Past Perfect vs. Past Simple

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

PAST PERFECT / PAST SIMPLE

Goal:

At the end of this class, 

you know how to use the 

Past Perfect (in combination

with the Past Simple).

What is happening in this sentence?

When he arrived to the train station, the train had already left.

What happened

first?

🇬🇧 Past Simple 

🇳🇱 Verleden Tijd

ww+ed

(irr. verb = 2e vorm)

I 

I saw him yesterday.

🇬🇧 Past Perfect

🇳🇱 Voltooid Verleden Tijd

🇬🇧 Past Simple 

🇳🇱 Verleden Tijd

ww+ed

(irr. verb = 2e vorm)

He arrived to the train station.

I decided to walk home.

🇬🇧 Past Perfect 

🇳🇱 Voltooid Verleden Tijd

had + ww+ed

(irr. verb = had + 3e vorm)

When he arrived to the train station the train had left.

I had lost my bike key so I decided to walk home.

The Past Perfect shows what happened first in the past.

Fill in the Past Perfect:
When I walked in, the meeting ___already___ (start).

Fill in the Past Perfect:
After he ______ (pass) his exam, he trew a party.

Fill in the Past Perfect:
He was shocked because he ____ never ____ (see) anything like this.

Great! Now let's practise a bit with the Present Perfect and the Past Simple.

In every question, look carefully what happened first (past perfect) and what happened next (past simple).

When they (finish) school, they (go) to the mall.

1. had finished - went
2. finished - had gone

They (show) me the pictures they (take) during their holiday.

1. had shown - took
2. showed - had taken

The boy (be) sorry for what he (do).

1. had been - did
2. was - had done

Past perfect/past simple:
They (go) for a sightseeing tour after the bus (arrive)

1. went/had arrived
2. had gone/arrived

Past perfect/past simple:
After he (finish) school, he (work) for a magazine

1. finished/had worked
2. had finished/worked

Past perfect/past simple:
Before they (move) to Liverpool, they (sell) everything

1. Moved/had sold
2. had moved/sold

Make your own sentence
using the past perfect and past simple