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

Choose the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Perfect).

1. The wind _________ away the leaves that we _________ .
2. She _________ away the letter that she _________ .
3. They _________ me the pictures, they _________ during their holidays.
4. In the evening, the children _________ their daddy what they _________ at the zoo.
5. The boy _________ very sorry for what he _________ .
ANSWER KEYS:
1. The wind blew away the leaves that we had collected.
2. She threw away the letter that she had written .
3. They showed me the pictures, they had taken during their holidays.
4. In the evening, the children told their daddy what they had seen at the zoo.
5. The boy was very sorry for what he had done .

Simple Past/Past Perfect

I can't believe I (get) _________that apartment. I (submit) _________my application last week, but I
didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) _________up to take a look around,
there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) _________before me. Most of them (fill,
already) _________out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply,
so I did.

I (try) _________to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They
(want) _________me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I
(have) _________some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I
(end) _________up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) _________to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and
my father (go) _________to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he
(look) _________at my credit report. I really lucked out!
ANSWER KEYS:

I can't believe I (get) got that apartment. I (submit) submitted my application last week, but I didn't
think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) showed up to take a look around, there were
at least twenty other people who (arrive) had arrived before me. Most of them (fill, already) had
already filled out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I
did.

I (try) tried to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) wanted me to
include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) had had some
problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) ended up listing my
father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) decided to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my
father (go) had gone to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he
(look) looked at my credit report. I really lucked out!

Choose the correct answer.

1. After Diego ____ lunch, he ____ to some music for a while.
A) finished / had listened B) had finished/listened
C) finished / listened D) had finished /had listened
2. Peter ___ his homework when the phone ____ .
A) had just finished/rang B) had just finished/had rung
C) just finished/rang D) just finished/had rung
3. I ___ anything because the doctor ___ me an injection for the pain before he started working on me.
A) didn't feel/gave B) hadn't felt/had given C) didn't feel/had given D) hadn't felt/gave
4. The streets ___ wet yesterday because it ____ early in the morning.
A) had been/rained B) were/rained C) had been/had rained D) were/had rained
5. When Danny and Cecelia ___ , they ___ each other for two weeks.
A) had gotten married/only knew B) had gotten married/had only known
C) got married/had only known D) got married/only knew
6. Lee's manager ____ to convince him to stay, but he ____ to quit.
A) tried/had already decided B) had tried/had already decided
C) had tried/already decided D) tried/already decided
7) Jennifer ____ in several other cities when she _____ to move to New York City.
A) lived/decided B) lived/had decided
C) had lived/decided D) had lived/had decided
8) Elena _____ her bicycle for only a short time before somebody_____ it.
A) had had/stole B) had had/had stolen C) had/stole D) had/had stolen
9. I ___ sick for several days, so I ___ to see the doctor.
A) had felt/had gone B) felt/had gone C) felt/went D) had felt/went
10. The movie ____ by the time we ____ to the theater.
A) had already started/had gotten B) already started/gotten
C) had already started/got D) already started/had gotten