Past Perfect vs Past Simple

1) Put the verb into the correct form, past perfect (I had done) or past simple (I did):

1. Was Paul at the party when you arrived? No, he had gone (go) home.

2. I felt very tired when I ___________________ (get) home, so I ___________________ (go)

straight to bed.

3. The house ___________________ (be) very quiet when I ___________________ (get) home.
Everybody ___________________ (go) to bed.

4. Sorry Im late. The car _____________________ (break) down on my way here.

5. We were driving along the road when we __________________ (see) a car which
______________________ (break) down, so we ____________________ (stop) to help.

6. John ___________________ (be) really glad that he __________________ (pass) all his exams
and would have the summer free.

7. When her mother ___________________ (start) crying, Susie _________________ (say) she
was sorry.

8. Jennifer ___________________ (have) her first baby when she ___________________ (be)
thirty but she __________________ (be) married since she was twenty-four.

9. We _________________________(already eat) when John _________________________

(come) home.

10. Last year Juan ________________________________ (pass) all his exams.

11. When I ______________________ (get) to the airport I discovered I

_________________________ (forget) my passport.

12. I _________________________ (go) to the library, then I ________________________________

(buy) some milk and went home.

13. I _________________________(open) my handbag to find that I

___________________________ (forgot) my credit card.

14. When we ________________________________ (arrive) at the station, the train had already
left.

15. We _________________________ (get) home to find that someone

_________________________ (break) into the house.

16. I _________________________ (open) the fridge to find someone

___________________________ (eat) all my chocolate.

17. I _________________________ (know) my husband for three years when we

_________________ (get) married.

1
 18. Julie was very pleased to see that John ________________________________ (clean) the
kitchen.

19. It ________________________________ (not / rain) all summer, so the grass was completely
dead.

20. When he __________________________ (arrive) at the party, Julie

_________________________ (just leave).

21. After arriving home, I _______________________(realize) I

________________________________ (not / buy) any milk.

22. William ______________________ (feel) ill last night because he

__________________________ (eat) too many cakes.

23. Keiko ________________________________ (meet) William last September.

24. First I _________________________ (tidy) the flat, then I ________________________________

(sit) down and had a cup of coffee.

25. John ________________________________ (play) the piano when he

_______________________ (be) a child, but he doesnt play now.

26. When I _________________________ (open) the curtains the sun was shining but the ground
was white. It ________________________________ (snow) during the night.

27. When Julie _________________________ (get) home from her holiday, her flat was a mess.
John ________________________________ (have) a party.

2) Complete the text using the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Perfect Simple or the Past Simple.

On 10th December, 1968, a car filled with a large amount of money was on its way to a
1
Japanese bank. A young policeman on a police motorbike ................................. (stop) the car.
2 3
He ................................. (tell) the bank workers in the car that someone .................................
4
(plant) a bomb under the car. The four workers ................................. (get out) of the car and
5
the policeman ................................. (crawl) under it to look for the bomb. A few minutes later,
6
the workers ................................. (notice) smoke and flames under the car. They
7 8
................................. (not realise) that the police officer ................................. (be) really a
9 10
thief. He ................................. (start) the fire before he ................................. (appear) from
11
under the car. After the workers ................................. (run) far away, the policeman quickly
12 13
................................. (put out) the fire. He ................................. (get) into the car and
14
................................. (drive) away with all the money. By the time the real policemen
15 16
................................. (arrive), the thief ................................. (disappear). He was never
arrested.

2
Relative Clauses

Join each pair of sentences with a relative clause. Omit the pronoun where possible.

1. Doris Lessing was born in Persia. She wrote The Golden Notebook.

2. Sara speaks good English. She has never visited England or America.

3. Last week I bought a book. Its a best-seller.

4. This is the book. I found the information in it.

5. I didnt recognize Susan. I talked to her.

6. She hasnt given me back my book. She borrowed it from me last week.

7. Tina gave a big party in her house. Her parents were away on business.

8. Fiesta was written by Ernest Hemingway. It is also called The Sun Also Rises.

9. The new tunnel will be opened next month. It is the safest in Europe.

10. Have you seen the biscuits? They were on the top shelf.

11. A woman gave me the application form. She told me how to fill it out.

12. Fur coats are very popular among wealthy women. They produce indignation among
animal lovers.

13. The novel is about a child. Her parents die in the jungle.

14. Charles Chaplin was a famous comedian. He directed well-known films.

15. You are going to meet a girl tomorrow. She is intelligent and pretty, too.

3
16. My English friends live in Leeds. They work for the RSPCA.

17. I bought a new CD. Its songs are by different country music singers.

18. Harry is very fond of pets. Hes got a dog, a cat, two hamsters and three budgies.

19. My brother studied zoology. He works in a natural history museum.

20. The Tower of London is on the River Thames. It is one of the most famous buildings in
Britain.

21. Michael is still asleep. He stayed up until 4 a.m. watching athletics.

22. Last week I bought a book. It was written 300 years ago.

23. This is the magazine. I found an article about how young gorillas learn in it. 3. I like people.
Well, only if they are friendly and honest.

24. I didnt know the girl. I talked to her at the bus stop.

25. She hasnt given me back my book. She borrowed it from me last month.

26. Have you seen Johns mobile phone? He left it here on Saturday.