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Past Simple Vs Past Perfect

The document explains the differences between the past simple and past perfect tenses in English. The past simple is used for completed actions at a specific time in the past, while the past perfect is used to indicate an action that occurred before another past action. It includes examples and exercises for practice.

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41 views2 pages

Past Simple Vs Past Perfect

The document explains the differences between the past simple and past perfect tenses in English. The past simple is used for completed actions at a specific time in the past, while the past perfect is used to indicate an action that occurred before another past action. It includes examples and exercises for practice.

Uploaded by

secr2005
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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4 Past Simple vs Past Perfect

She (start) to work as a nurse She (work) as a nurse


+ +

- -

? ?

1. Used for finished past actions, actions that 1 It is used when you are talking about the past and
took place at a finite specific time of the past, you want to talk about an earlier past action (before
with no connection at all with the present time. It another action in the past)
normally goes with time expressions such as:
(Yesterday, last ________, _______ ago, any
time expression prior to the present moment (in
the fifth century, in the 1980s,...))

ex: Christopher Columbus discovered Ex: I felt nervous because I hadn´t flown before.
America in 1492.

2. It is also used to talk about a past action which 2. In other words, it is basically used to talk about a
takes place after another past action. (many past past action which takes place before another past
actions taking place one after another) action.

Ex: I got up at 4 o´clock yesterday morning Ex: When John got home, they had already had
and then I took a shower. dinner (they had dinner before John arrived)

1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the present simple or the
present continuous, past simple or past continuous.

1. Listen! Someone ____________ (come) in.


2. My sister ______________(normally / stay) at home, but tonight she _________ (stay) out.
3. While the painter ________________ (paint) the roof, it __________ (start) to rain.
4. What ______________ (you / do) when the car ____________ (break down)?
5. She _______________ (pay) the bill two days ago.
6. My maths teacher ________________ (explain) the lesson yesterday at midday when someone
__________ (begin) to cry.
7. In the 1980s, women ________________ (use) to wear long skirts.
8. John ____________ (not/visit) the dentist tomorrow morning.
9. What ________________ (the children / do) at this very moment?

2.Complete the sentences with the right form of the verbs in brackets. Use the past simple or the past
perfect.

i. When I _____________ (get) home, my bike wasn´t there because someone ___________ (steal) it.
ii. _____________ (you / meet) John before the party last night?
iii. By the time we ______________ (arrive) at the concert, the show ______________ (already/begin).
iv. Until I ____________ (know) the results, I ___________ (not / tell) anyone about the audition.
v.They _____________ (never/ perform) together when they _____________ (decide) to form a band.
vi. We _____________ (buy) the singer´s new CD after we ___________ (be) to her concert.
vii. I ____________ (call) Pete, but he _____________ (just/go) to sleep.
viii. The nuns _____________ (sort) all the clothes that the boys ____________ (collect) before.
ix. We _______________ (miss) the last bus to Manchester because it ___________(leave) earlier than
expected.
x. Susie wore the dress she ___________ (buy) when we first __________ (start) to go out together.

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