Past Simple vs Past Perfect: Multiple Choice

Choose the verb form that completes each sentence. Decide which action happened first and check the form. Your first choice counts.

1. Rosa and Tim _____ each other for twelve years when they finally got married.

2. When we finally switched on the TV, the match _____, so we missed both goals.

3. Gran was so happy to see Joe at the wedding. She _____ him since he was a baby.

4. As soon as I sat down on the train, my phone _____. It was my boss.

5. Lena was exhausted because she _____ properly since Monday.

6. When Grandad retired, he _____ the same bus route for thirty years.

7. When I realised my mistake, I _____ to the hotel and apologised.

8. When I opened the old box, I _____ a letter from my grandmother, so I read it straight away.

9. By the time the waiter brought our food, my little brother _____ asleep at the table.

10. We had already watched the new superhero film, so we _____ a comedy instead, and it was brilliant.

11. By the time we reached the beach, the rain had stopped, so we _____ in the sea.

12. When I met Kai, he _____ more than thirty countries, so he had lots of travel stories.

13. By the time we got to the bakery, they _____ all the bread. We had to buy biscuits instead.

14. By the time we got to the restaurant, the chef _____ home already, so we got a pizza on the way back.

15. Because the last bus had already left, we _____ for a taxi home.

16. We queued for two hours. Then the man at the desk finally _____ us our tickets.

17. Since the café was closed that day, we _____ our sandwiches on a bench in the park.

18. When I got back to the car park, someone _____ my car window and taken my bag.

19. When my sister saw the huge spider in the bath, she _____ out of the room and didn't go back in for an hour.

20. I got up at six, _____ a quick shower and caught the early bus.