Simple Past vs. Past Perfect Tense Exercise For Classes 9 And 10

This grammar worksheet tests your ability to use simple past and past perfect tenses correctly. These questions are taken from the CBSE worksheet. Complete the following sentences using appropriate simple past and past perfect tense forms.

1. When I ————————– (go) to the hospital, the doctor ————————— already (perform) the operation.

2. After getting into the bus we —————————– (discover) that we ——————————– (board) the wrong bus.

3. I ——————————- (finish) the homework, before the guests ——————————— (arrive)

4. I ——————————- (want) to join the medical college, but I ———————————— (fail) to get admission.

5. The farmers ——————————- (sow) the seeds after they ———————————– (plough) their fields.

6. I —————————– (ask) my friend what he —————————- (do).

7. The scientist —————————– (finish) the experiment before the electricity —————————– (go) off.

8. I —————————– (finish) the cooking before the children —————————— (wake) up.

9. The baby ——————————– (fall) asleep before his mother ——————————– (reach) home.

10. The farmers —————————— (finish) sowing before the rain ——————————- (come).

Answers

1. When I went to the hospital, the doctor had already performed the operation.

2. After getting into the bus we discovered that we had boarded the wrong one.

3. I had finished the homework, before the guests arrived.

4. I had wanted to join the medical college, but I failed to get admission.

5. The farmers sowed the seeds after they had ploughed their fields.

6. I asked my friend what he had done.

7. The scientist had finished the experiment before the electricity went off.

8. I had finished the cooking before the children woke up.

9. The baby had fallen asleep before his mother reached home.

10. The farmers had finished reaping the rice before the rain came.