have children in the future.	I have two lovely children.
I play the guitar.	I play the guitar.
I ride my bike every day.	I cycle every day.
I want to travel and see the world	I’ve been to Japan, Holland, Italy, Brazil and China but I want to travel more.

Choose the best answer from the options below to complete the sentences.

Peter (1) __________ rides his bike every day.

He isn’t married (2)__________ but he (3)__________  has two children.

He (4)__________ plays the guitar.

He’s visited lots of counties (5)__________but he (6)__________wants to go to more.

Options:

(1) still / yet / already

(2) still / yet / already 

(3) still / yet / already

(4) still / yet / already

(5) still / yet / already 

(6) still / yet / already

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Exercise one:  

Read the statements below and then decide which of the sentence (a or b) is correct. 

1. John went to live in France 5 years ago and he lives there now. 

a. He still lives in France. Correct – We use ‘still’ to talk about a situation that’s continuing.

b. He lives in France yet. Incorrect – This is a positive sentence. We use ‘yet’ mostly in questions and negative sentences.  

2. They haven’t arrived. We expect them to be here soon.

a. They didn’t arrive yet. Incorrect – ‘Yet’ is used with the present perfect form, not the simple past.

b. They haven’t arrived yet. Correct - ‘Yet’ is used with the present perfect form.

3. She’s unemployed. She’s been unemployed for 3 years. 

a. She still hasn’t got a job. Correct – We use ‘still’ to talk about a situation that’s continuing.

b. She’s got a job already. Incorrect - We use ‘already’ to talk about things that have happened, often earlier than expected.

4. I’ve just finished eating dinner. I’m hungry.

a. I’m hungry yet. Incorrect – This is a positive sentence. We use ‘yet’ mostly in questions and negative sentences.  

b. I’m still hungry. Correct - We use ‘still’ to talk about a situation that’s continuing.

  

5. He started looking for a job yesterday. He’s starting working tomorrow.

a. He’s got a job already. Correct - We use ‘already’ to talk about things that have happened, often earlier than expected.

b. He’s still got a job. Incorrect - We use ‘still’ to talk about a situation that’s continuing.

6. She stopped eating meat 10 years ago. Even though she likes steak she doesn’t eat meat now.

a. She doesn’t still eat meat. Incorrect – The word order is wrong. ‘Still’ should be in a different position. 

b. She still doesn’t eat meat. Correct - ‘Still’ usually goes before the verb.

Exercise two:  

Read this information about Peter in the past and Peter now.

Peter in 1997	Peter now
I want to get married one day.	I’m engaged!
I’d like to have children in the future.	I have two lovely children.
I play the guitar.	I play the guitar.
I ride my bike every day.	I cycle every day.
I want to travel and see the world	I’ve been to Japan, Holland, Italy, Brazil and China but I want to travel more.

 

Choose the best answer from the options below to complete the sentences.

Peter (1) still rides his bike every day.

He isn’t married (2) yet but he (3) already has two children.

He (4) still plays the guitar.

He’s visited lots of counties (5) already but he (6) still wants to go to more.