1. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets.

a) When I _______________(arrive) home, my mother _____________ (try) to call me.

b) She _____________ (call) twice before seeing me.
c) we ( already/ study) those chapters when John told us about the test.
d) You _____________ ( never / do) such a silly action.
e) We had no car by the end of the year. We _____________(sell) our old one.
f) I spoke to Susie at noon; someone _____________ (tell) her the news earlier.
g) The plane _____________ (take off) when he_______________ (get) to the airport. We had to
buy other tickets.
h) I was so tired last night. I _____________ (have) such a terrible day!
i) The shop was closed because the shop assistant_____________(leave) before closing times.
j) The robbers _____________ (steal) all the money when the alarm_____________ (ring). The
police couldnt find them.
k) Mark slept all morning because he _____________ (be) at a club the night before.
l) She _____________ ( leave) by the time I called her.
m) I thought we were late but The party _____________ ( not start) by the time
I___________(arrive).
Key
a)arrived-had tried
b) had called
c) had already studied
d) had never done.
e) had sold
f) had told
g) had taken off-got
h) had had
i) had left
j) had stolen-rang
k) had been
l) had left
m) had not started-arrived

2- Complete the sentences with the correct form of the past simple or past perfect.

1. The travel agent _______________ (offer) better and cheaper destinations after we ______________ (book)
our summer holiday. What a pity!
2. When the ambulance _______________ (arrive), the injured man _______________ (die).
3. His wife ___________ (take) him to hospital since he ______________ (cut) his finger preparing lunch.
4. Marys parents _______________ (be married) for 20 years when they suddenly _______________ (split) up.
5. I really ________________ (think) you ______________ (forget) to email me while you ____________ (be) in
France, but you ___________.
6. We ____________ (have) to wait for hours at the station because the accident ______________ (damage) the
line.
7. I finally ____________ (see) Sue. We ______________ (arrange) to meet at the Central caf before going to
the cinema.
8. When we _____________ (get) at the theatre, the play ______________ (just/ begin).
9. At the annual meeting he _____________ (can/ talk) to some friends he ____________ (not/ see) since he
_______________ (leave) school.
10. When Peter __________________ (turn) up, we ______________ (already/ have) lunch.
11. They _____________ (decide) to walk because they _____________ (not/ go) to the bank in the morning.
12. The conference was a bit of a mess! In fact, I feel the speakers ________________ (not/ prepare) their talks
quite seriously, so people ________________ (find) them really uninteresting.
13. Peter ___________ (say) he _____________ (make) the meal on his own, but nobody ____________
(believe) him.
14. Luckily, when the light _______________ (go) off, we ____________ (finish) the birthday party.
15. Mary _____________ (visit) the village where she ____________ (live) as a child last month. She
______________ (not/ go) there for years. Everything _______________ (change) so much that she
_______________ (not/ recognize) most of the places where she ______________ (use) to play.

KEY PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PERFECT

1. The travel agent offered (offer) better and cheaper destinations after we had booked (book) our summer
holiday. What a pity!
2. When the ambulance arrived (arrive), the injured man had died (die).
3. His wife took (take) him to hospital since he had cut (cut) his finger preparing lunch.
4. Marys parents had been (be married) for 20 years when they suddenly split (split) up.
5. I really thought (think) you had forgotten (forget) to email me while you were (be) in France, but you
hadnt.
6. We had (have) to wait for hours at the station because the accident had damaged (damage) the line.

7. I finally saw (see) Sue. We had arranged (arrange) to meet at the Central caf before going to the
cinema.
8. When we got (get) to the theatre, the play had just begun (just/ begin).
9. At the annual meeting he could talk (can/ talk) to some friends he hadnt seen (not/ see) since he left
(leave) school.
10. When Peter turned (turn) up, we had already had (already/ have) lunch.
11. They decided (decide) to walk because they hadnt been (not/ go) to the bank in the morning.
12. The conference was a bit of a mess! In fact, I feel the speakers hadnt prepared (not/ prepare) their
talks quite seriously, so people found (find) them really uninteresting.
13. Peter said (say) he had made (make) the meal on his own, but nobody believed (believe) him.
14. Luckily, when the light went (go) off, we had finished (finish) the birthday party.
15. Mary visited (visit) the village where she had lived (live) as a child last month. She hadnt been (not/
go) there for years. Everything had changed (change) so much that she didnt recognize (not/ recognize)
most of the places where she used (use) to play.
3. Read the following sentences, choose and circle the most suitable tense.
a) Jim is so tired that he has slept / had slept for more than ten hours.
b) We met / had met Miriam on the corner of 8th Avenue yesterday.
c) By the time I have arrived / arrived to the cinema, the film has nearly finished / had
nearly finished.
d) Did you see / Have you seen my sunglasses anywhere? I think I have lost / had lost
them.
e) Amanda couldnt get in because she has left / had left her keys in the office.
f) Douglas knew / has known that he has already seen / had already seen the man
before.
g) When the police stopped / has stopped Jane this morning she realised that she left /
had left her driving licence at home.
h) Have you heard / had you heard the news today?

