Simple Past and Past Perfect

Spot the tense

100

The robbers (leave) _______ the bank when the policemen finally (arrive)______.

had left - past perfect / arrived - simple past The robbers had left the bank when the policemen finally arrived.

200

When the rain (start)_____, the Atkinsons (finish)______ planting trees.

started - simple past / had finished - past perfect When the rain started, the Atkinsons had finished planting trees.

300

By the time Rebecca (go) ______ into the store, she (get) _____ soaked.

went - simple past / had got - past perfect By the time Rebecca went into the store, she had got soaked.

400

Sonny (get) _____ fainted by the time the ambulance (reach) _______ the hospital.

had got - past perfect / reached - simple past Sonny had got fainted by the time the ambulance reached the hospital.

500

I (not / think) _____ of having a new house before I (see) ______ that ad on TV.

hadn't thought - past perfect / saw - simple past I hadn't thought of having a new house before I saw that ad on TV.

Unscramble the Sentences

100

 stairs / that / said / I / down / fallen / had / the / I

I said that I HAD FALLEN down the stairs

200

sports / else / already. / had / he / everyone / ground / for / the / When / left / arrived,

When he ARRIVED, everyone else HAD LEFT for the sports ground already.

300

lesson. / was / sports / cold / I / want / really / didn't / and / to / go / to / my / very / It

It was very cold and I really DIDN’T WANT to go to my sports lesson.

400

my / family. / my / me / looked / foot / The / asked / at / about / and / doctor

The doctor LOOKED at my foot and asked me about my family.

500

my / found / teacher / angry. / hurt / that / was / foot, / not / When / the / had / she / I / very / out

When the teacher FOUND out that I HAD NOT HURT my foot, she was very angry.

Best option wins

100

I didn't recognise / hadn't recognised Sue, because she cut / had cut her hair.

didn't recognise - had cut

200

I arrived / had arrived at the shop at 6.45, but it already closed / had already closed

arrived - had already closed

300

David didn't play / hadn't played the match because he hurt / had hurt his leg.

didn't play - had hurt

400

When I looked / had looked everywhere for my car keys, I started / had started to panic.

had looked - started

500

When he had finished / finished his dinner he sat down / had sat down to watch TV.

had finished - sat down

Simple or perfect?

100

We had already eaten when John (come) ________ home.

Simple past / Came

200

Last year Juan (pass) ________ all his exams.

Simple past / passed

300

I opened my handbag to find that I (forget) ________ my credit card.

Past perfect / had forgotten

400

We got home to find that someone (break) ________ into the house.

Past perfect / had broken

500

I opened the fridge to find that someone (eat) ________ all my chocolate.

Past perfect / had eaten