1 English Worksheet

Past Simple vs. Past Perfect

1. Complete the sentences with either the past simple or past perfect of the verbs in

brackets.

a) When I ________(come)home my mother __________________(already/cook) dinner.

b) By the time she __________(get) to the cinema her boyfriend ______________(already/buy)

the tickets.
c) She ____________(already/ study) German before she ___________(move) to Berlin.
d) When they ____________(enter) the room the concert _________________(already / begin)
e) My son only ___________(play) computer games after he ______________(finish) studying.
f) I _____________(send) a message to my friends before I ______________ (meet) them.
g) They _______________(not have) much fun by the time Lauren ______________(arrive).
h) He ______________(call) her four times before she ______________(answer) the phone.
i) Jason ______________(find) a new job when he _________________(go) to London.
j) After we _________________(pay) we _________________(leave) the restaurant.
k) She ____________(lose) the handbag her mother ____________(give) her for her birthday.
l) Julia ___________(go) to the doctor because she _____________(not eat) well for five days.
m) When he _____________(reach) the station the train __________________(already / leave).
n) When the plane ______________(land) they ___________________(already/ arrive) to the

airport.
2. Write an appropriate explanation for each situation below, use the past perfect tense.
1. Ex: Why did you say “I´m sorry” to your friend?
I had forgotten her birthday.

2. Why did you say “I hope so” to your teacher?

__________________________________________________
3. Why did you say “ I can´t” to your classmate?
__________________________________________________
4. Why did you say “thank you” to your friends?
__________________________________________________
5. Why did you say? “Don´t do it again” to your dog?
__________________________________________________
6. Why did you say “I promise” to your girlfriend or boyfriend?
_________________________________________________
3. Think about how the sentences below might be continued. Then complete each sentence

with your own ideas using past perfect.

1. I couldn´t find the restaurant because…………………………………………………………..
2. I failed English exam because ………………………………………………………………….
3. I didn´t wake up on- time because……………………………………………………………..
4. I bought a new phone because…………………………………………………………………
5. I couldn´t read the e-mail because…………………………………………………………….
2 English Worksheet

6. I couldn´t sleep because………………………………………………………………………...

7. I didn´t go to a parties because……………………………………………………………….
8. I couldn´t go swimming because………………………………………………………