i had finished my homework when my sister arrived

Verb Tenses

Today we’re going to be talking about the difference between present perfect , past perfect , and future perfect verb tenses.

Remember that verbs are words that describe an action, occurrence, or state of being. The tense of a verb refers to the time of the action or state of being. The perfect form is the verb tense used to talk about a completed action or condition and always uses a form of “have” or “had,” plus the past participle.

Participles are words made out of verbs but used as adjectives. In English, participles are also sometimes used to form compound words like “is going.” A past participle, in the context we’re using it today, is the second part of a compound verb that’s used to form perfect and passive tenses. Past participles usually end in -ed .

Verbs can appear in any one of three perfect tenses: present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.

Present Perfect

Let’s start by talking about present perfect verbs. The present perfect tense expresses an action that began in the past and is now completed in the present. Take a look at this equation:

Present Perfect Tense Example

We can put those elements into practice in the following sentence.

  We know this sentence is written in the perfect tense for two reasons. First, we see that it is talking about a completed action: “I have finished my homework.” There’s our -ed past participle, and it’s telling us that the job is completed. The second hint we have that it’s the perfect tense is the word have . Remember, the perfect form is a verb tense that uses a form of have or had plus a past participle.

In this sentence, have finished tells us that the finishing action began in the past but is now completed in the present. We can see that the sentence used have instead of had, so we know it’s present perfect tense, not past perfect.

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense expresses an action that began in the past and was completed in the past before something else occurred. The past perfect equation looks like this:

Past Perfect Example

Here’s a sentence with past perfect tense.

  Right away, our eyes should be drawn to the past perfect phrase had broken . There’s our past tense had and our past participle. You may notice that broken is not an -ed verb, but it’s still a past participle; it just conjugates differently than the -ed verbs we’ve looked at so far. This also happens with words like ate and shaken . The sentence is describing something that began in the past and was completed before something else occurred. Paul broke the vase. The action is complete, therefore the tense is perfect, and it happened in the past, therefore the word had appears in our equation.

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense expresses an action that will be completed by some specified point in the future. This equation is a little more exciting.

Future Perfect Tense Example

Here’s a sentence with future perfect tense.

  First, we notice the two elements we’ve learned to expect from the perfect tense: a version of have or had , and a past participle, in this case, the -ed verb cooked . You might be tempted to think this was present perfect tense based on our earlier equation, but be careful to look first in front of the word have to make sure it’s not future perfect. Sure enough, the entirety of the phrase reads will have cooked .

This tells us that we’re talking about an action that’s not done yet, but will be done in the future at a specific time. Take, for example, the following phrases:

In two years, I will have saved $2,000.

  In both these examples, the reader is standing in the present without evidence of a completed action, but we can be sure that both of those things will be done in the future, thus the past participles danced and saved .

It may sound complicated, but if you remember these three grammar equations and acquaint yourself with common past participles, you’ll have a solid understanding of present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses.

I hope this overview was helpful!

See you next time!

Verb Tense Practice Questions

  Which verb tense is being used in the following sentence?

My sister has read that book at least 20 times.

Past perfect

Present perfect

Future perfect

The present perfect tense is formed by combining the word have/has with the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and is now completed in the present. In this case, the word has is paired with the past participle read , creating a sentence that uses the present perfect tense.

Caleb will have finished all of his chores before dinner.

The future perfect tense is formed by combining the word will , the word have , and the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and will be completed before some point in the future. In this case, the words will and have are combined with the past participle finished , creating a sentence that uses the future perfect tense.

Because of the cold temperatures, she had decided to stay indoors.

The past perfect tense is formed by combining the word had and the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and was completed in the past before something else occurred. In this case, the word had is combined with the past participle decided , creating a sentence that uses the past perfect tense.

  Which of the following sentences is written in the present perfect tense?

I will have finished all of my homework by then.

I had finished all of my homework by then.

I have finished all of my homework.

In this case, the words have and finished are the clues that tell you this sentence is written in the present perfect tense. The homework is something that was started in the past, but is completed now.

  How would you change the following sentence so that it is written in the past perfect tense:

Jim will have taught school for 15 years by then.

Change will have taught to did teach

Change will have taught to had taught

Change will have taught to will teach

Changing will have taught to had taught will change the sentence to be written in the past perfect tense: Jim had taught school for 15 years by then. This is saying that Jim taught school for 15 years in the past, which happened before something else.

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by Mometrix Test Preparation | This Page Last Updated: February 16, 2024

PRESENT PERFECT - PAST PERFECT

Gapfill exercise.

• Elementary School
• Reading & Speaking
• External Independent Testing
• Grammar Exercises

Past Perfect

Past Perfect Tense: Grammar Exercises

We use Past Perfect Tense to express that an action or actions happened before something else happened.

• I had eaten dinner before they came.
• Tilly had seen that film before it was on TV.

Level A2/B1

Have practice in using the past perfect tense, task 1. past simple or past perfect tense. fill in the correct form..

