Simple past and past perfect tense exercise

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate verb form. Watch our Youtube video to learn the difference between simple past and present perfect. You can also find a Malayalam version of the same video here. 

1. I ——————– the railway station before the train arrived.

a) had reached
b) has reached
c) reached
d) was reached

2. He ———————– with his uncle and aunt.

a) live
b) lives
c) living
d) lived

3. Peter ————————- working in this office for thirty years by next August.

a) will be
b) will have been
c) is
d) would be

4. Peter ——————— three wickets before rain interrupted the play.

a) took
b) has taken
c) had taken
d) had took

5. I ———————– him once before he went abroad.

a) saw
b) have seen
c) had seen
d) seen

6. When I saw him he ——————— bed-ridden for six months.

a) was
b) has been
c) had been
d) were

7. He ———————- school at fourteen.

a) left
b) had left
c) leaved
d) was leaving

8. There ——————— a famine in Bengal in 1982.

a) was
b) had been
c) were
d) has been

9. Akbar ————————– the Moghuls the paramount power in India.

a) had made
b) has made
c) made
d) would make

10. Susan has ———————- home.

a) went
b) go
c) gone
d) going

Answers

1. I had reached the railway station before the train arrived.

2. He lives with his uncle and aunt.

3. Peter will have been working in this office for thirty years by next August.

4. Peter had taken three wickets before rain interrupted the play.

5. I had seen him once before he went abroad.

6. When I saw him he had been bed-ridden for six months.

7. He left school at fourteen.

8. There was a famine in Bengal in 1982.

9. Akbar made the Moghuls the paramount power in India.

10. Susan has gone home.