Past Perfect - Simple Past

Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using either the past
perfect or the past simple tenses.
1. By the time we (get) _______________________ to the cinema the film (start)
_______________________, so we missed the first five minutes.
2. When

rang

the

bell

there

was

no

answer.

The

neighbor

(tell)

_______________________ me that they (go out) _______________________ about half an

hour ago.
3. I saw Casablanca for the first time last night. I (never, see) _______________________
it before.
4. After I (have) _______________________ a huge lunch, I (feel) _______________________
fat.
5. I spent a week in Miami recently. I (never, be) _______________________ there before.
6. There was so much to see in Toledo. I wanted to see everything but I (not, have)
_______________________ enough time.
7. She told me she (buy) _______________________ a new car.
8. When he arrived, Eve wasn't there. She (leave) _______________________ about five
minutes before.
9. When

we

(arrive)

_______________________

back

in

Spain,

they

(lose)

nobody

(do)

_______________________ our luggage.

10.

When

(get

back)

_______________________,

_______________________ the washing up. I was furious.

11.

After

he

(start)

_______________________

the

lesson

(leave)

after

(finish)

_______________________.
12.

(be)

_______________________

very

happy

_______________________ my lesson.
13.

As soon as he (mend) _______________________ the old watch it (break)

_______________________ again.
14.

Everybody (leave) _______________________ the house by the time I (come)

_______________________ home.
15.

I (buy) _______________________ a new car because some thieves (steal)

_______________________ my old one.

16.

It (not, be) _______________________ his first trip to the mountains, he (be)

_______________________ there many times before.

17.

My

teacher

(ask)

_______________________

me

why

(not,

do)

_______________________ my homework.
18.

She (not, know) _______________________ him for a long time when she (marry)

_______________________ him.
19.

These shoes (be) _______________________ very clean because our housemaid

(clean) _______________________ them.

20.

Yesterday afternoon I (go) _______________________ downtown and I (meet)

_______________________ Peter.

Fill the gaps with the correct tense. Use Simple Past or Past
Perfect Simple.

The Pilgrims
1. In the 17th century, there (be) _______________________ lots of religious tensions
in England.
2. King James I (not / allow) _______________________ freedom of religion in England
as he (have) _______________________ problems with certain religious groups in
the past.
3. That's why during his reign some people (leave) _______________________ the
country.
4. In September 1620 for example, members of the English Separatist Church (go)
_______________________ aboard the Mayflower to emigrate to America.
5. Before their journey to America, they (live / already) _______________________ in
Holland for a while.
6. Now on the Mayflower, storms (make) _______________________ the journey to
America difficult.
7. The Pilgrims only (reach) _______________________ America after they (sail)
_______________________ the Atlantic for 66 days.
8. Because of the delay, the Pilgrims (not / build) _______________________ enough
houses and they (not / collect) _______________________enough food when winter
(begin) _______________________.

9. By spring, half of the 100 Pilgrims (die) _______________________ of hunger and

cold.
10.

But then, in March 1621, the Pilgrims (meet) _______________________ the

friendly Wampanoag.
11.

One

member

of

the

Wampanoag,

Squanto,

even

(know)

_______________________ English because several years before he (spend)

_______________________ some time in Europe.
12.

The Wampanoag (show) _______________________ the Pilgrims how to hunt and

fish.
13.

They also (give) _______________________ the Pilgrims seeds to grow corn and

beans.
14.

After the Pilgrims (harvest) _______________________ the food in autumn, they

(celebrate) _______________________ their good harvest with the Wampanoag.

This event is known today as the first Thanksgiving.