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Tenses Use
Spot the tense
Unscramble the Sentences
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Simple or perfect?
100
Tense that indicates that an activity, state, habit or situation began and ended at a particular time in the past.
Simple Past
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.
100
stairs / that / said / I / down / fallen / had / the / I
I said that I HAD FALLEN down the stairs
100
I didn't recognise / hadn't recognised Sue, because she cut / had cut her hair.
didn't recognise - had cut
100
We had already eaten when John (come) ________ home.
Simple past / Came
200

The Past Perfect is the past of.......

Present Perfect

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.
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.
200
I arrived / had arrived at the shop at 6.45, but it already closed / had already closed
arrived - had already closed
200
Last year Juan (pass) ________ all his exams.
Simple past / passed
300
It expresses an activity that was completed before another activity or time in the past.
Past Perfect
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.
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.
300
David didn't play / hadn't played the match because he hurt / had hurt his leg.
didn't play - had hurt
300
I opened my handbag to find that I (forget) ________ my credit card.
Past perfect / had forgotten
400

It is used to tell stories and describe what happened in the past, it helps us establish a squence of the events

Simple Past

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.
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.
400
When I looked / had looked everywhere for my car keys, I started / had started to panic.
had looked - started
400
We got home to find that someone (break) ________ into the house.
Past perfect / had broken
500

We use it to draw (call) the attention to the fact that something took place and finished before something else in the past.

Past perfect

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.
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.
500
When he had finished / finished his dinner he sat down / had sat down to watch TV.
had finished - sat down
500
I opened the fridge to find that someone (eat) ________ all my chocolate.
Past perfect / had eaten