• Mary ___________________ (give) me Tony’s address before she left.
• When the boys arrived at the cinema, the film ___________________ (already, start).
• Before we reached the station we saw that we ___________________ (lose) our way.
• All the tickets ___________________ (be) sold before the concert began.
• They took a shower after they ___________________ (finish) the game.
• I asked Mr Green how many books he ___________________ (read)
• Mum asked me why I ___________________ (not tidy) up my room.
• Bob was sorry that he ___________________ (told) me the story.
• Alan watched TV after he ___________________ (have) lunch.
• The sun ___________________ (shine) yesterday after it ___________________ (be) cold for many weeks.
• Uncle David ___________________ (go) to the doctor after he ___________________ (be) ill for a month.
• Before the police ___________________ (catch) the thief, he ___________________ (steal) two more watches.
• Mum once ___________________ (paint) a picture although she ___________________ (never, learn) it.
• I ___________________ (not tell) my teacher that my mum ___________________ (help) me with my homework.
• I ___________________ (be) very angry when I ___________________ (see) that my brother ___________________ (eat) my apple.
• The bike ___________________ (be) much more expensive than he ___________________ (think) at first.
• Dad ___________________ (drive) me home after I ___________________ (fall) into the water.
• Marion ___________________ (ask) me what ___________________ (happen) to me last week.
• We ___________________ (eat) two Big Macs before we ___________________ (go) home.
• Paul ___________________ (not say) that he ___________________ (take) Albert’s watch.
• The days ___________________ (become) colder after it ___________________ (snow).
• Martin ___________________ (tell) me that he ___________________ (be) in London.
• I ___________________ (feel) great after I ___________________ (pass) the exam.
• It ___________________ (be) Freddy who ___________________ (clean) the room.
• When I ___________________ (get) off the bike I ___________________ (see) that one of those tires ___________________ (lose) air.
• I ___________________ (be) sorry that I ___________________ (not be) nicer to him.
• Nobody ___________________ (come) to the meeting because Angela ___________________ (forget) to tell them about it.
• I know that I ___________________ (see) her somewhere before.
• Because she ___________________ (not check) the oil for so long, the car ___________________ (break) down.
• She couldn’t find the book that I ___________________ (lend) her.
• They never ___________________ (never find) where he ___________________ (hide) the money.
• It was a firm that I ___________________ (never hear) of.
• When she ___________________ (come ) in we all knew where she ___________________ (be)
• The lesson ___________________ (already start) when I ___________________ (arrive).
• When I ___________________ (get) to the park I found out that I ___________________ (lose) my keys.
• She told me that she ___________________ (work) in Germany.
• When he ___________________ (paint) the kitchen he ___________________ (decide) to have a rest.
• After I ___________________ (finish) the report, I saw that it ___________________ (be) too late.

Task 2. Join the sentences with the words in brackets.

Example: They graduated. They got married. (as soon as) – They got married as soon as they had graduated.

• They entered the restaurant. They were served. (after)
• I didn’t use my credit card. I lost it. (because)
• They didn’t tell me. Easyjet cancelled the flight. (that)
• I couldn’t go out. I broke my leg. (because)
• He took up a job. He left school. (as soon as)
• Susan fell in love with Jack. She told her parents. (after)
• I was in Paris for a week. I met Ann there. (when)
• Jim called Jane from his office. He came back home. (before)
• Maria finished the meal. And I arrived. (by the time)
• Messi scored the goal. The fans went wild. (as soon as)

Task 3. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets Use the correct tense of the verb.

• He couldn’t go skiing, because he ____________ ill the night before. (fall)
• ____________ off the lights before you left home? (you, switch)
• The plane crashed because the engines ____________ fire. (catch)
• After Sam ____________ the bank, he got into his car. (leave)
• When he arrived at the office, everyone ____________ gone. (be)
• ____________ anything to eat before you fed him? (the dog, have)
• By the time Joseph returned home Sarah ____________ to get in touch with him several times. (try)
• Why ____________ me before you refused their offer? (you, call)

Task 4. Write about Betty using the Past Perfect Tense.

What had Betty done (not done) before she went to bed?

Example: + cook dinner        – go out with her friends  She had cooked dinner. She hadn’t gone out with her friends.

Betty + wash the dishes    – dry the dishes + walk her dog    – feed her cat + watch a video    – listen to music + have a shower    – wash her hair + say good night to her mum    – set her alarm clock

Task 5. Respond to the following situations. 

Example: I didn’t clean my teeth after breakfast. – Why not? Had you done it before breakfast?

• I didn’t watch the film. (you | see | it | before) – Why? _____________________?
• I wasn’t surprised by the birthday present. (you | already | know | about | it) – Really?  _____________________?
• I didn’t know how to withraw money from the cash machine. (you | not do | it | before) – What a shame!  __________________?
• I got to the airport on time, but I missed my plane. (you | leave | your ticket | at home) – How come?  _____________________?
• I didn’t have to do my English homework at home. (you | write | it | at school) – Why not?  _____________________?
• I was so sick when I went to bed! (what | you | eat | before that) –  _____________________?
• I got lost on my way to your place. (Sharon | not tell | you | the way) – That’s a pity.  _____________________?
• I saw Jane for the first time at your party last Saturday. (you | not meet | Jane | at my previous party) – Are you sure?  _________?

Task 6. Use the verbs in brackets in the correct tense form.

