The Past Perfect Tense

Exercise 1. Put the verb in brackets into the Past Indefinite and the Past Perfect.

1. They hardly (go) when aunt Julia (wander) slowly into the room. 2. He hardly (reach) the door of his office when he (encounter) two young men. 3. He scarcely (take) a few steps along the street, when three men (appear) from around the corner. 4. No sooner he (start) to play than one string on the violin (break). 5. They barely (leave) the room when the chaos (break) out. 6. No sooner they (arrive) at Rougemont than her sister (ring) up from home about an accident with her little daughter. 7. No sooner the curtains (fall) than he (rise) to go. 8. Hardly he (ask) his questions when she (answer) them. 9. He scarcely (take) off his coat when he (begin) to read the letter. 10. Scarcely Nell (settle) herself on a little heap of straw in the corner, when she (fall) asleep. 11. The rain nearly (stop) when he (reach) his hotel. 12. He scarcely (say) the first words when she (interrupt) him.

Exercise 2. Put the verb in brackets into the Past Indefinite and the Past Perfect.

1. She realized that she was going to faint. She (eat) nothing since the picnic. 2. His wife (not / be) in. She (go) out a quarter of an hour before. 3. After dinner Mr. Grag proposed a game of cards. He (not / play) cards since his illness. 4. Dr. Lecter (be) English, though he (live) in America for thirty years. 5. His smile (be) something she never (see) before. 6. We hardly (leave) the town, when it (begin) to rain. 7. He (come) into the room a moment after I (get) there. 8. When he (return) at eleven o’clock the telegram (arrive). 9. When they (go) I (get) busy at the desk. 10. When evening (fall) their son (leave) the house. 11. I hardly (be) there five minutes when Mrs. Brown (come) in with the coffee. 12. The moon (not / rise). There was nothing to dispel the dark of the night. 13. Scarcely they (move) into the new house when their friends (come) in. 14. The evening (go) off easier than she (expect). 15. But the village he (show) her (be) the best he ever (see). 16. Just at that moment a boy and a girl (come) and (sit) down where the old couple (be) before. 17. I (keep) silence for a little while, thinking of what he (tell) me. 18. Soames (spend) the night at Winchester, a place he often (hear) of but never (see). 19. She (know) why he (come). 20. Within a week she (know) the fearful mistake she (make).

Exercise 3. Open the brackets using Past Simple or Past Perfect.

1. He (to study) French before he (to enter) the university. 2. Jenny (to say) that he (to get) his education in Cape Town. 3. The boy (to want) to act the main part in the play because he (to organize) the theatre. 4. Jenny (not to know) who (to attack) him in the darkness. 5. The girl (to be) glad that she (to find) a seat near the window. 6. Suddenly he (to remember) that he (not to ring) her up in the morning. 7. By the time the train (to reach) the city, he (to make) friends with many passengers. 8. When his uncle (to leave), he (to hurry) to the station to book a ticket. 9. She (to think) that Girt and Jenny (to quarrel). 10. When I (to come) home, my mother (to tell) me that she (to receive) a letter from grandpa. 11. Where you (to work) before you (to enter) the university? 12. On my way to school I (to remember) that I (to leave) my report at home. 13. He (to open) his eyes, (to look) around and (to try) to remember what (to happen) to him. 14. All the passengers (to see) at once that the old man (to travel) a great deal in his life.

Exercise 4. Put the verb in brackets into the Past Indefinite, the Past Continuous and the Past Perfect.

