SIMPLE PAST OR PAST PERFECT
Simple past
Past perfect

S + V (ed/II)
S + had + PP

-to describe an action in the past taking place once, never or several times
yesterday, yesterday morning/ afternoon ...
last + time ( last year/ night/ Saturday ....)
time + ago ( two minutes ago/ one year ago ...)
.....

to describe a completed action before a certain time/ an event in the past.
* time adverbials in the Past Perfect: after, before, already, as soon as, just, yet, until, till, by the time that.; before/ by 1990

actions in the past taking place one after the other
sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive

Conditional II
Conditional III

action in the past taking place in the middle of another
puts emphasis only on the fact (not the duration or course of the action)


SIMPLE PAST OR PAST PERFECT
I did not have any money because I (lose)……………… my wallet.
Tony knew Istanbul so well because he (visit)……………… the city several times.
( Susan/ ever study)……………… Thai before she moved to Thailand?
She only understood the movie because she ( read)……………… the book.
Kristine (never /be)………………. to an opera before last night.
We were not able to get a hotel room because we (not /book)……………… in advance.
A: (you/ ever visit)……………… the U.S. before your trip in 2006? B: Yes, I ( be)……………… to the U.S. once before.
She ( just /leave)……………… when he arrived.
They (just /turn)……………… on the TV when the electricity is out
When he (wake up)………………, his mother (already /prepare)……………… breakfast.
We (go)……………… to London because the Queen ( invite)……………… us for tea.
He (hear)……………… the news, (go)……………… to the telephone and (call)……………… a friend.
When she started to learn English, she (already/ learn)……………… French.
Jane (already/ type)……………… ten pages when her computer ( crash)……………….
By the time he (arrive)……………… at the pub, they had run out of beer.
Before that day we (never/ think)……………… of going to Japan.
I ( know)……………… him for a long time before I (meet)……………… his family.
They (not/ know) where to meet because nobody ( tell)……………… them.
It (be)……………… cloudy for days before it finally (begin)……………… to rain.
After Fred ( spent )………………his holiday in Italy he (want)……………… to learn Italian
Jill had phoned Dad at work before she left for her trip
Susan turned on the radio after she had washed the dishes
When she arrived the match had already started
After the man had come home he fed the cat.
Before he sang a song he had played the guitar
She watched a video after the children had gone to bed
After Eric had made breakfast he phoned his friend.
I was very tired because I had studied too much.
They had ridden their bikes before they met their friends
When we arrived, the concert ( already/ finish)……………...
It (get)……………... worse before it got better.
By the time I watched my favorite program, I (drink)……………... a cup of beer.
If I (not take)……………... my keys from the drawer, I wouldn’t be able to get into my house.
My mum asked me whether I (visit)……………... grandma the previous day.
By the time I (get)………………….. to the market, most of the stalls ( already/ be)……………... closed.
I wish I (take)…………………. more food with me .
I (didn’t recognize / hadn’t recognized )Mai, because she (cut / had cut ) her hair very short.
No one (understood / had understood ) how the cat (got / had got ) into the car.
Jame (didn’t play / hadn’t played ) in the game on Saturday because she (hurt / had hurt ) her arm.
When I (looked / had looked ) in all my pockets for my keys, I (started / had started ) to get very worried.
Linh (never travelled / had never travelled ) by train before she (went / had gone) to Paris.
I (arrived / had arrived ) at the shop at 5.30, but it (already closed / had already closed).
I (didn’t have / hadn’t have ) much money after I (paid / had paid ) all my bills last week.
I couldn’t get in because I (had forgotten / forgot ) my keys.
Ann wasn’t at home. Where(did she go / had she gone ) ?
Bill....................... (not tell) anybody how he .....................(get) into the house.
Tam....................(go) to China last week. Before that