• A: __________ Jim ever (fly) ______________ before his flight last week? B: Yes, he __________.
• A: __________ your sister (eat) _________________ breakfast before she left? B: No, she __________.
• James said he ___________ already (see) _________________ the movie last year.
• I got lost because I (forget) __________ _________________ to bring a map.
• They (not study) __________ _________________ English before last year.
• She (live) __________ _________________ in Leeds before she moved to London.
• The baby (fall asleep) __________ _________________ before eight o’clock.
• I (not think) __________ _________________ of that question before.
• Sue got wet because she (not bring) __________ _________________ an umbrella.
• He (own) ___________ _________________ his car for a year before he sold it.
• I didn’t notice that the traffic light (turn) __________ _________________ red.
• He (order) __________ _________________ rice, but the waiter served him soup.

Task 7. Supply a suitable Simple Past or Past Perfect Tense.

• My mother _____________________ (worry) a lot about me before she _____________________ (hear) that I was safe with my friends.
• I didn’t like Romania; It _____________________ (be) much smaller than I _____________________ (expect).
• By the time the firefighters ____________________(arrive) the building __________________(already / burn) down.
• They _____________________ (go) to the cinema after they _____________________ (finish) their dinner.
• She ______________ just _____________ (enter) the room when the door _____________________ (open) and Jason _____________________ (enter).
• His mother wanted to know why he _____________________ (not / study) his lessons the previous day.
• After he _____________________ (work) for the software company for two years he _____________________ (decide) to give it up.
• When I _____________________ (arrive) at the station the train _____________ already _____________(leave)

Task 8. Past Simple or Past Perfect? Read the sentences carefully and circle the correct options.

• The robbers left / had left the bank when the policemen finally arrived / had arrived .
• When the rain started / had started , the Atkinsons finished / had finished planting trees.
• By the time Rebecca went / had gone into the store , she got / had got soaked.
• Darcey saw / had seen this castle before she came / had come again last Sunday.
• Mr.Palmer didn’t speak / hadn’t spoken any Chinese before he moved / had moved to Peking.
• Sonny got / had got fainted by the time the ambulance reached / had reached the hospital.
• When my mother brought / had brought me an apple, I finished / had finished my homework.
• Mrs.Wilkinson refused / had refused to drive the car because she had / had had a terrible accident on the highway about a year ago.
• I didn’t think / hadn’t thought of having a new house before I saw / had seen that ad on TV.
• My uncle didn’t try / hadn’t tried Italian food before went / had gone to that restaurant.

Task 9. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets. Use Past Perfect.

• They ________ (finish) answering the questions before the bell rang.
• When Matthew arrived at home, his wife ________ (cook) the meal.
• Mrs.Lawrence ________ (open) the window before she went to bed.
• Before Darcy entered this competition she ________ (practise) for two months.
• Dexter ________ (not see) a skeleton before he visited the museum with his friends.
• When the earthquake happened, we ________ (not finish) our work at the office.
• Simon ________ (take) a shower before the guests arrived for the party.
• The thief ________ (jump) out of the window by the time I opened the door.
• I ________ (not watch) a horror film before we went to the cinema last Wednesday.
• Mrs. Reid ________ (work) for the company for 30 years when she got retired last year.

Source: https://englishwsheets.com/simple https://www.grammarbank.com/support-files/past-simple-vs-past-perfect https://www.e-grammar.org/past-perfect-simple/ https://www.english-grammar.at/worksheets/tenses

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by Kitty Nash

Module 3, Verbs: Types, Tenses, and Moods, Lesson 8:

Tenses of verbs, module {moduleid}, {moduletitle}.

Definition: Earlier in this module you learned that verbs are action words. Verbs have multiple forms called tenses that tell us when an action occurs. In this lesson you'll learn about the simple, progressive, and perfect tenses.

Simple Tenses

The present, past, and future tenses are called simple tenses .

Simple Present Tense

The term present tense is a little deceiving. You're probably thinking to yourself, "It's a no-brainer, isn't it? The present tense is used for actions that are happening now, right?"—not exactly. Although it's true that the present tense does have to do with current events, there are several specific ways in which it's used, including:

Talking about actions that occur repeatedly These are actions that happen on a regular basis, such as habits or routines. They can have a specific or general time frame.

I brush my teeth every morning and every night . Bret runs five miles every day . We visit my grandparents twice a year . Sometimes Sean and Jaimie go to the pool. Mom never lets us eat chocolate cake for breakfast.

Discussing current facts, basic truths, or widely accepted beliefs

The sky is blue, and the grass is green. Cats catch mice. Stealing is unethical.

Describing people or things Use the present tense to describe physical characteristics, personality traits, feelings, abilities, and likes and dislikes that are true in the present.

Her brothers are both over six feet tall. He is the nicest person I know. I feel sick today. My best friend plays minor league baseball. Many people love dogs, but many also love cats. This milk smells funny. Your new rose bush looks beautiful!

You already learned how to form the present tense in Lesson 5 , but let's review. The base alone is used for most forms of the present tense, including the first person ( I and we ), second person ( you ), and third person plural ( they ). The only time the base changes is in the third person singular ( he , she , it ). To form the third person singular, just add the letter -s to the end of the base.

Simple Past Tense

The past tense is more straightforward than the present tense—you only use it to talk about actions, events, or feelings that happened at an earlier point in time.