4. Complete these sentences putting the verbs in brackets in the Present Perfect, Past Perfect
or Past Simple.
a) When they finally _____________ (return) home, they _____________ (do) a couple of
hundred miles and they _____________ (be) completely exhausted.
b) Edward _____________ (never/fly) from New York to San Francisco before.
c) Alice _____________ (try) to contact an old English penpal when she _____________
(go) to London last summer but the boy _____________ (move) up to the north.
d) _____________ (already/Susan/finish) her research Project on Shakespeare?
e) After we _____________ (eat), we _____________ (sit) in the garden and
f)

_____________ (exchange) views about our childrens future careers.

I _____________ (not see) my sister Julie since 1995. She lives with her family in
Paris.

g) When we _____________ (get) the cinema, the film _____________ (already/begin).

h) The Walters _____________ (buy) a new car after they _____________ (win) some
money in the lottery.

3.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h

has slept;
met;
arrivedhad nearly finished;
have you seen have lost;
had left;
knew had already seen;
stoppedhad left;
have you heard;

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h

returnedhad donewere;
has never flown;
triedwenthad moved;
has Susan already finished;
had eatensat exchanged;
havent seen;
got had already begun;
bought had won;

4.

5- Choose the right form of the verb in brackets:

1) I ___________ (buy) this car in January.
2) I ________________ (finish) high school when the Great Depression ______________
(strike) the country.
3) We ____________ (take) a walk in the park when a heavy thunderstorm suddenly
____________ (break) out.
4) When I finally ______________ (wake) up, the clock radio ______________ (blare) for a
good couple of hours.
5) I __________ (buy) a diamond ring for my future wife yesterday.
6) I ___________________ (wait) for half an hour when she finally ________________ (arrive).
10) She __________________ (already, leave) when I ______________ (come).
11) I __________________ (talk) on the phone when she _______________ (run) into the
room.
12) I _______________ (be) at work yesterday.
13) Her hair _____________ (be) wet, she ____________________ (swim).
14) I _____________ (eat) frogs when I _______________ (be) in France.

15) He ___________________ (repair) the car during the whole week before he
_____________ (decide) to ask me to help him.
16) I ________________ (do) homework at 5 o'clock yesterday.
17) While I _____________ (write) a letter, my father was looking through the newspaper.
18) The Jurassic period ______________ (last) about 62 million years.
19) I _______________ (not, know) who he ________________ (be). I ________________
(see) him before.
20) He ______________ (write) the letter, ________________ (put) it in the envelope,
______________ (leave) it on the table and ______________ (go) out.
21) The house _____________ (be) dirty. They _______________ (clean it for weeks.
22) He _______________ (know) that she ________________ (work) in this company for five
years.
KEYS:
1
2
3
4
5
6

Bought
Finished, struck
Were taking, broke
Woke, had been blaring
Bought
Had been waiting, arrived
10) Had left, came
11) Was talking, ran
12) Was
13) Was, had been swimming
14) Ate, was
15) Had been repairing, decided
16) Was doing
17) Was writing, was looking
18) Lasted
19) Didnt know, was, had never seen
20) Wrote, put, left, went
21) Was, hadnt cleaned
22) Knew, had worked

A Use Simple Past or Present Perfect.

1 She.(have)
a
terrible
headache last night so
she(stay) at home.

2 What..(you/eat)
today?

3 I
..(not/play)
tennis for a year.
4 My
grandfather..
(fight) in the Second World
War.

5 She(fall) off the ladder and

..(break) her leg a month ago.
6 How
long..(you/know)
them? Not very long.
7 When
I
first.(meet)
him
he(be) a very
nice boy but since then he.
(change) a lot.

8 .(you/be) in time for the bus

yesterday?
9 ..
(you/ever/drive) a BMW? No, never.
10.It(not rain) for three
months.

11.(you/meet) my
brother?
Yes, I.(meet) last winter.

12. Where(you/be) all day?

13. (John/take)his test last

week?
Yes, he did, but the results..
(not/come) out yet.

14. We.(not/hear) of her since

she
(leave) school.

15. Mum(feed) the baby four times

since morning.

16. ..(you/remember) to post the

letter when you
..(go) out this morning?
B Put been or gone.
1 John isnt here. Hesshopping.
2 Are

you

going

to

church?

No,

Ive

already..to church.
3 Hi! Ive just..to the bakers. Look
what Ive bought.
4 Ann

is

back

in

Greece

now.

