Put the verbs in brackets into the correct past form.

I remember when I

went (go) on holiday abroad for the first time. I ________________________(just / leave)

school. I __________________________(study) very hard for my final exams and I ___________________(feel)

that I needed a holiday. A friend of mine ___________________________(want) to come as well so we
_________________________(look) at some brochures from the travel agent's. We ________________________
(read) for about an hour when my friend _________________________(find) the perfect holiday two weeks in
Hawaii. We _________________________(be) very excited about it. Finally the day of our holiday
__________________________(arrive). We __________________________________(just / leave) the house
when the phone _________________________(ring). I __________________________(ran) back into the house,
but the phone ___________________________(stop) by the time I __________________________(reach) it.
When we ________________________(arrive) at the airport we ________________________(sit) in the
cafeteria. The airline __________________________________(just / make) an announcement. Our flight was
delayed for eight hours. We _______________________________(get up) very early and rushed to the airport,
all for nothing.
Fill in with the Past Perfect or the Past Perfect Continuous.
When I entered the house something smelt awful. Someone had been cooking (cook) and __________________
(burn) the meal. I ____________________________(visit) the house once before and ______________________
(met) the family but I didn't know what _____________________________(happen) since then. The house was a
mess! The children ________________________________(play) in the living-room and ___________________
(leave) their toys all over the floor. Someone __________________________(leave) all the windows open. It
____________________________(rain) for hours and all the curtains __________________________(get) wet
and dirty. I asked the children where their parents were. They told me that their mother _____________________
(be) in hospital for the past two weeks. Their father ______________________________________(look after)
them since then. Obviously he _____________________________(do) his best, but he couldn't do any better
since he worked all morning and had to leave them alone for most of the day. I had to do something to help them.
Put the verbs into the Past Simple or the Present Perfect.
Dear Tom,
Thank you for your letter. It

arrived (arrive) yesterday and I ______________________(decide) to

write back immediately. You see, my agent ________________________(find) me a part in a new film and I'm
going to Hollywood next week! I __________________________(speak) to Robert Redford on the phone about
the part and I'm meeting him as soon as I arrive. The film is a re-make of a 1956 thriller which I ____________
_______________(see) hundreds of times It starred Marilyn Monroe who, as you know, I _________________
(meet) when I was a little girl. Yesterday I __________________________(buy) lots of new clothes and I
_______________________________(already / start) packing. Well, I must rush now. There's so much to do!
Love,
Sharon.

Fill in with the Past Simple or the Present Perfect.

1

A:

Have you been (you / be) on holiday this year?

B: No, I _______________________(can / not) go, because I ___________________(break) my leg in

in August and ______________________(have) to stay in hospital.
2

A: __________________________(you / visit) the National Museum yet?

B: Yes, I _______________________(be) there three times, but I ______________________(not / see)
everything yet.

A: I'm ever so sorry, Jim, but I _________________________(burn) your dinner. Maria ______________
(phone) and I _______________________(forget) about the food.
B: That's OK. I ______________________________________(already / eat).

A: I _____________________(buy) a new dress yesterday, but when I ______________________(arrive)

home, I _________________________(find) a hole in the seam.
B: What ___________________________(you / do)? _________________________(take) it back to
the shop?
A: No, I ____________________________(not / be) into town yet. I'll do it this afternoon.

A: Your hair __________________________(grow) a lot since I last _____________________(see) you.

B: Yes, I ______________________(want) to get it cut yesterday but I _______________(be) too busy.

A: I _____________________________(never / fly) before and I'm very nervous about it.

B: I _________________________(feel) like that the first time I _____________________(fly), but I
thoroughly _________________________(enjoy) it.

A: I ___________________________(lose) my glasses. __________________________(you / see)

them anywhere?
B: No. Where ____________________________(you / put) them?
A: I ________________________(put) them on the table a minute ago, but they're not there now.

A: ____________________________________(you / ever / meet) anyone famous?

B: Yes, I __________________________(speak) to Donald Tsang and ______________________(see)
President Kennedy before he was killed.

A: Where ___________________________(you / go) on holiday?

B: To Thailand. _________________________________(you / be) there?
A: Yes, I ________________________(go) there last year. We ____________________(swim) every day.
It was great!

10

A: How's your job, Mike?

B: I ________________________________(just / start) a new one. I ________________________(leave)
the old one because they ____________________________(not / pay) me enough money.

11

A: When _____________________________(you / leave) school?

B: I ________________________(leave) school in 1980, I ____________________(finish) university in
1984 and I ______________________________(have) three jobs since then.