Olivia closed the door behind her. We pushed through the crowd to get a better view of the stage.

Let's also review how to form the past tense. Simply take the base form and add -ed . If the base ends in a silent e , just add -d , not -ed . Unlike the present tense, the past tense always uses the same form regardless of person or number. If you would like to see more examples, you can go back to Lesson 5 .

Future Tense

The future tense is one of the easiest tenses to learn because it has no irregular forms. Just as its name suggests, it's used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by combining the helping verb will with the base form of the main verb.

Tomorrow I will walk home from school.

Progressive Tenses (A.K.A. the Continuous Tenses)

Progressive tenses are used to discuss ongoing or continuing actions. They can also be used to talk about an action that is, was, or will be occurring at the same time as another action. The progressive tenses use a form of the verb to be plus the present participle of the verb.

Present Progressive

The present progressive tense is typically used to talk about something that is happening right now. It can also be used to talk about a future action or an action that is occurring at the same time as another one. It is formed by using a present tense form of the verb to be plus the present participle of the main verb.

I am walking to school right now . (current action) He is walking to school tomorrow . (future action) Most days we are walking to school when you see us. (simultaneous actions: are walking and see )

Past Progressive

The past progressive is used to describe an action that was occurring at the same time as another past action.

Yesterday I was walking to school when you saw me. (simultaneous actions: was walking and saw )

Future Progressive

The future progressive is usually used to describe an action that will occur at the same time as another future action. To form the future progressive tense, use this formula: will be + present participle.

Tomorrow I will be walking to school when you see me. (simultaneous actions: will be walking and see )

Notice how the verb see is in the present tense, not the future tense. When people talk about future simultaneous actions, usually one verb is in the future progressive and the other is in the simple present .

Perfect Tenses

Perfect tenses show when an action happened in relation to another action. To form the perfect tenses, use a form of the helping verb have ( have , has , had , will have ) plus the past participle of the main verb. The verb have changes to show the tense.

Present Perfect

An action in the present perfect began in the past and continues in the present or has ended by the present. It can also be used to talk about past actions that happened multiple times. To form the present perfect, use the present tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main verb.

Most days I take the bus to school, but for the last two weeks I have walked to school. I have finished my homework already.

Past Perfect

An action in the past perfect began and ended before another past event. To form the past perfect, use the past tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main verb.

Yesterday I rode the bus to school, but the day before I had walked to school. I was watching TV because I had finished my homework already.

Future Perfect

An action in the future perfect tense will be finished by a particular time in the future. To form this tense, use this formula: will + have + past participle.

By the time I arrive at school tomorrow, I will have walked to school 100 days in a row. By 8 p.m. I will have finished my homework.

Perfect Progressive Tenses

Perfect progressive tenses are a combination of perfect (completed before) and progressive (ongoing) tenses, which show that something began, continued, and ended before another action. The perfect progressive tenses combine the perfect ( have , has , had , will have ), the progressive ( been ) and the present participle of the main verb.

Present Perfect Progressive

This tense is used for recent past actions that happened repeatedly.

I have been walking to school on sunny days. He has been finishing his homework by 7 p.m. every day this week.

It is also used for continuous past actions that are affecting the present in some way.

I have been walking to school a lot, so I'm in much better shape than I was before. He has been finishing all his homework, and his grades have improved a lot.

Past Perfect Progressive

Use the past perfect tense to express actions that happened in the more distant past that happened repeatedly. This tense is frequently used in relation to another past action that occurred at a later time.

I had been walking to school every day, but then the weather turned cold. Isabella had been finishing her homework on time all month, but then she caught a cold and missed school.

Future Perfect Progressive

This tense is used when you are anticipating a time in the future when a continuous action will be finished.

By tomorrow I will have been walking to school for six weeks straight.

Emphatic Forms

Not a tense, but logically included in this section is the emphatic form . The emphatic form emphasizes that an action happened. It is also used in questions and in negative statements. The emphatic form uses the verb do with the present form of the verb.

Practice What You've Learned

Past Perfect Tense

Click for Audio

Past perfect tense is used to indicate that one action occurred before another action in the past . In other words, past perfect tense indicates the first of the two actions.*

For example,

When I woke up this morning, my roommate had left already.

After I had eaten my dinner, I went to see a movie.

Before I arrived at the theater, the movie had already begun .

Sometimes, when the meaning is clear from context, the simple past tense can be used.

After I had gone shopping, I stopped at the health spa.

After I went shopping, I stopped at the health spa.

The most common error with the past perfect is using it where it does not belong .

*In some very unusual cases, the past perfect tense can refer to the second past action.

Before I had finished my homework, the telephone rang.

(The telephone interrupted me before I finished my homework.)

See also: Past Perfect (from Englishpage.com)

If you have questions or comments about this page, please contact us . Be sure to include the title of this page in the Subject line of your e-mail.

EnglishGrammarSoft

100 Example Sentences with Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is used to indicate that a past action was completed before another past action. Here, you will find 100+ sentences with past perfect tense.

Sentences with Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is used to describe actions in the past before something else happened. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb had and the past participle of the main verb.

Let’s see the examples !