1. He (close) the window and (sit) in his armchair. 2. When I (arrive) the lecture already (start). 3. The rain (stop) and the sun (shine) brightly. 4. Unfortunately when I arrived Ann just (leave), so we only had time for a few words. 5. I (watch) his eyes pretty closely while we (exchange) these remarks. 6. Scarcely I (close) the door when a gust of wind (open) it again. 7. When I (come) to them they (tell) me that he just (leave). 8. When I (look) for my passport, I (find) his old photograph. 9. You (look) very busy when I (see) you last night. What you (do)? 10. He (not / be) there five minutes, when the storm (begin). 11. He (not / allow) us to go out in the boat yesterday as a strong wind (blow). 12. I (call) Paul at 7.00 but it wasn’t necessary because he already (get) up. 13. When I (come) to see my friend, I (find) him lying in bed. He (look) very pale as he (be) seriously ill for the whole month. 14. When he (seal) and (stamp) the envelope, he (go) back to the window and (draw) a long breath. 15. I (see) you yesterday from the bus. Why you (use) a stick? – I (use) it because I (hurt) my leg that morning. 16. We (return) home at nightfall and we (be) very glad to get home again, but we (have) a wonderful day. 17. As they (walk) along the road they (hear) a car coming from behind them. Tom (turn) round and (hold) up his hand. The car (stop). 18. When I (arrive) at the station Mary (wait) for me. She (wear) a blue dress and (look) very pretty. 19. When I (see) him he (paint) a portrait of his wife. 20. While he (water) the flowers it (begin) to rain. 21. While I (say) goodbye to the rest of the guests Isabel (take) Sophie aside.

Exercise 5. Translate into English.

1. Когда вы пришли, я уже выполнил домашнее задание. 2. К 7 часам все уже были на вокзале. 3. К тому времени, как вы позвонили, гости ещё не собрались. 4. Вы изучали английский перед тем, как поступить на эти курсы? 5. Сколько страниц в этой книге они перевели к концу прошлой недели? 6. Ты закончил свою работу к этому времени вчера, не так ли? 7. Что вы уже подготовили к тому времени? 8. Кто уже сдал экзамен к тому моменту? 9. Дождь уже прекратился, когда мы вышли из дома. 10. Вы вчера ходили в театр, не так ли? 11. Почему же вы нас не пригласили? 12. Я знал, что Анна никогда не бывала в США. 13. Я позвонил ему после того, как получил телеграмму от нашего друга. 14. К трём часам они уже подготовили машину и упаковали вещи. 15. Он надеялся, что с ними ничего не случилось. 16. Он знал, что секретарь заказала билеты туда и обратно. 17. Они опоздали на поезд, потому что попали в пробку? 18. Только они отъехали, как Петр сказал: “По-моему, я забыл билеты дома”. 19. Совещание только началось, когда открылась дверь, и вошёл профессор Браун. 20. К тому времени, как я пришёл, все уже собрались. 21. Они закончили украшать зал к 5 часам. 22. Он вошёл в зал, когда представление уже началось. 23. Учитель закрыл журнал и начал объяснять новое правило. 24. Когда я вошёл в класс, учитель уже закрыл журнал и объяснял новое правило. 25. Я понял, что читал эту книгу до того, как прочитал её до конца. 26. Выйдя на улицу, Саша вспомнил, что оставил ключи дома. 27. Он сказал, что не видел своего друга 2 дня и думает, что тот заболел. 28. Она дала мне письмо только после того, как я сказал ей своё имя. 29. Отец Павла показал нам мост, который он построил в 1997 году.

Exercise 6. Open the brackets using the verbs in Past Perfect, Past Simple, and Past Continuous.