Shes.to Paris.
5 Our friends have.on holiday. Were
looking after their dog.

6 Have you ever to Rome?

7 I have.to London twice.
8 She hasto the bank but she is not
back yet.
9 He

likes

Spain

but

hes

never..there.
10.Have you seen Mary? No, I think shes.to
the office.

C Use Present Present Continuous, Simple Past,

Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous.
1 They(buy) a new CD last
week.
2 He

.(do)

his

homework

every afternoon.
3 Mum .(wash) the dishes now.
4 ..(you/ever/write)

book?
5 My father.(drive) a car for 20
years.
8. Kevin is very thirsty. He.
(already/drink) two glasses
of water.
9.
10.Jane is still in bed. She..
(not/get up) yet.

11.Look

at

them!

They.(fight)

again.
12.The play..(start) at 8 oclock.

D Use Simple Past or Past Perfect.

1 After he.(finish) his homework,
he..
(decide) to go for a walk.

2 I (play) football when I was

young.
3 When
we..(arrive),
train..
(already/leave).

the

4 She(do) the shopping before her sister

..(come) back.
5 Everybody.(go) to bed by 11
oclock.
6 I ..(lose) my new pen soon after I
.(buy) it.
7 When
we..(get)
everybody..(leave)

there

8 The thief(escape) before the

police..(arrive).

9 Im not hungry because I ..

(just/have) lunch.
10.When I asked him, he told me
(not/finish) yet.

that

he

A. Use Simple Past or Present Perfect.

1 Shehad.
(have) a terrible headache last night so
shestayed(stay) at home.

2 I
haven`t
played
..(not/play) tennis for a year.
3 My
grandfather
fought..
(fight) in the Second World
War.

4 Shefell(fall) off
the
ladder
and

broke..(break) her leg

a month ago.
5 How
longhave
you
known..
(you/know) them? Not very long.
6 When I firstmet.
(meet)
him
he
was(be) a very
nice
boy
but
since
then
hehas
changed.(change) a lot.

7 Were
you.
(you/be) in time for the bus yesterday?
9- Have
you
driven..
(you/ever/drive) a BMW? No, never.

ever

10.Ithasn`t rained(not
rain) for three months.

11.have you met

(you/meet) my brother?
Yes, Imet.(meet) last
winter.

12. Wherehave you been(you/be) all

day?

13.
Did
John
take
(John/take)his test last week?
Yes, he did, but the resultshaven`t come
out..(not/come) out yet.

14.
Wehaven`t
heard.
(not/hear) of her since she left
(leave) school.

15. Mumhas fed(feed) the baby

four times since morning.

16.
Did
you
remember..
(you/remember) to post the letter when you
went..(go) out this morning?
B- Put been or gone.
1 John

isnt

here.

Hes

goneshopping.
2 Are you going to church? No, Ive
alreadybeen..to
church.
3 Hi! Ive justbeen..to
the bakers. Look what Ive bought.
4 Ann
is
back
in
Greece
now.
Shesbeen.to
Paris.

5 Our

friends

have

gone.on holiday. Were

looking after their dog.
6 Have
you
ever

beento Rome?
7 I havebeen.to London
twice.
8 She hasgoneto the
bank but she is not back yet.
9 He likes Spain but hes never
been..there.
10.Have

you

seen

Mary?

No,

think

shes

gone.to the office.

C. Use Present Present Continuous, Simple Past,

Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous.
1 Theybought
(buy) a new CD last week.
2 He
does.
(do) his homework every afternoon.
3 Mum is washing.
(wash) the dishes now.
4 Have
you

ever

written..
(you/ever/write) a book?
7.- My fatherhas driven.(drive)
a car for 20 years.
8.
Kevin
is
very
thirsty.
Hehas
already
drunk.(already/drink) two glasses
of water.

10.Jane

is

still

in

bed.

Shehasnt

got

up..(not/get up) yet.

11.Look at them! Theyare fighting.
(fight) again.
12.The

playstarts..(start)

at

oclock.

D. Use Simple Past or Past Perfect.

1 After
hehad
finished
.(finish)
his
homework,
he
decided..
(decide) to go for a walk.

2 I

played
(play) football when I
was young.
3 When
we
arrived
..(arrive),
the
trainhad already
left..
(already/leave).

4 Shehad
done(do) the
shopping before her
sister

came..(come)
back.
5 Everybodyhad
gone
.(go) to bed by 11
oclock.
6 I

lost..(lose)
my new pen soon after I
had
bought.(buy) it.
7 When
we
got..(get)
there
everybodyhad
left..
(leave)
8 The
thiefhad
escaped
(escape)
before
the
police
arrived..(arrive).
9 Im not hungry because
I
have
just
had..
(just/have) lunch.
10When I asked him, he told me that he hadnt
finished(not/finish) yet.