• I  had eaten  my breakfast when my sister came to my room.
• By the time I got there, she  had  already  left  for work.
• After she had finished her homework, she went out with her friends.
• We had never been to Spain before.
• They had lived in London for many years.
• You had never seen such a beautiful garden before.
• The train had left before I arrived at the station.
• They had decided to wait until morning before calling the police.
• She had already eaten lunch when I arrived at her house for dinner.
• I had already finished my homework when you called.
• I had never seen such an amazing movie before I watched Star Wars last night!
• When I arrived at the party, most guests had already left.
• We had eaten dinner before we went to the movie theater.
• The teacher had finished correcting our papers by the time we got to class.
• I had not been to the movies for many years when I saw that movie.
• I hadn’t seen that movie before, but I wanted to see it again because it was so good.
• He hadn’t played baseball since childhood until he joined his friend’s team this summer.
• The restaurant had closed when we got to eat there last weekend!
• My parents had lived in that house for almost 50 years when they decided to move into town so they could be closer to us.
• I had never seen such a beautiful garden.
• She had made me a nice cup of coffee.
• You had told me about this movie before.
• He had lost his dog in the park yesterday.
• We had been to that restaurant before but didn’t like it.
• They had just moved to this city last month.
• She had lived in New York for two years before coming here.
• We had already eaten dinner when you called last night.
• I had already read this book before she gave it to me yesterday afternoon.
• I had never seen such an amazing movie before.
• She had already eaten dinner when I arrived at her house.
• The movie had ended when the lights came back on in the theater where it was showing.
• The train had left the station before I reached there.
• I had never been to Paris before and always wanted to go there.
• I had never seen you look so beautiful before.
• We had not been here before, so we did not know where to go for dinner.
• He had passed out by the time he reached home.
• By the time our teacher arrived at school, all of us had left for home.
• We had completed all our assignments before going to bed last night.
• He had finished his homework before I arrived.
• I had studied for two hours when he arrived at my house.
• I had worked in a bank before I came to this company.
• When she arrived at the airport, her plane had already taken off.
• He had traveled to many countries by the time he was 25 years old.
• We had taken breakfast before our guests arrived at 8 am.
• We had waited for more than an hour when finally the bus arrived with our luggage still on board.
• I had just arrived at the theater when the show started.
• The storm had just passed when we went outside to enjoy the sunshine.
• She had lived in that house for over 30 years before she sold it to move into an apartment in town.
• I had never seen anything so beautiful, on TV or in a movie theater!
• We had already eaten dinner before we went out dancing at the club last night.
• He had taught English in China for five years before he decided to move back home to New York City.
• I had phoned my friend before I left home.
• The boys had played football before it started raining.
• We had finished our work before they came to our office.
• She had seen the new film before she went to the theatre with her friends.
• We had lived in that house for two years when we decided to move again.
• They had traveled all over Europe before they came back home to Australia again.
• At that time, we didn’t realize what a great opportunity our parents had given us when they let us move out of their house and live on our own.
• By the time I was in high school, I had already decided to become an architect because that’s what my dad did for a living, and it seemed like fun.
• He had been to the grocery store when he got home from work.
• The girls had been in the pool for an hour when their mom called them to dinner.
• They had been married for 30 years before they decided to have children.
• Carlos had lived in Mexico City for ten years when he finally moved back to Guadalajara last year.
• The doctor had removed my appendix two weeks before I came down with appendicitis again this week.
• I hadn’t made breakfast before he arrived.
• They had left the restaurant before it closed.
• I had been in Rome for two weeks when I decided to move.
• I had seen this girl once, but I liked her voice.
• I had just put my laptop on the table when it fell off.
• He had lived in India for a long time, so he knew how to speak Hindi fluently.
• My grandparents had already taken their test by the time I arrived.
• She had worked as a waitress at a restaurant before she became an actress.
• When I arrived home, my mother told me she had met my uncle on the bus.
• My brother had left for work before sunrise, but he did not get up until 8:00 am because he forgot to set his alarm clock last night.
• The teacher had taught the students how to prepare for the exam yesterday morning.
• My parents had paid for my college education by the time I graduated high school in 1994.
• The meeting had already ended when I reached the office.
• I had already finished my assignment when my friends came over for help with their homework.
• The baby had slept for two hours when the mother took him out for a walk in his stroller around the park near their house.
• I had finished my homework before my mother came home from work.
• We realized we had left our keys in the car when we got home from the movies.
• By the time I got to work on Monday, I had already received emails from both of my bosses about what needed to be done for the week ahead.
• The storm had passed by the time we woke up on Sunday morning, but there were still plenty of tree branches lying around in our yard after all the wind and rain we had experienced the night before.
• When I reached my home at midnight last night, there were dozens of messages on my answering machine from friends who were worried about me because they had not heard from me for several days or weeks!
• They went to dinner together at a restaurant near their house after they had done their homework and rested.
• When we arrived home after visiting our grandparents’ house this morning, we found nobody because everybody had gone out elsewhere!
• We had already finished our homework when they arrived home late last night because they were stuck in traffic due to an accident on the highway near their house.
• The bus driver hadn’t picked up any passengers at the last stop because he was waiting for more people to come out of the building where they lived.
• He had read all the books in his collection before he had started to write his first novel.
• We had lived in this city for almost twenty years before moving to another one.
• She had not seen her husband for three years when he returned home.
• We had not met our cousins since they moved to another town when we were children, but that summer, we saw them again, and they invited us over for dinner several times during the next few weeks.
• Sam had spent most of his life working as an accountant until he decided to quit his job and become a teacher; he taught at the university until he retired last year.
• The movie had started by the time we got to the theater, so we decided not to go in after all because we were too tired to stay up late on a weeknight anyway.
• When he went back into his room after dinner last night, he saw that someone had broken into his closet and stolen all his money from his wallet, which had been lying on top of his dresser where he always kept it before going out for the evening; but since he didn’t notice that anything else was missing.
• We had only been married for a few months when my father died suddenly of a heart attack.
• My mother had always wanted to return to her hometown after she retired from teaching school, so we all moved back together when she retired at age 60 and never looked back again after that day!
• They had already completed their work by the time he showed up at work on Monday morning, so he had no choice but to go home again without having done anything important that day!
• John’s parents had owned their own home before he was born, so he didn’t inherit anything from them when they died three years ago at the age of seventy-two and sixty-four, respectively.
• The train had arrived at the station 20 minutes before it was due to depart, so passengers could get on board in plenty of time and have a cup of coffee before departure time.
• We had already eaten dinner when my mother came home from work late at night, so she made something quick and easy: spaghetti with tomato sauce and garlic bread.
• It was raining heavily when I reached home yesterday afternoon, but by the time I woke up this morning, it had stopped raining completely, and the sun was shining brightly in the sky.
• They were very disappointed when they learned that their team had lost the match yesterday evening, but they cheered up again when they found out that their team had won two matches out of three yesterday afternoon!

