before/ after + past simple/ past perfect

[dewedfrost]

Hello! Please, can you help me?
I've got to fill in the gaps choosing between past simple and past perfect:
We (not get) her a present before we (go) to her party.------> hadn't got / went
He (get upset) after he (read) the news. ------> got upset/ had read
Do you agree? I think that past simple would be acceptable in all cases, because "after" and "before" already specify what happens after or before something else.
But in the following sentence from my English grammar:
They were given help and advice before they made / had made (both acceptable according to my book) the decision
I can't understand the use of the past perfect with before; I would say instead:
They had been /were given help and advice before they made the decision.
Thank you so much in advance!

 

[bhaisahab]

We (not get) her a present before we (go) to her party.------> hadn't got / went It's OK, but I think "didn't get" would work better here.
He (get upset) after he (read) the news. ------> got upset/ had read OK.
They were given help and advice before they made / had made the decision. I would use "made".
They had been /were given help and advice before they made the decision. Either works.

 

[dewedfrost]

We (not get) her a present before we (go) to her party.------> hadn't got / went It's OK, but I think "didn't get" would work better here.
He (get upset) after he (read) the news. ------> got upset/ had read OK.
They were given help and advice before they made / had made the decision. I would use "made".
They had been /were given help and advice before they made the decision. Either works.

Thank you! But do you think that "They were given help and advice before they had made the decision" (as suggested by my grammar) sounds correct?

 

[bhaisahab]

No, it doesn't.