Upper-intermediate grammar exercise (B2 level): past simple vs. past perfect

English grammar practice exercise, upper-intermediate / advanced level

This exercise focuses on the difference between the past simple and the past perfect.

Exercise instructions

Complete the sentences below by putting the verb in brackets into the past simple or past perfect.

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Past simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I was work in London.	I worked in London.	In positive sentences, a helping verb such as was or did is not used.
He worked in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb did is used in past simple questions.
Worked he in London?	Did he work in London?	The helping verb did is used in past simple questions.
Did he wrote a letter?	Did he write a letter?	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He didn't wrote a letter.	He didn't write a letter.	The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He writed a letter.	He wrote a letter.	Some verbs are irregular. Not all verbs end in -ed in the past simple form.

Past perfect simple – common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I didn't been to London.	I hadn't been to London.	We use the helping verb had (negative = hadn't) in the past perfect.
When I saw him, I noticed that he had a haircut.	When I saw him I noticed that he had had a haircut.	The action (a haircut) happened before the other past action (I noticed). We use the past perfect for the action which happened first to make the time order clear to the listener.
He told me has been to London.	He told me he had been to London.	His original words were: ''I have been to London.'' However, in reported speech we move the tense back – the present perfect (have been) becomes past perfect (had been).

Oto - September 28, 2020, 10:40 am Reply

Hello,

I would say that in the following sentence there should be past perfect.

5. I gave my friend directions to my house, but later realised that I (forgot)
to give her the exact address.

I had given my friend directions to my house but later realised that I had forgotten to give her the exact address.
(I had given + I had forgotten – the same time …… and later realised.
Daria - September 30, 2020, 10:56 am Reply

I would say so: I gave, realised that I had forgotten.
Marco Torres - September 30, 2020, 5:45 pm Reply

You have 4 correct answers from a possible 8 (50%)
khadija - April 16, 2021, 10:55 am Reply

First, she (be)had been
a teacher, then she became a journalist
why did you use was instead had been I thought there are two actions the first one and the second one and as the second was in the past I thought that the first must be in past perfect !!!! Please explain to me why?????
- Stuart Cook - April 17, 2021, 3:06 pm Reply
  
  Hello
  We are using the words ‘first’ and ‘then’: these two words clearly show the sequence of the actions, so there is no need to use the past perfect. Past simple is enough.