First name: _____________________ Surname: _______________________ No.

: _______
Date: _____________________________________________________________________

Past Simple vs. Past Perfect

1. Complete the sentences with either the past simple or

past perfect of the verbs in brackets.

a) When I ________(come)home my mother

________(already/cook) dinner.
b) By the time she ________(get) to the cinema her boyfriend

________(already/buy) the tickets.

c) She ________(already/ study) German before she ________(move) to Berlin.
d) When they ________(enter) the room the concert ________(already / begin)
e) My son only ________(play) computer games after he ________(finish) studying.
f) I ________(send) a message to my friends before I ________ (meet) them.
g) They ________(not have) much fun by the time Lauren ________(arrive).
h) He ________(call) her four times before she ________(answer) the phone.
i) Jason ________(find) a new job when he ________(go) to London.
j) After we ________(pay) we ________(leave) the restaurant.
k) She ________(lose) the handbag her mother ________(give) her for her birthday.
l) Julia ________(go) to the doctor because she ________(not eat) well for five days.
m) When he ________(reach) the station the train ________(already / leave).
n) When the plane ________(land) they ________(already/ arrive) to the airport.

Answer key

a) come…had already cooked;

b) got…had already bought;
c) had already studied…moved;
d) entered… had already begun;
e) played…had finished;
f) sent…had met;
g) hadn’t had… arrived;
h) had called…answered;
i) had found…went;
j) had paid…left;
k) lost..had given;
l) went…hadn’t eaten;
m) reached…had already left;
n) landed…had already arrive.