More to Read

• Verb Tenses
• Tenses Chart
• Past Perfect Worksheet

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T110 Past and Past Perfect Tense

Gap-fill exercise.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb, Use PAST TENSE (simple and continuous) and PAST PERFECT TENSE (simple).

• They were good friends . They each other for quite a long time ( KNOW ).
• When we arrived at the party everybody ( DANCE )
• After the referee the whistle the players began playing ( BLOW )
• After the orchestra had finished the concert they standing ovations ( RECEIVE )
• at you when I phoned ? ( SHE LOOK )
• There an accident before we got there ( BE ).
• He in the garden all day yesterday ( WORK )
• The letter only a few minutes after she had left ( COME )
• Before we played in the playground we our homework ( DO )
• When my sister called yesterday I up my son's room ( CLEAN )
• The hikers in the tent when the guide got back ( SLEEP )
• All the journalists the paper when I entered ( READ )
• By the time I met him he his studies ( ALREADY FINISH )
• Nobody knew where she ( GO )
• She better after she had taken some medicine ( FEEL )
• I saw the soldiers as they over the bridge ( MARCH )

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

• I (just / finish) my homework.
• Mary (already / write) five letters.
• Tom (move) to this town in 1994.
• My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
• I (not / be) to Canada so far.
• But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
• Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
• I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) a new film yet.
• (they / spend) their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
• (you / ever / see) a whale?

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English Notes

English notes latest questions, he said, “i have finished my homework.” change into indirect speech.

Indirect Speech: He said that he had finished his homework.

Explanation : When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the present perfect tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past perfect tense.

Present Perfect Tense > Past Perfect Tense.

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I Let My Daughter Spend the Weekend at a Friend’s Lake House. When She Returned, I Knew Something Went Terribly Wrong.

I need to know exactly what happened..

Care and Feeding is Slate’s parenting advice column.  Have a question for Care and Feeding?  Submit it here .

Dear Care and Feeding,

My 12-year-old daughter “Jenny” has been friends with her classmate “Caroline” since the 1st grade. We’ve had countless play dates and sleepovers through the years, and my husband and I have always been friendly with Caroline’s parents, “Amy” and “David.” This past weekend, while Amy was out of town, David invited Jenny to come with him, Caroline, and his other two children (ages 9 and 6) for an overnight at their lake house, about 90 minutes from the city where we live.

Communication with David was frustrating while they were gone; he didn’t let us know when they had arrived, then when prompted (“Checking you guys made it safely”) sent us some kind of irrelevant videos of his other children playing (but I could see Jenny in the background). It was clear they made it, and I didn’t worry. The next morning, David called to ask if Jenny could come home later than planned, which we agreed to, then he didn’t communicate about their journey home, didn’t respond to texts when we asked about timing, and arrived a couple of hours after he had targeted. All of this could be chalked up to a harried parent taking four kids to the lake solo. Even then, I wasn’t especially concerned.

But when he finally dropped Jenny off that night, things were obviously off. David acted oddly and Caroline got out of the car but then wouldn’t look at us or say goodbye to Jenny. David hovered near our front door for too long. The vibe was strange. After we came inside my husband whispered, “Was he…on something?” In the debrief, Jenny reported two troubling incidents. The first was that at 1 a.m., all the kids were still awake but David had been asleep on the sofa for hours. The older kids woke him up to tell him that the 6-year-old was still awake, and David managed to corral everyone into bed. Then, on the drive back, Jenny described that David had pulled over at a restaurant on the side of the highway and sent the four kids into the restaurant alone while he slept in the car.

