The Past Perfect. 3º ESO 6

Grammar:

Form of Past Perfect Simple

Positive / Negative / Question
no differences / I had spoken. / I had not spoken. / Had I spoken?

For irregular verbs, use the past participle form (see list of irregular verbs, 3rd column). For regular verbs, just add ed.

Use of Past Perfect

  • action taking place before a certain time in the past(putting emphasis only on the fact, not the duration)

Example: Before I came here, I had spoken to Jack.

Contrast Past Perfect / Simple Past

Simple Past / Past Perfect Simple
some time in the past
Example:
Jane got up at seven. She opened her birthday presents and then the whole family went to the zoo. / before/up to a certain time in the past
Example:
Before her sixth birthday, Jane had never been to the zoo.

Signal Words

Simple Past / Past Perfect Simple
  • first
  • then
/
  • already
  • up to then
  • before that day
  • after*

Exercises

1-Read the situations and write sentences from the words in brackets

1-You went to Jane´s house but she wasn´t there. (She / go / out) …………………..

2-You went back to your home town after many years. It wasn´t the same as before. (It /change / a lot) ……………………….

3-I invited Sam to the party but she couldn´t come. (she / arrange / to do something else) ………………………………

4-You went to the cinema last night. You arrived at the cinema late. (the film / already / begin) …………………………………

5-I was very pleased to see Tom again after such a long time. ( I / not / see / him for five years) ……………………..

6-I offered Sue something to eat but she wasn´t hungry. (she / just / have / breakfast) ………………….

7

2- Choose the correct tense:

1-Brian and Teresa (had known / knew each) other for ten years before they (had decided / decided) to get married

2-Walt Disney (had worked / worked) creating cartoons for 40 years before he (had died / died) in 1966

3-Although the rock band U2 (had performed / performed) before small audiences in the late 70s, they (hadn´t had / didn´t have) a major hit until the 80s.

4-My son Julius (had never seen / never saw)a camel before we went together to the zoo in summer 1990.

5-After I (had washed / washed ) my car, I went to fill it up with petrol.

6-When Jane (had seen / saw) the elephants, she (had wanted / wanted) to see the giraffes

7-After the family (had had / had ) breakfast, they (had gone / went) to the zoo.

8-Jane (had read / read) a lot about elephants before she (had gone / went) to the zoo.

9-Jane (had gone / went) to the zoo before she (had finished/ finished) reading her new book about elephants.

3-Write the verbs in brackets in the correct tense:

  1. The wind (blow) ...... away the leaves that we (collect) ......
  2. She (throw ) ...... away the letter that she (write) ......
  3. They (show) ...... me the pictures, they (take) ...... during their holidays.
  4. In the evening, the children (tell) ...... their daddy what they (do)...... at school.
  5. The boy (be) ...... very sorry for what he (do) ......
  6. My friend (eat)...... up all the biscuit we (bake)......
  7. The teacher (correct)...... the tests we (write)......
  8. I (give)...... them some of the candies I (buy)......
  9. My sister (see / not)...... the note that I (lay)...... on the kitchen table for her.
  10. We (want)...... to watch a film that we (see / not)…………………… before.

4-Put the verbs into the correct form (simple past or past perfect).

Bob (wake) 1 ...... up early in the morning. He (feel) 2 ...... very tired because he (sleep / not) 3 ...... very well the night before. A strange noise in the garden (keep) 4 ...... him awake. Now it (be) 5 ...... six o'clock and Bob (get) 6 ...... up and (go) 7 ...... to the bathroom where he (have) 8...... a cold shower to wake up. Then he (make) 9 ...... himself a nice cup of coffee. When Bob (look) 10 ...... out of the kitchen window, he (believe / not) 11 ...... his eyes. There (be) 12 ...... a bear in his garden! He (search) 13 …...... Bob´s garden for food last night. Bob (knock) 14 …...... at the window. The bear (hear)15 ...... that and (run)16 ……………………….. away. But what a mess the bear (make)17…………………………. in the garden!