Past Simple vs. Past Perfect

Handout 1A

• Handout 1A
• Choose the past perfect, or the past simple:
• 1. We had already eaten when John ________________________________ (come) home.
• 2. Last year Juan ________________________________ (pass) all his exams.
• 3. When I ________________________________ (get) to the airport I discovered I had forgotten my passport.
• 4. I went to the library, then I ________________________________ (buy) some milk and went home.

Handout 1A

• 5. I opened my handbag to find that I ________________________________ (forgot) my credit card.
• 6. When we ________________________________ (arrive) at the station, the train had already left.
• 7. We got home to find that someone ________________________________ (break) into the house.

Handout 1A

• 8. I opened the fridge to find someone ________________________________ (eat) all my chocolate.
• 9. I had known my husband for three years when we ________________________________ (get) married.
• 10. Julie was very pleased to see that John ________________________________ (clean) the kitchen.

Handout 1B

• 1. It ________________________________ (not / rain) all summer, so the grass was completely dead.
• 2. When he ________________________________ (arrive) at the party, Julie had just left.
• 3. After arriving home, I realised I ________________________________ (not / buy) any milk.
• 4. The laundry was wet – it ________________________________ (rain) while I was out.

Handout 1B

• 5. William felt ill last night because he ________________________________ (eat) too many cakes.
• 6. Keiko ________________________________ (meet) William last September.
• 7. First I tidied the flat, then I ________________________________ (sit) down and had a cup of coffee.

Handout 1B

• 8. John ________________________________ (play) the piano when he was a child, but he doesn’t play now.
• 9. When I opened the curtains the sun was shining but the ground was white. It ________________________________ (snow) during the night.
• 10. When Julie got home from her holiday, her flat was a mess. John ________________________________ (have) a party.