Past Perfect

Past Perfect

By Jon Steenbeke

Multiple Choice

Which action came first?

Honnold climbed Half Dome without a rope. Others had climbed it with rope.

• Honnold climbed Half Dome without a rope.

• Others had climbed it with rope.

Multiple Choice

He had been confident until he got near the top.

• He had been confident

• he got near the top

Multiple Choice

This time was different from the last time. The last time he had used a rope.

• This time was different from the last time.

• The last time he had used a rope.

Multiple Choice

He climbed the fastest. Nobody had ever climbed so quickly.

• He climbed the fastest.

• Nobody had ever climbed so quickly.

Look at the sentences again. Did the sentences with had + past participle happen first or second?

1. ​Honnold climbed Half Dome without a rope. Others had climbed it with rope.

2. He had been confident until he got near the top.

3. This time was different from the last time. The last time he had used a rope.

4. He climbed the fastest. Nobody had ever climbed so quickly.

​Complete the conversation with the words in parentheses. Use the simple past or past perfect. In some sentences both forms are correct. Use contractions where possible.

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Deb: So tell me, why (1) did you take (you / take) the train from Moscow to Beijing?

Joe: Because it was my dream to ride the Trans-Siberian Railway. It was something (2) I’d always wanted (I / always / want) to do.

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