Contrasting the Past Simple and the Past Perfect

n.b. the Past Simple Tense tells actions in chronological order in English
e.g. (1) I got up (2) I had a shower (3) I had breakfast
The Past Perfect Tense tells you what happened before these activities
e.g. I hadn't been asleep for long before I got up…..

Practice Exercise:
n.b. Please restrict your choice to the Past Simple or Past Perfect in this exercise!

1. They……..(bath),………..(dress) and………(feed) the baby. Then it was sick!
2. The film…..(begin) before they……(arrive).    
3. When she ……(arrive) at the airport, the plane……(go) so she……(have to) sleep in the departure lounge.
4 We…….(not learn) Hungarian before we ……(go) to Hungary. >
5. Her hair…….(grow) too long so the hairdresser……(have to) cut it.
6. She ……..(be) a famous model but then she ……(become) an actress.
7. The musicians…….(practise) the concerto for days before they ………..(be) ready to play.
8. John and Jane …………(not see) each other for years when they…….(meet) by chance in the street.
9. I……. (be) so fat, I……….(not see) my toes for years, then I……..(go) on a diet! Wow! 10. The patient ……..(be) ill for years before the doctors…..(discover) the cure.

Answers:

1. They bathed, dressed and fed the baby. Then it was sick!
2. The film had begun before they arrived.
3. When she arrived at the airport, the plane had gone so she had to sleep in the departure lounge.
4. We hadn't learnt (or 'we didn't learn’) Hungarian before we went to Hungary.
5. Her hair had grown so long the hairdresser had to cut it.
6. She had been a famous model but then she became an actress.
7. The musicians had practised the concerto for hours before they were ready to play.
8. John and Jane hadn't seen each other for years when they met by chance in the street. 9. I had been (or I used to be or I was) so fat that I hadn't seen my toes for years, but then I went on a diet. Wow! I've got nice toes!
10. The patient had been (or 'was') ill for years before the doctors discovered the cure. n.b. 'before' makes it easy to understand when things happened!

See The A - Z of English Grammar & Usage for the rules.

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