PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PERFECT

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. Mary’s 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 café
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.