Past Perfect Tense Worksheets and Exercises

The Past Perfect Tense helps learners talk about actions that happened before another event in the past. Many students find it confusing at first, so regular practice is important. In this article, you’ll find helpful Past Perfect Tense worksheets and exercises that make learning easier, clearer, and more enjoyable for all levels.

Past Perfect Tense Worksheets

Past Perfect Tense Exercises

✅ Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the Past Perfect form of the verb

(had + past participle)

1. She __________ (finish) her work before dinner.

2. They __________ (not/see) the movie before last night.

3. I __________ (leave) the house when it started raining.

4. He __________ (eat) breakfast before going to school.

5. We __________ (meet) them once before the party.

6. The train __________ (already/leave) when we arrived.

7. She __________ (not/do) her homework before class.

8. They __________ (forget) their tickets at home.

9. I __________ (never/visit) London before that trip.

10. He __________ (clean) the room before his guests came.

✅ Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences in the Past Perfect Tense

1. I finished my homework before I went out.

2. She called me after she arrived.

3. They ate dinner before the guests came.

4. He left before I reached the station.

5. We watched the movie after we bought popcorn.

6. I got home after the rain stopped.

7. She slept after she turned off the lights.

8. They started the meeting after everyone came.

9. He drove off before I could talk to him.

10. The children went to bed after they drank milk.

✅ Exercise 3: Make questions using the Past Perfect Tense

1. You / finish / your work?

2. She / ever / travel abroad before 2015?

3. They / leave / when you arrived?

4. He / eat / before going to school?

5. You / see / that film before last night?

6. She / read / the book before the test?

7. They / already / go home?

8. He / call / you before the meeting?

9. You / study / English before high school?

10. She / meet / him before that party?

✅ Exercise 4: Choose the correct option

1. When we arrived, the movie (had started / started).

2. She was tired because she (had worked / worked) all day.

3. They (had left / left) before the party began.

4. I couldn’t call him because I (had lost / lost) my phone.

5. After he (had finished / finished) dinner, he went to bed.

6. The bus (had gone / went) by when we reached the stop.

7. She didn’t want dessert because she (had eaten / ate) already.

8. We went outside after the rain (had stopped / stopped).

9. He (had never seen / never saw) snow before that trip.

10. They were upset because they (had missed / missed) the train.

✅ Exercise 5: Complete the sentences using “before” or “after” + Past Perfect

1. They went home __________ they had finished the meeting.

2. __________ she had eaten breakfast, she went to work.

3. He had already left __________ I got there.

4. __________ the guests had arrived, she cleaned the house.

5. I called him __________ I had received the news.

6. She relaxed __________ she had completed her homework.

7. __________ we had packed our bags, we left for the airport.

8. The game started __________ everyone had sat down.

9. __________ he had saved enough money, he bought a car.

10. She apologized __________ she had realized her mistake.

✅ Exercise 6: Correct the mistakes

1. She had went to school before I woke up.

2. They had ate dinner when we arrived.

3. I hadn’t never seen him before that day.

4. He didn’t had time to finish the test.

5. We had leave before the rain started.

6. Had you ever went to Paris before 2020?

7. She had not wrote the report on time.

8. They had buy a new house before the baby was born.

9. He had forgot his wallet at home.

10. I hadn’t saw that movie before last night.

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Answer Key:

✅ Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

1. had finished

2. had not seen / hadn’t seen

3. had left

4. had eaten

5. had met

6. had already left

7. had not done / hadn’t done

8. had forgotten

9. had never visited

10. had cleaned

✅ Exercise 2: Rewrite in Past Perfect

1. I had finished my homework before I went out.

2. She had called me after she arrived.

3. They had eaten dinner before the guests came.

4. He had left before I reached the station.

5. We had bought popcorn before we watched the movie.

6. I had got home after the rain stopped. (or: had gotten — US English)

7. She had turned off the lights before she slept.

8. They had started the meeting after everyone came.

9. He had driven off before I could talk to him.

10. The children had drunk milk before they went to bed.

✅ Exercise 3: Make questions

1. Had you finished your work?

2. Had she ever traveled abroad before 2015?

3. Had they left when you arrived?

4. Had he eaten before going to school?

5. Had you seen that film before last night?

6. Had she read the book before the test?

7. Had they already gone home?

8. Had he called you before the meeting?

9. Had you studied English before high school?

10. Had she met him before that party?

✅ Exercise 4: Choose the correct option

1. had started

2. had worked

3. had left

4. had lost

5. had finished

6. had gone

7. had eaten

8. had stopped

9. had never seen

10. had missed

✅ Exercise 5: Use “before” or “after”

1. after

2. After

3. before

4. Before

5. after

6. after

7. After

8. after

9. After

10. after

(Sentences starting with Before/After should be capitalized.)

✅ Exercise 6: Correct the mistakes

1. She had gone to school before I woke up.

2. They had eaten dinner when we arrived.

3. I had never seen him before that day.

4. He didn’t have time to finish the test. (or: hadn’t had)

5. We had left before the rain started.

6. Had you ever gone to Paris before 2020?

7. She had not written the report on time.

8. They had bought a new house before the baby was born.

9. He had forgotten his wallet at home.

10. I hadn’t seen that movie before last night.