A. Complete using the correct past perfect simple form of the verbs in brackets.
1 By the time I arrived, everyone ………………………. (leave)!
2 Steve ………………………. (already I see) the film, so he didn’t come with us to the cinema.
3 Tina ………………………. (not/ finish) doing the housework by seven o’clock, so she called Andrea to tell her she would be late.
4 ………………………. (you / just / speak) to Billy when I rang?
5 The car broke down just after ………………………. (we/ set off).
6 I didn’t eat anything at the party because ………………………. (I / already / eat) at home.
7 ………………………. (you I hear) about the accident before you saw it on TV?
Answer
1 had left 2 had already seen
3 hadn’t finished 4 Had you just spoken
5 we’d set off 6 I’d already eaten
7 Had you heard
B. Choose the sentence (A or B) which means the same as the first sentence.
1 We’d had dinner when Wendy arrived.
A Wendy arrived and then we had dinner.
B We had dinner and then Wendy arrived.
2 I read the book after I’d seen the film.
A I saw the film and then I read the book.
B I read the book and then I saw the film.
3 By the time Dad came home, I’d gone to bed.
A I went to bed before Dad came home.
B I went to bed after Dad came home.
4 She didn’t go to bed until her mum had come home.
A She went to bed and then her mum came home.
B Her mum came home and then she went to bed.
5 Mr Banks hadn’t arrived at the office by the time I got there.
A I arrived before Mr Banks.
B Mr Banks arrived before me.
6 They’d bought the plane tickets before they heard about the cheaper flight.
A They bought the plane tickets and later they heard about the cheaper flight.
B They heard about the cheaper flight and then they bought the plane tickets.
7 The girls had tidied the house when the visitors arrived.
A The visitors arrived and later the girls tidied the house.
B The girls tidied the house and then the visitors arrived.
Answer
1 B 2 A 3 A 4 B 5 A 6 A 7 B
C. Write sentences using the prompts. One of the verbs must be in the past perfect simple.
1 we / just / hear / the news / when / you / ring
2 I / already / think of / that / before / you / suggest / it
3 when / I / turn on / the TV / the programme / already / start
4 she / be / hungry / because / she / not / eat / anything / all day
5 by the time / I leave / school / I / decide / to become / a musician
Answer
1 We’d just heard the news when you rang.
2 I’d already thought of that before you suggested it.
3 When I turned on the TV, the programme had already started.
4 She was hungry because she hadn’t eaten anything all day.
5 By the time I left school, I’d decided to become a musician.
D. Look at the pictures and complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the past perfect continuous.
1 She was tired because ……………………………. (run).
2 They were hot because ……………………………. (dance).
3 The garden was flooded because ……………………………. (it / rain / all night).
4 Did they crash because ……………………………. (drive / too fast)?
5 When I arrived, ……………………………. (they / wait / for over half an hour).
6 When I got there, ……………………………. (they / not / wait / long).
Answer
1 she’d been running
2 they’d been dancing
3 it had been raining all night
4 they’d been driving too fast
5 they’d been waiting for over half an hour
6 they hadn’t been waiting long
E. Choose the correct answer.
1 I’d only …………………… the washing-up for a few minutes when Clare came home, so she offered to finish it.
A done B been doing
2 Had you already …………………… James his birthday present when we gave him ours?
A given B been giving
3 Gail hadn’t …………………… me that she would help me, so I wasn’t angry when she didn’t.
A told B been telling
4 Mum had …………………… her cup of tea for several minutes before she realised it had salt in it!
A drunk B been drinking
5 We’d …………………… ready all day when they called to say the party had been cancelled.
A got B been getting
6 It was a fantastic experience because I’d never …………………… in a plane before.
A flown B been flying
Answer
1 B 2 A 3 A 4 B 5 B 6 A
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