The next day, I received a text from Amy, who was back in town, letting me know that David would be seeking inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse, and that this was a relapse after six years sober. Her text was offered in the spirit of helping Jenny support Caroline in the months ahead while her dad is at rehab. Amy did not acknowledge that my daughter had been with David most of the weekend—I don’t even know if Amy is aware of that.

I’m sad for David and Amy and their kids, and I’m glad David is getting treatment. I will do what I can to support Caroline. But I also need to support Jenny, and I really want to know what happened at the lake house. Exactly how was my child put at risk (besides being sent unchaperoned into a restaurant on the side of an interstate)? Was David driving under the influence while my child was in the car? Was he pass-out drunk at 1 a.m. with no other adult supervision? I’m uncertain if it is appropriate for me to ask about those details, or if it would make any difference if I knew them. On the one hand, my child is home safe now and I can move forward knowing what I know. On the other hand, I feel like I need the details so I can support Jenny—I’d like to be specific with her about what’s OK and what isn’t. As it stands, Jenny seems oblivious to what might have been underlying David’s behavior. In a time of crisis for this family, is it crazy for me to seek details?

—Important or Inconsiderate?

Dear Important,

I’m so sorry for everyone in this situation. If you were just being curious, I would waive you off the idea with giant red flags. But in your case, your child was potentially in a dangerous situation, and even though it worked out OK, I think you have a right to know more about what happened. Yes, there is a possibility that asking about it will be hard on Amy; she is probably juggling a lot, emotionally and logistically. But she’s gone through this once before, and she’s probably on her own fact-finding mission, asking David the same questions you’d be asking her. Both of those circumstances suggest that your conversation wouldn’t necessarily be catastrophic. You also mention that you’re unsure if Amy knows that David took the kids on a weekend trip. I hope she does, but if not, she needs to. Addiction thrives in secrecy, so you aren’t doing anyone any favors by keeping that to yourself.

Reach out to Amy and acknowledge that she has a lot going on, but mention that in light of this news and what you observed from David, you have some questions about the weekend. Let her know that you are ready to support their whole family (including David) and that this isn’t a “gotcha” situation; you just want to know more about what Jenny experienced for your own peace of mind and to think about how you help her and Caroline. As you alluded, it’s also helpful to know how public Amy and David plan to be about David’s whereabouts and alcoholism, so that you (and Jenny) don’t say something out-of-bounds.

Give Amy grace though; she may not have all the answers right now, and the answers may change as she and David go through his treatment. Figure out what you most need to know and let the rest come at Amy’s pace.

Want Advice on Parenting, Kids, or Family Life?

Submit your questions to Care and Feeding here . It’s anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.)

My wife is very worried about our daughter starting kindergarten next year. She will be 6, starting a year late because of medical issues and frequent hospitalizations that occurred over the summer, autumn, and winter (the school thought it best that she experience kindergarten properly). Our daughter is very shy and takes a while to warm up to new people, but once she does she gets very attached to them. She is still in touch with the friends she made at preschool, at least one of whom will be at school with her (albeit in the grade above her). My wife was similarly worried about our daughter starting preschool because she was the smallest kid in school and she was the only one who wore glasses. But still, how can we help our daughter? I’m finding myself having to balance my wife’s anxieties with the very real fear that she may not fit in at school.

—Kindergarten Concerns

Dear Concerns,

Kindergarten is a really new experience for a lot of kiddos. Many will enter the school year only knowing a handful or fewer kids. Some will end the year with a bestie or two, and some will have ping-ponged around socially, not getting fully attached to anyone. Both options, and anything in between, is to be expected.

I can think of two ideas for how you can help your daughter. One is to talk to the teacher about your daughter’s shyness. If your school has an orientation, that is a great time for that conversation. Otherwise, you can request a meeting in the first month or so of the school year. The teacher can be on the lookout to make sure your daughter is properly socializing and getting to know the kids (that may already be on their agenda, anyway).

The second idea is to make it your mission to get to know some of the other parents. This could look a few different ways—joining the PTO, chatting up parents at drop off if you’re a walking school, or organizing group meet-ups at a park once you get the school directory. At my kid’s school, a parent took it upon themselves to organize a weekly playground meet-up for the weeks before school started so that the parents and kids could start getting familiar with each other (I think she put a call out on the neighborhood Facebook group to generate the initial list of parents). These are great opportunities to get a feel for both the kids and the parents, which could come in handy if you need to do more direct match-making for your daughter later on.

No matter what you do, remind your wife that we all make friends at different paces in different ways. The more she can keep her concerns at bay, the less pressure will drift onto your daughter. More than likely, your daughter will find her groove, even if it takes a moment.

Need Advice? Submit to Slate’s New Advice Column.

Are you struggling with your sense of worth or self image? Are you—or a loved one—dealing with the fall-out of addiction, or recovery? Have you even realized that YOU are the asshole? Slate is starting a new advice column, called Ask A.J., and we want your questions.  Submit them here.

