Past Perfect Fill in the Blank
MediumB1-B2Type the correct Past Perfect form (had + past participle) to complete each sentence. 40 writing exercises across four sets.
Set:
Set 1: Affirmative (had + past participle)
Complete each sentence with the Past Perfect affirmative form of the verb in brackets. Type: had + past participle.
Set:
+ AffirmativeSubjecthadpast participle.
She had left before he arrived. · They had eaten. · It had happened before.
− NegativeSubjecthadn'tpast participle.
He hadn't seen it before. · We hadn't met yet. · She hadn't finished.
? QuestionHadsubjectpast participle?
Had they finished? · Had she ever been there? · Had it started?
When to use Past Perfect
Before another past actionShe had already left when I arrived.
By the time he called, I had eaten.
They had been friends before they met at work.
Reported speech (backshift)He said he had finished the report.
She told me she had never been to Rome.
They explained they had already tried.
Third conditionalIf I had known, I would have helped.
If she had studied, she would have passed.
If we had left earlier, we would have arrived on time.
After wish / if onlyIf only she had told the truth.
I wish we had seen each other more.
Past Perfect vs Past Simple
| Past Perfect | Past Simple |
|---|
| Action before another past event | Action at a specific time in the past |
| By the time, before, after, when + sequence needed | Yesterday, last week, in 2020, at 5pm |
| She had left before I arrived. | She left at 8am. |
| By the time he called, she had finished. | She finished and then he called. |
| I wish I had known. | I knew it then. |
Key words for Past Perfect
alreadyjustnevereverby the timebeforeafterwhenas soon asuntilby 5pmby then