1. When we came into the room, Lisa (to stand) before the looking-glass and (to comb) her hair. 2. We (finish) dinner when father came home from work. 3. I went for a walk after I (to do) my work. 4. When my friend came I (to do) the work and (to write) it down in my exercise book. 5. When you (meet) him? 6. What you (to do) yesterday? – A little of everything. I (to read), (to write) letters and (to walk) and (to do) the shopping. – And after you (to do) all these things? – I (to watch) TV. 7. You had to finish the work yesterday. How much work you (to do) by 12? 8. He said he (to find) the watch he (to lose) the day before. 9. He said he (to know) the man when he (to live) in Saratov. 10. By what time he (to do) all the exercises? 11. When I (to leave) home, it (to rain) hard. 12. The steamer (to go) to the North when a violent storm (to break out). 13. I (to meet) him when he (to walk) to the station. 14. What you (to write) when I (to come in)? 15. He (to cycle) along a narrow path when he (to fall) and (to hurt) himself badly. 16. When I (to look) out of the window, the sun (to approach) the horizon and dark clouds (to overspread) the sky. 17. When we (to leave) home, a strong wind (to blow); the snow (to whirl) in the wind. 18. When I (to approach) home, lightning (to strike) an old oak tree in front of our house. 19. The telegram (to come) just as I (to leave) the house for the office. 20. It already (to begin) to grow dark; the cold autumn wind (to whistle); clouds (to creep) over the sky. 21. His fair hair (to grey) on his temples, but none the less he was strikingly youthful in appearance. 22. I (to sit) here watching the game while I (to wait) for you. 23. He (to seat) himself before the fire and (to declare) he (to think) of taking a long vacation to visit his old friend. 24. When I (to come) up, they (to get) into a taxi. 25. When we (to wake), the sun (to shine) in at the window. 26. The sun already (to slip) behind a snow-capped ridge when we (to drive) into the valley. 27. The sun (to set) and night (to follow) day without any interval in between as is usual in the South. 28. I (to pick) my way along the fence when suddenly I (to hear) voices.

Exercise 7. Replace the infinitives in brackets by the past tense forms.

1. When I (to call) at his house, they (tell) me that he (to leave) an hour before. 2. On checking up his answers he found that he (to do) five examples wrong. 3. I noticed when I came in that somebody (to leave) their umbrella on the porch. 4. After we (to clear) the ground, we set up the first of the tents. 5. Before he (to read) half of the book, he insisted he did not like it. 6. I knew all along that we (to take) the wrong road. 7. The message (to arrive) five minutes after he (to leave) the house. 8. They (to stop) where the road was wide and (to wait) till the other car (to pass). 9. Unfortunately, by the time we reached the station the train (to leave). 10. We (to go) only a few blocks when a tire (to burst). 11. When I (to come) to see my friend, I (to find) him lying in bed. He (to look) very pale as he (to be) seriously ill. 12. The rain (to stop) but there (to be) still a slight drizzle in the air. 13. I (to leave) home at nine o’clock, but I (not to go) far when I remembered that I (to forget) to lock my door. 14. When the expedition returned, they (to relate) what they (to see) in the Arctic region. 15. It was a great relief when the sun (to go down) for the day (to be) hot and oppressive. 16. The moon not (to rise) yet and only two stars (to shine) in the dark blue sky. 17. It was nearly nine when the audience (to assemble) and the performance (to begin). 18. We (to return) home at nightfall and we (to be) very glad to get home again, but we (to have) a wonderful day. 19. I (to be) surprised what progress she (to make) considering how little time (to pass) since our last meeting. 20. He (to look) round the railway carriage before he (to get) out to make sure he not (to leave) anything behind. 21. The flowers just (to begin) to appear when the cold weather (to kill) them. 22. I not yet (to fall) asleep when I (to hear) the sound of the bell. 23. Scarcely I (to close) the door when a gust of wind (to open) it again. 24. Although darkness (to fall), we still (to continue) our way.

Exercise 8. Open brackets using Present Perfect, Past Simple, Past Continuous or Past Perfect.

1. Your mother (to return) from work? Can I speak to her? 2. The cat (to drink) all the milk which I (to give) it. 3. When Nick (to come) home from school, his friends (to play) in the yard. 4. When you (to receive) a letter from your friend? 5. They (to eat) all the apples I (to bring). 6. When the children (to have) dinner, they (to go) for a walk. 7. Last summer we (to live) in the country and (to go) to the river every day. 8. She is so upset: she (to lose) the key to the door. 9. Columbus (not to know) that he (to discover) America. 10. He (to discuss) the problem with a lot of people before he (to take) a decision. 11. Mother (to bake) a delicious cake! Sit down at the table and let’s eat it. 12. She (to read) an English book the whole evening yesterday. 13. At this time yesterday they (to sit) on the sofa and (to listen) to their grandmother who (to tell) them fairy-tales. 14. I (to stand) at the tram-stop when it (to begin) to rain.