My husband’s family has a text group that they insist everyone must be a part of and the messages are incessant. It’s mostly the older generation (my husband’s retired parents, aunt, two uncles, all their spouses) who text constantly and less so us (my husband, me, and his two cousins and their spouses), who mostly just react to messages. I once felt this was generally harmless because the texts are mostly holiday greetings, birthday messages, vacation photos, etc. but I’ve recently come to realize how irritating and fake the group chat is. There is constant pressure to respond, whether with comments, gifs, or emojis every day. It doesn’t feel like genuine interaction and feels very forced. I participate once every couple of weeks so that I don’t seem anti-social but I’m honestly just sick of it. The messages feel superficial and forced and often I feel like they are just one-upping each other and saying one thing in the group chat but then saying something else behind each other’s backs. I have already muted this chat on my phone but I feel anxious every time I look and see 20 to 40 missed messages a day. I mostly ignore it but it causes me stress because I know my lack of response is being perceived as a lack of interest in the family.

The problem is the last time one of the cousins opted out, he was chastised as an uncaring family member and guilted into returning to the chat. It feels like no one can be free from this chat! My mother-in-law is particularly judgmental and thinks participating in a group chat is the bar from which to measure your family loyalty and engagement. It’s absurd, in my opinion, but I don’t want to draw her ire. If I leave, I think she will make unwanted comments to my husband and campaign to force me to rejoin. He doesn’t enjoy the group chat either but he is resigned to it. He will defend my decision but I feel bad about making it more difficult for him since it’s his family and his mother, in particular, who is difficult and needy. How can I exit this group chat permanently without upsetting everyone?

—Unsubscribe, Please!

Dear Unsubscribe,

Clearly, you cannot exit the group chat without upsetting folks! That doesn’t mean you have to stay in it, but you have to abandon the hope of skipping out scot-free. As they say, you cannot control how others react, you can only control your actions.

I’m no fan of compulsory family activities that are surface-deep, so I agree that the chat sounds pretty annoying. But is leaving it worth the ire you’ll get to your face and behind your back—not to mention the blow-back that will hit your husband? To me, that seems like the far worse option. Plus, if you and your husband decide to have kids or have other milestones you want to share with the family, it could actually be convenient to have a central place where you can share your own updates rather than remembering to hit up each family member (and braving a different kind of ire if you accidentally leave someone out). If I were in your position, I’d keep the chat muted, check it once a week alongside your favorite comfort food or guilty-pleasure TV show, and let the rest of it go. If anyone asks about your sporadic involvement, just say that the chat is a lot to keep up on so you only check it periodically. No more, no less.

If you decide to leave, you don’t owe anyone any explanation beyond, “I love getting the updates, but the number of messages was super overwhelming to me. David is giving me all the important highlights, though!” You’ll just have to be strong and wait out the months before everyone’s outrage turns to grumbles, and finally to resignation.

Catch Up on Care and Feeding

·  Missed earlier columns this week?  Read them here . ·  Discuss this column in the  Slate Parenting Facebook group !

I (29F) have two siblings, “Lucas” (31) and “Amy” (15). Lucas and I have the same parents, but we were raised by our stepfather/Amy’s biological father, “David.” David wants grandchildren, specifically from Amy, as she is David’s only biological child. Lucas and I are both straight (he’s married and I’m dating) but the pressure for grandchildren is on Amy. He favors Amy and wants more from her, for obvious reasons. I assume that our mother would be happy to get grandchildren from any of her kids. Ironically, Amy is a lesbian and not planning to have kids (this could change but she’s currently adamant about it).

I’ve discussed this dilemma with Amy previously, and she’s against coming out, as our parents and extended family are homophobic. She wants to wait the issue out and get a fake boyfriend or two in college, but I’m worried for her when the pressure increases. If she does come out, any tips to navigate family relations? What are some ways she can handle this without coming out? (Our parents are terrible at taking no for an answer, which concerns me more.)

—Straight Sister

Dear Sister,

I don’t know that the reasons for favoring Amy (and overvaluing her gametes) are necessarily “obvious,” since it sounds like David raised you all, presumably from a young or young-ish age. It’s also overbearing at best and creepy at worst that Amy is getting this message while she is still just a teenager; adolescence is hard enough without that extra pressure. But I’ll let those points go.

It’s tragic that Amy isn’t able to be herself with her parents and extended family, and I sincerely hope that one day this will change. But I do not see that her sexuality needs to enter this dilemma, at all. She just needs to be adamant that she isn’t interested in being a parent. Period. Yes, she’s going to hear the tired, “When you meet the right man, you may change your mind” or the equally tired, “Just wait until you hit 30, you’ll get baby fever!” But this is obnoxious for any woman, gay or straight. Encourage Amy to stand firm, and tell David to get over it. She doesn’t owe anyone any other explanation, and you and Lucas need to back her up whenever it’s mentioned, whether it’s in her presence or not.

I also just have to get on my soapbox here and say that this kind of conversation and pressure is really unhelpful—even harmful—for all kinds of women. Those who don’t want kids, those who can’t have kids but want them, those for whom the pressure or desire to have kids makes them feel desperate to find partners…the list goes on. Just let women be, and support them in both their choices and their privacy. Feel free to use this rant with your stepdad the next time he starts on his grandkid campaign.

More Advice From Slate

My 5-year-old son is a terror at school. Not your run-of-the-mill disruptive, obstinate student but an aggressive, violent, defiant little terror that is currently about to start his third kindergarten class. There is something about a classroom and learning that makes him act like he’s possessed by a demon.