Complete the sentences. Use the past perfect of the verbs in brackets

0 The car stopped because we.......... ‘d run........... out of petrol, (run)

1 I was cold because I.............................. any warm clothes, (not take)

2 We wanted to visit our cousins last weekend, but they.............................. to go to London, (arrange)

3 The computer crashed. Luckily, I.............................. all my work on it. (save)

4 He felt very tired because he.............................. well, (not sleep)

5 Did they send you the wrong books or.............................. the wrong ones? (you / order)

6 The soup didn’t taste nice because I.............................. to put salt in it. (forget)

2. Complete the sentences. Use already, ever or never and the past perfect of the verbs in brackets.

0 It was the first time she......... ’d ever competed...... in the Olympics. (compete)

1 She wanted an Olympic medal because she.............................. one before. (win)

2 She had done very badly in her last race. It was the worst race she............................... (run)

3 Her trainer.............................. her to rest, and he told her again that she was not fit enough. (advise)

4 A month later, she.............................. so she began training for the next competition. (recover)

5 She began writing a book about her career. She was quite nervous because she.............................. a book before, (write).

Past perfect and past simple

• We can use the past perfect and the past simple in one sentence with linking words and expressions such as:

– by the time: By the time we got to the airport, our flight had left.

– after, as soon as, before: After we ’d done the washing-up, we went for a walk.

As soon as he ’d left, I phoned Anna. She’d finished her project before she went out.

• It’s often possible to use either the past perfect or the past simple with after, as soon as and before: As soon as he left, I phoned Anna.

• Compare these sentences with when: When I arrived, Tim left. (= I arrived. Then Tim left.) When I arrived, Tim had left. (= Tim left. Then I arrived.)

We don’t use the past perfect for both actions in a sentence if one happened after the other: They ’d eaten all the food by the time we got there. (Not They ’d eat en all the food by the time we’ d got there.)

Complete the sentences. Use the past perfect or past simple of the verbs in brackets. Sometimes both are possible.

0 By the time he....... started............ his exams, I....... ’d finished......mine. (start, finish)

1 As soon as they the car, they.............................. it. (repair, sell)

2 Beth.............................. round after she.............................. Rob to the station. (come, take)

3 I.............................. my room before I.............................. to bed. (tidy, go)

4 As soon as we........................... our bags in our rooms, we........................... lunch. (put, have)

5 They.............................. by the time I............................... (leave, arrive)

6 After I.............................. to him, I.............................. better, (talk, feel)