Exercise 9. Use the verbs in Present, Past, Future Simple; Present, Past Continuous; Present, Past Perfect.

1. Mike (to eat) ice-cream every day. Look, he (to eat) ice-cream now. When I (to see) him in the morning, he (to eat) ice-cream too. He (to say) he (to eat) one ice-cream already by that time. I think he (to fall) ill if he (to eat) so much ice-cream. 2. They (to walk) along the street and (to talk). Suddenly Nick (to stop) and (to say): “Oh, what shall we do? I (to lose) the key to the door.” “If you (not to find) it,” said Pete, “we (to have) to wait for mother in the street.” 3. When I (to come) to the station yesterday, I (to learn) that my train already (to leave). 4. What he (to do) when you (to see) him yesterday? 5. I (to give) you this book as soon as I (to finish) reading it. 6. When the ship (to cross) the ocean, a great storm (to break) out. 7. I (to be) not to the theatre for 15 years. 8. From his worried expression I knew he (to hear) my story. 9. Well, what (to happen) at Blackstable since I was there? 10. I walked to the station by myself. I (to refuse) to let my aunt see me off. 11. He whispered: “You (to see) who’s with him?” 12. Then as she came nearer he recognized that he (to meet) her somewhere before. 13. I just (to get) this bike and this is the first time I (to try) to ride it. 14. What you (to learn) for today? – I (to be) sorry, I (not to prepare) my lesson. I (to be) ill yesterday and (not to know) what to do. I (to prepare) my lesson tomorrow. – If you (not to prepare) you lesson tomorrow, you (to get) a bad mark. 15. What you (to do) at 5 yesterday? 16. Mike always (to do) his homework in the evening, but today he (to begin) doing it as soon as he comes from school, because his father (to promise) to take him to the cinema. 17. When Mary (to come) home her brother (to read) the book which she (to bring) him 2 days before. 18. Autumn (to come). It (to be) November now. It (to get) colder, the days (to get) shorter. It often (to rain). Soon it (to be) very cold. 19. When I (to do) my homework yesterday, I quickly (to run) to the yard, because my friends (to wait) for me there. 20. We (to have) a good time last summer.

Exercise 10. Translate into English.

1. Когда он вошел в комнату, он увидел Анну там, где он ее оставил. 2. Я заметил, что кто-то забыл свой зонтик на крыльце. 3. Он не прочел и полкниги, как заявил, что она ему не нравится. 4. Когда гости ушли, она вошла в гостиную и выключила свет. 5. Она сидела на диване и думала, почему еще не пришло письмо от отца. 6. Дождь прекратился, но в воздухе был еще легкий туман. 7. Я не знала, куда он ушел. 8. Он не помнил его имени и не помнил, чтобы встречал его когда-либо раньше. 9. Мы проехали два часа, когда наконец увидели озеро. 10. Прошло некоторое время, прежде чем они поняли, что ему нечего было сказать. 11. Когда он приехал домой, он узнал, что его сестра только что ушла. 12. Когда экспедиция вернулась, они рассказали, что они видели в Арктике. 13. Она закончила паковать вещи к тому времени, когда ее сестра постучала в дверь. 14. В последние дни было очень холодно, но снег не шел. 15. Когда все ушли, она подошла к телефону и быстро набрала номер. 16. Когда родители вернулись, я показала им, что я сделала. 17. Я удивился, какие успехи она сделала. 18. Не успел он подойти к двери, как встретил своих школьных друзей. 19. Было гораздо холоднее, чем она предполагала. 20. Когда рассвело, еще дул штормовой ветер, но снег прекратился.