Past perfect and past simple

Past perfect and past simple

Past perfect simple

• an action or situation that finished before a particular time in the past, EXAMPLE: Dina had finished the shopping by two o'clock.

• an action that happened before another action in the past, EXAMPLE: The shop had closed by the time Jimmy got there.

Past perfect continuous

• an action that started in the past and was still in progress when another action started or when something happened, EXAMPLE: He had been working on his new gadget when he cut his hand.

• an action that happened before another action in the past when we want to emphasise how long it happened for, EXAMPLE: They had been taking guitar lessons for months before they finally decided to order a gTar.

• an action that finished before a particular time in the past and had a result that we could see, EXAMPLE: Molly had been working hard all week and she looked very tired.

Multiple Choice

1. After the shoppers _________ the department store, the cleaners started to mop the floors.

• leave

• left

• had left

Multiple Choice

2. The shop owner __________ his shop that day because it was a holiday.

• had not opened

• had not open

• not opened

Multiple Choice

3. Melanie _________ for a special party dress for months before she found the perfect one online.

• had been searching

• had searched

• searched

Multiple Choice

4. My aunt ____________ traditional books for ages when she decided to buy an e-reader in 2010.

• had read

• was reading

• had been reading

Multiple Choice

5. We _____________ a tablet when a newer design became available in shops.

• bought

• had just bought

• had been buying

Multiple Choice

6. My mum ___________ how to sew while she was in school, so she was able to make all her own outfits.

• learnt

• had learnt

• had learning

Past perfect tenses vs past simple

When the order of events in the past is not clear, or when we want to emphasise which action happened first, we can use the past perfect simple or the past perfect continuous for the first action.

EXAMPLE: Mona had done her shopping before she met her friend for lunch.

Multiple Choice

Which action happened first in the sentence below:

1. We had been shopping for hours before we found a tablet that we liked.

• had been shopping

• found a tablet

Multiple Choice

Which action happened first?

2. Elena realised later that she had left her sales receipt at the bookshop.

• realised

• had left her sales receipt

Multiple Choice

Which action happened first?

3. When we had made our purchases, we took the bags out to the car.

• had made our purchases

• took the bags out

Multiple Choice

Which action happened first?

4. They had just bought an expensive Blackberry when they saw the same one on special offer.

• had just bought

• saw

Multiple Choice

Which action happened first?

5. Dora went back home because she had forgotten her handbag.

• went back home

• had forgotten

Multiple Choice

Choose the right answer.

6. My sister __________ for weeks when the shoes finally went on special offer.

• had been waiting

• waited

Multiple Choice

Choose the right answer.

7. By the time his friends came to get him, Jules ___________ his costume.

• put on

• had put on

Multiple Choice

Choose the right answer.

8. He __________ the jacket before he __________ to the checkout to pay for it.

• had tried on, went

• tried on, had gone

Multiple Choice

Choose the right answer.

9. Karen _________ the next day that the footwear she _________ was no longer in fashion.

• had realised, bought

• realised, had bought