Past Perfect/Mixed Tenses

Here you can find mixed grammar exercises with past perfect tense. Past Perfect is only used if you have actions in the past (past simple or past progressive) and something had happened before.

What can you do before:

• Kontrastierung von Past Perfect und Past Simple

Interactive Exercises

mixed Past Perfect exercises

Put the verb in the correct form: Past Simple, Past Progressive, Past Perfect

Yesterday Sharon went (go) to the station to meet Paul. When she got (get) there, Paul was already waiting (already, wait) for her. His train had arrived (arrive) early.

When I got (get) home, Bill was lying (lie) on the sofa. The TV was on but he didn't watch (not/watch) it. He had fallen (fall) asleep and was snoring (snore) loudly. I turned (turn) the TV off and just then he woke (wake) up.

Last night I had just gone (just/go) to bed and was reading (read) a book when suddenly I heard (hear) a noise. I got (get) up to see what it was but I didn't see (not/see) anything, so I went (go) back to bed.

Mary had to go to New York last week, but she almost missed (miss) the plane. She was standing (stand) in the queue at the check-in desk when she suddenly realised (realise) that she had left (leave) her passport at home. Fortunately, she doesn’t live very far from the airport, so she had (have) time to take a taxi home to get it. She got (get) back to the airport just in time for her flight.

I met (meet) Tom and Tina yesterday as I was walking (walk) through the park. They had been (be) to the Gym where they had played (play) tennis. They were going (go) to a café for a drink and invited(invite) me to join them but I had arranged (arrange) to meet a friend and didn't have (not/have) time.

Yesterday Sharon went (go) to the station to meet Paul. When she got (get) there, Paul was already waiting (already, wait) for her. His train had arrived (arrive) early.

When I got (get) home, Bill was lying (lie) on the sofa. The TV was on but he didn't watch (not/watch) it. He had fallen (fall) asleep and was snoring (snore) loudly. I turned (turn) the TV off and just then he woke (wake) up.

Last night I had just gone (just/go) to bed and was reading (read) a book when suddenly I heard / AmE:heared (hear) a noise. I got (get) up to see what it was but I didn't see (not/see) anything, so I went (go) back to bed.

Mary had to go to New York last week, but she almost missed (miss) the plane. She was standing (stand) in the queue at the check-in desk when she suddenly realised (realise) that she had left (leave) her passport at home. Fortunately, she doesn’t live very far from the airport, so she had (have) time to take a taxi home to get it. She got (get) back to the airport just in time for her flight.

I met (meet) Tom and Tina yesterday as I was walking (walk) through the park. They had been (be) to the Gym where they had played [also: had been playing) (play) tennis. They were going (go) to a café for a drink and invited(invite) me to join them but I had arranged (arrange) to meet a friend and didn't have (not/have) time.

Signal Words

Put in the correct signal words.

When Columbus tried to find a shorter way to Asia in 1492, he "discovered" a new world.

But Native Americans had discovered the continent 10.000 years before. They have been living there for ages after they had crossed the Bering Strait in the Ice Age.

Columbus came 500 years ago , but about 400 years earlier Vikings had come to America, too. They didn't stay, however, after the Native Americans had often fought against them.

When Columbus tried to find a shorter way to Asia in 1492, he "discovered" a new world.

But Native Americans had discovered the continent 10.000 years before. They have been living there for ages after they had crossed the Bering Strait in the Ice Age.

Columbus came 500 years ago , but about 400 years earlier Vikings had come to America, too. They didn't stay, however, after the Native Americans had often fought against them.

The BBQ - Quiz (Past Perfect + mixed)

Put in the words in brackets in their correct forms.

One day Helen, Peter and Mark were helping at a summer Bar-B-Q. They were just getting(just get) everything ready when Helen said(say) : "Peter, we have a small problem here. There are no sausages."

"Whoops! Mark has forgotten (forget) the sausages!" And then Helen noticed (notice) that he hadn't brought (not bring) any firelighters, too. He had left(leave) everything on the kitchen table at home.

Mark got(get) on his bike and started(start) to ride to his house, which was(be) about three miles away. He was(be) half-way home, when his bike broke down(break down).

One day Helen, Peter and Mark were helping at a summer Bar-B-Q. They were just getting(just get) everything ready when Helen said(say) : "Peter, we have a small problem here. There are no sausages."

"Whoops! Mark has forgotten (forget) the sausages!" And then Helen noticed (notice) that he hadn't brought (not bring) any firelighters, too. He had left(leave) everything on the kitchen table at home.

