Printable Handout: Past Simple, Progressive Perfect

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Instructions: Choose the correct answer.

Q1 - He bought the car after he'd got his new job

These actions happened at the same time
He got the job first

Q2 - He was going to bring the film in this afternoon, but forgot it in the end

He didn't bring the film even though he had planned to
He didn't bring the film because he had no plan to

Q3 - It was the first time she had tried a virtual reality game

The past perfect is used because it is the first of two past actions
The past perfect is used because 'it was the first time' takes the past perfect

Q4 - While I was coming to work this morning the shops weren't open

These two verbs describe a simultaneous event and state
The first verb describes a long action and the second a short one

Q5 - The bus drivers had been on strike for two weeks before they managed to reach an agreement with the management

The past perfect is stresses the length of the strike
The past perfect shows that the problems were easily resolved

Q6 - While you were studying at university, I was doing a proper job

These two actions were at the same time
The studying was interrupted by doing the proper job

Q7 - Had you ever worked so hard before you joined the bank?

The past perfect is used to show that the person is still working hard
The past perfect is used to emphasise the difference between the bank and work before joining it

Q8 - I was having a bath when the dog and cat started fighting

The speaker was out of the bath when the fight happened
The speaker was still in the bath when the fight happened

Q9 - I'd been waiting for half an hour before the train finally arrived

The speaker was still waiting when the train arrived
The speaker had given up waiting before the train arrived

Q10 - He got up and went to the shops

The two actions happened simultaneously
They happened in sequence

Q11 - I'd read it long before it became successful

The speaker hadn't finished reading it when it became successful
The speaker had finished reading it when it became successful

Q12 - Someone had already finished their work before I arrived

The past perfect is used to give show the difference in time between the two actions
The past perfect is used to show that the speaker is negative about the person

Q13 - I was going to go to the party

The speaker went to the party
The speaker didn't go to the party

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