PAST PERFECT or PAST SIMPLE? Exercises with keys

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Past simple, continuous and perfect exercise for intermediate students 
Review of the past simple, continuous and perfect

1. Complete the text with the past perfect of the verbs.

When I first met Mark, he was working for an advertising agency in London. He ______________ (recently finish) his MBA and he was very happy because of his company ______________ (just offer) him a post in Tokyo. He _______________ (never work) abroad before and he ____________ (always want) to go to Japan. Then two weeks before he planned to leave, the company told him that they _____________ (close) their office in Tokyo. He was so disappointed.

He _____________ (already book) his flight. He ______________ (even start) learning Japanese. I___________ (just come back) from Tokyo. My company still _______________ (not find) anyone to take my job. I told Mark to call them. Ten days later Mark's dreams _____________ (come) true: he was finally in Japan!

2. Look at the text in exercise 1. Write questions using the verbs in the brackets. Use the past perfect or past simple.

a) Where _________________ (you meet) Mark for the first time?

At a party in London.

b) What _________________ (his company offer) him a few weeks before?

A job in Tokyo.

c) ___________________ (he ever work) abroad before?

No, never.

d) When _______________ (his company tell) him the Tokyo office had closed?

Only two weeks before he was leaving.

e) How ________________ (Mark feel)?

Very disappointed.

f) ____________________ (he already book) his flight?

Yes, he had and he'd paid for it too!

g) How ________________ (you help) him?

I told him to call my company.

h) So, __________________ (he go) to Japan in the end?

Yes, he did. Ten days later he was living in my old flat in Tokyo.

3. Complete the conversations with the past perfect or the past simple of the verbs. 

Conversation 1

A: ______________ you _______________ (meet) Kris before the party last week?

B: No, not really. I ________________ (see) her around, but I _____________ (not/speak) to her. She's really nice, isn't she?

Conversation 2

C: I didn’t know that Rafael ___________(leave) her job! When_______that _________ (happen)?

D: Last week. He ___________________ (have) an argument with her boss the day before.

Conversation 3

E: Have you heard? John and Beth ____________________ (get) divorced last month.

F: But they'd only just got married!

E: Yes, three months ago! They _______________ (only just/come back) from their honeymoon when John ___________ (decide) that he wanted a divorce.

Keys

1. Complete the text with the past perfect of the verbs.

When I first met Mark, he was working for an advertising agency in London. He had recently finished his MBA and he was very happy because of his company had just offered him a post in Tokyo. He had never worked abroad before and he had always wanted to go to Japan. Then two weeks before he planned to leave, the company told him that they had closed their office in Tokyo. He was so disappointed.

He had already booked his flight. He had even started learning Japanese. I had just come back from Tokyo. My company still hadn't found anyone to take my job. I told Mark to call them. Ten days later Mark's dreams had come true: he was finally in Japan!

2. Look at the text in exercise 1. Write questions using the verbs in the brackets. Use the past perfect or past simple.

a) Where did you meet Mark for the first time?

At a party in London.

b) What had his company offered him a few weeks before?

A job in Tokyo.

c) Had he ever worked abroad before?

No, never.

d) When did his company tell him the Tokyo office had closed?

Only two weeks before he was leaving.

e) How did Mark feel?

Very disappointed.

f)  Had he already booked his flight?

Yes, he had and he'd paid for it too!

g) How did you help him?

I told him to call my company.

h) So, did he go to Japan in the end?

Yes, he did. Ten days later he was living in my old flat in Tokyo.

3. Complete the conversations with the past perfect or the past simple of the verbs. 

Conversation 1

A: Had you met Kris before the party last week?

B: No, not really. I'd seen her around, but I hadn't spoken to her. She's really nice, isn't she?

Conversation 2

C: I didn’t know that Rafael had left her job! When did that happen?

D: Last week. He had had an argument with her boss the day before.

Conversation 3

E: Have you heard? John and Beth got divorced last month.

F: But they'd only just got married!

E: Yes, three months ago! They'd only just come back from their honeymoon when John decided that he wanted a divorce.