Past Perfect exercises — Set 5: Past Simple vs Past Perfect (Worksheet)
Worksheet • 20 questions • 14 min
When I (arrive), the meeting (already/start).
She (be) tired because she (not/sleep) well.
I (not/recognise) him because he (grow) a beard.
They (watch) a film that evening. Earlier, they (finish) dinner at a restaurant.
The children (go) to bed. They (already/do) their homework earlier that evening.
I (tell) her the news, but she (already/hear) it.
By the time I (get) to the stop, the bus (already/leave).
He (pass) the exam easily. He (study) the material thoroughly in the weeks before.
When we (check) our bags, we (realise) we (forget) the camera.
I (never/hear) of that band before my friend (mention) them.
She was devastated. She (lose) the ring that her grandmother (give) her years before she passed away.
By the time the doctor (arrive), the patient (die).
I (be) hungry because I (not/eat) since morning.
They (decide) to divorce. They (be) married for twenty years and had grown apart.
The teacher (ask) a question that we (not/study).
I (can't) find my keys because I (put) them in the wrong pocket.
We (know) exactly what to order because we (eat) there many times before.
She (thank) me for the gift. I (send) it weeks earlier, and she had just received it.
The film (start) by the time we (find) our seats.
He (not/want) to see the film because he (already/read) the book.
Past Perfect exercises online (Worksheet)
Learn when to use Past Simple and when to use Past Perfect. Past Simple describes the main past events, while Past Perfect shows what happened before those events.