What happened first?
Fill in the blanks
Writing Sentences
100

By the time we arrived in Paris, I had been awake for 22 hours. Which event happened first?

A) We arrived in Paris.

B) I was awake. 

B) I was awake.

100

A: Did you know many of your co-workers when you went on the company trip?
B: No, at the time I ________ working there for only about a month. 

A) was

B) had been

C) hadn't been

B) had been

100

Carly plays cello in an orchestra. Read her diary notes. Answer the question about Carly's day.

It was 9:45. Had she started rehearsing at the concert hall yet?

8:30 took yoga class

10:00 started rehearsing at the concert hall

No, she hadn't.

200

David had already seen the movie once before, so he was bored when we watched it together. Which event happened first?

A) David watched the movie.

B) We watched the movie together.

A) David watched the movie.

200

When I left China and first arrived in the U.S., I felt nervous because I ________ to a foreign country before. 

A) haven't been

B) hadn't been

C) had been

B) hadn't been

200

Carly plays cello in an orchestra. Read her diary notes. Finish the sentence about Carly's day using the past perfect.

By 12:45...

10:00 started rehearsing at the concert hall 

12:30 finished rehearsing / ate lunch

By 12:45 she had finished rehearsing.

OR

By 12:45 she had (already) started eating lunch.

300

Eddie ___________ (do) a lot of research before he finally decided to major in electrical engineering. Which event happened first?

A) Eddie did research.

B) Eddie chose electrical engineering.

A) Eddie did research.

300

By the time it started raining, I _______ (arrive) home. 

had arrived

300

Carly plays cello in an orchestra. Read her diary notes. Finish the sentence about Carly's day using the past perfect progressive.

By 4:30..........for 30 minutes.

4:00 performed at the high school

4:45 finished cello performance at the high school

By 4:30, Carly had been performing at the high school for 30 minutes.

400

Sarah ______(join) the surfing club this semester because her friends _______ (encourage) her to join. Which event happened first?

A) Sarah joined the surfing club.

B) Her friends encouraged her to join.

B) Her friends encouraged her to join.

400

 Even though we _______ (talk) for four hours straight, we didn't feel tired.

had been talking

400

Carly plays cello in an orchestra. Read her diary notes. Complete the question about Carly's day using the past perfect.

It was 6:30. ... yet? (No, she hadn't.)

6:00 shopped for dress for Saturday's concert

7:00 found a dress and went home

Had she found her dress yet? 

OR

Had she bought her dress yet?

500

When we ________ (take) a break, we ________ (study) for five hours. 

Complete the sentence using the simple past, past perfect, or past perfect progressive form of the verbs in parentheses.

Then say which event happened first.

When we took a break, we had been studying for five hours. 

We had been studying first.

500

By the time I graduated college, I _______ (already, receive) a job offer.

had already received
500

Carly plays cello in an orchestra. Read her diary notes. Write about Carly's day. 

Write a sentence using the past perfect and a  sentence using the past perfect progressive

7:30 did relaxation exercises

8:00 finished exercising / took a shower

8:30 ordered takeout from favorite Indian restaurant

11:00 fell asleep / forgot to eat

Sample sentences:

past perfect: By 8:15 Carly had finished exercising.

past perfect progressive: By 7:45 Carly had been exercising for 15 minutes.

M
e
n
u