Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect simple).

1. The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we had builthad + past participle
had built

.
hadn't been

2. He hadn't beenhad + not + past participle to Cape Town before 1997.

had already done

3. When she went out to play, she had already donehad + past participle
her homework.
4. My brother ate all of the cake that our mum had madehad + past participle
had made

.
had put on

5. The doctor took off the plaster that he had put onhad + past participle six
weeks before.
hadn't ordered

6. The waiter brought a drink that I hadn't orderedhad + past participle .

had learned

7. I could not remember the poem we had learnedhad + past participle the
week before.
had fallen

8. The children collected the chestnuts that had fallenhad + past participle
from the tree.
Had he phoned

9. Had he phonedhad + past participle Angie before he went to see her in

London?
hadn't ridden

10. She hadn't riddenhad + past participle a horse before that day.

Put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect simple).

had built

1. The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build) .

2. He (not / be) to Cape Town before 1997.

3. When she went out to play, she (do / already) her homework.
 4. My brother ate all of the cake that our mum (make) .

5. The doctor took off the plaster that he (put on) six weeks before.

6. The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order) .

7. I could not remember the poem we (learn) the week before.

8. The children collected the chestnuts that (fall) from the tree.

9. (he / phone) Angie before he went to see her in London?

10. She (not / ride) a horse before that day.

Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps in the correct tense Past Perfect or Simple Past.

Example: Pat _________ (to live) in London before he _________ (to move) to Rome.

Answer: Pat had lived in London before he moved to Rome.

1) After Fred (to spend) his holiday in Italy he (to want) to learn Italian.
2) Jill (to phone) Dad at work before she (to leave) for her trip.
3) Susan (to turn on) the radio after she (to wash) the dishes.
4) When she (to arrive) the match already (to start).
5) After the man (to come) home he (to feed) the cat.
6) Before he (to sing) a song he (to play) the guitar.
7) She (to watch) a video after the children (to go) to bed.
8) After Eric (to make) breakfast he (to phone) his friend.
9) I (to be) very tired because I (to study) too much.
10) They (to ride) their bikes before they (to meet) their friends.
1) After Fred had spent his holiday in Italy he wanted to learn Italian. 2) Jill had phoned Dad at
work before she left for her trip. 3) Susan turned on the radio after she had washed the dishes.
 4) When she arrived the match had already started. 5) After the man had come home he fed
the cat. 6) Before he sang a song he had played the guitar. 7) She watched a video after the
children had gone to bed. 8) After Eric had made breakfast he phoned his friend. 9) I was very
tired because I had studied too much. 10) They had ridden their bikes before they met their
friends.

The Past Perfect Continuous Exercise at Auto-English

He had been eating garlic

A Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the past perfect continuous or the past perfect simple.

1 When the student revolution came, I _____________________________________ there for 6 months.

( work )
2 Before Jim finally decided to go to Thailand, he _____________________________________ about it
for months. ( think )
3 They _____________________________________ all the chocolate cake by the time Michael got to
the party. ( eat )
4 I _____________________________________ Scarlett Johansson on three previous occasions.
Lucky me! ( met )
5 The forensic evidence shows that he _____________________________________ his nose just
before he was murdered. ( pick )
6 When the doctor told him his liver was seriously bad, he _____________________________________
hamburgers for a month. ( eat )
7 Prior to the explosion, the fat man _____________________________________ seven large
chocolate cakes. ( eat )
8 When they cancelled the flight to Alicante, the storm _____________________________________ all
afternoon with no sign of abating. ( rage )

B Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the past continuous or the past perfect continuous.

1 When I asked Carlos if he wanted to go out, he said he couldn't because he

_____________________________________ an assignment. ( finish )
2 Scarlett came into the room panting. She _____________________________________ round the
park. ( jog )
3 Scarlett wasn't in. She _____________________________________ around the park. ( jog )
 4 I _____________________________________ a bath when I suddenly had a great idea. ( have )
5 He told me he _________________________ seriously _________________________ about finding
another job soon. ( think )
6 He _____________________________________ about finding a new job for about a year before he
finally got round to it. He´s happy now. ( think )
7 It was obvious from her outrageous behaviour that _____________________________________.
( drink )
8 I _____________________________________ a latte in the Café New York, when I saw a famous
actor walk past the window. ( drink )

1 When the student revolution came, I had been working there for 6 months.
2 Before Jim finally decided to go to Thailand, he had been thinking about it for months.
3 They had eaten all the chocolate cake by the time Michael got to the party.
4 I had met Scarlett Johansson on three previous occasions. Lucky me!
5 The forensic evidence shows that he had been picking his nose just before he was murdered.
6 When the doctor told him his liver was seriously bad, he had been eating hamburgers for a month.
7 Prior to the explosion, the fat man had eaten seven large chocolate cakes.
8 When they cancelled the flight to Alicante, the storm had been raging all afternoon with no sign of
abating.

1 When I asked Carlos if he wanted to go out, he said he couldn't because he was finishing an
assignment.
2 Scarlett came into the room panting. She had been jogging round the park.
3 Scarlett wasn't in. She was jogging around the park.
4 I was having a bath when I suddenly had a great idea.
5 He told me he was seriously thinking about finding another job soon.
6 He had thinking about finding a new job for about a year before he finally got round to it. He´s happy
now.
7 It was obvious from her outrageous behaviour that she had been drinking.
8 I was drinking a latte in the Café New York, when I saw a famous actor walk past the window.