Mark got(get) on his bike and started(start) to ride to his house, which was(be) about three miles away. He was(be) half-way home, when his bike broke down(break down).

While he was walking(walk) home, he came(come) to his aunt's house. She could give him a lift.

But she was out. Oh yes! She always goes(go) to aerobics on Saturdays. Now, why didn't he think(he not think) of that before?

He left(leave) the bike in her back garden and was waiting for a bus. No bus came(come). He hadn't hitchhiked(not hitch-hike) before. Too dangerous.

But then a little old lady drove up(drive up) in an old pickup truck. "Oh, it must be OK!" he thought. "How many killer little old ladies are there?"

Mark put(put) his thumb out. The little old lady in the pickup stopped(stop). "You must never hitch-hike," she said. "It's dangerous." But she took(take) him home. Mark's parents had gone(go) out.

While he was walking(walk) home, he came(come) to his aunt's house. She could give him a lift.

But she was out. Oh yes! She always goes(go) to aerobics on Saturdays. Now, why didn't he think(he not think) of that before?

He left(leave) the bike in her back garden and was waiting for a bus. No bus came(come). He hadn't hitchhiked(not hitch-hike) before. Too dangerous.

But then a little old lady drove up(drive up) in an old pickup truck. "Oh, it must be OK!" he thought. "How many killer little old ladies are there?"

Mark put(put) his thumb out. The little old lady in the pickup stopped(stop). "You must never hitch-hike," she said. "It's dangerous." But she took(take) him home. Mark's parents had gone(go) out.

What was worse, the sausages had gone(go).

Oh no! Burglars! No, not burglars. Had the cat eaten(eat) them? No, the cat hadn't eaten(not eat) them.

There they were(be), in the fridge. Mark smiled(smile). Then he looked(look) at his watch.

It was(be) 3 o'clock and he thought: "Oh well!" He had left(leave) the Bar-B-Q at 1 o'clock. And he couldn't get(can,not,get) back there, except by bus.

He found(find) the firelighters, lighted(light) the barbecue in the back garden, put(put) the sausages on the grill and then ate(eat) sausages for five people all alone.

What was worse, the sausages had gone(go).

Oh no! Burglars! No, not burglars. Had the cat eaten(eat) them? No, the cat hadn't eaten(not eat) them.

There they were(be), in the fridge. Mark smiled(smile). Then he looked(look) at his watch.

It was(be) 3 o'clock and he thought: "Oh well!" He had left(leave) the Bar-B-Q at 1 o'clock. And he couldn't get(can,not,get) back there, except by bus.

He found(find) the firelighters, lighted(light) the barbecue in the back garden, put(put) the sausages on the grill and then ate(eat) sausages for five people all alone.

Sequence of Tenses

Put in the missing verb forms. Think carefully before deciding which tense to use.

When Robert came(come) out of the cinema last Thursday evening, he couldn't remember which street he had parked (park) his car in.
'I wanted to walk back along the river, but when I got to the bridge, I saw(see) that they had closed(close) the public footpath.'
'The play starts at 8.30. If we leave(leave) here at half past six, we would have|'d have(have) plenty of time. I expect we will arrive|'ll arrive (arrive) at the theatre shortly after seven.'
'There were so many people waiting for the Underground at Waterloo, it looked (look) as if we wouldn't get(get) onto the train at all!'
'You ought to try the King George. I have had (have) lunch there several times recently. They serve(serve) excellent pub food.'
'Sorry we're late. We got(get) to the station in good time, but the train was(be) late.'

When Robert came(come) out of the cinema last Thursday evening, he couldn't remember which street he had parked (park) his car in.

'I wanted to walk back along the river, but when I got to the bridge, I saw(see) that they had closed(close) the public footpath.'
'The play starts at 8.30. If we leave(leave) here at half past six, we would have/ 'd have(have) plenty of time. I expect we will arrive/'ll arrive (arrive) at the theatre shortly after seven.'
'There were so many people waiting for the Underground at Waterloo, it looked (look) as if we wouldn't get(get) onto the train at all!'
'You ought to try the King George. I have had (have) lunch there several times recently. They serve(serve) excellent pub food.'

'Sorry we're late. We got(get) to the station in good time, but the train was(be) late.'

Kontrastierung

The Tenses

––––––––----------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Past Tense:

• Past Simple
• Past Progressive
• Past Perfect

Present Tense:

• Present Simple
• Present Progressive
• Present Perfect

Future Tense:

• going to-Future
• will-Future