Continuing from last month, today I’ve got another gap-fill exercise to share, this time looking at the past perfect in use. Again, this is an exercise adapted from The English Tenses Exercise Book, where you can find many more. For the simple tenses exercise, check out Felix and the Umbrella, and you can also take a look at the present continuous uses exercise here.

Again, the idea is simple: here, the verbs need to be put into the correct past perfect form. In doing so, the text demonstrates the different uses of the past perfect.

Mixed Past Perfect in Use Exercise

Complete the text below by putting the information in brackets into the most appropriate past perfect or past perfect continuous form, without contractions.

The Mystery of the Missing Sandwich

Lunch was approaching. Xavier (1) _______________ (to look) forward to his sandwich all morning. He (2) _______________ (to prepare) a special sandwich today: halloumi, salad with hummus that his wife (3) _______________ (to make). She (4) _______________ (to make) her own hummus for years, and it (5) _______________ (to reach) perfection.

But when Xavier opened the fridge, the sandwich (6) _______________ (to disappear). He stared in disbelief: he (7) _______________ (to put) it there last night. His wife (8) _______________ (to comment) on it at 9 a.m., when she took milk for her tea, “That looks nice!” Where (9) _______________ (it / to go)?

Xavier was alone that morning. His wife (10) _______________ (to take) the train to York for the day. (11) _______________ (someone / to sneak) in while he (12) _______________ (to watch) TV? He (13) _______________ (to hear / not) anything, but he (14) _______________ (to listen / not) carefully.

Xavier searched the house for signs of an intruder – or clues to what (15) _______________ (to become) of the missing sandwich. His daughter’s room was locked, because she (16) _______________ (to leave) for university a week ago. The other bedroom and the living room (17) _______________ (to disturb / not).

The garden door was open, because Xavier (18) _______________ (to want) some fresh air. He stood checking the trees. (19) _______________ (a squirrel / to come) inside and opened the fridge? (20) _______________ (he / to notice / not) a genius thief?

After searching the garden for crumbs, Xavier returned to the kitchen. He (21) _______________ (to find / not) any evidence of an intruder or the sandwich’s fate. Why (22) _______________ (he / to play) the TV so loud? His distraction (23) _______________ (to let) some terrible person steal his amazing sandwich.

Finally, Xavier decided to call his wife and tell her about this tragedy. But first, he saw he (24) _______________ (to receive) a message from her already.

“Thank you for preparing that lovely sandwich – it was everything I (25) _______________ (to dream) of all morning!”

Xavier stared in horror. His wife (26) _______________ (to think) the sandwich was for her. She (27) _______________ (to take) it with her when she left! But he could only blame himself. Why (28) _______________ (he / to prepare / not) one for her, too?

Mixed Past Perfect in Use Exercise – Answers

The complete correct text follows the numbered answers below.

had been looking
had prepared
had made
had been making
had reached
had disappeared
had put
had commented
had it gone
had taken
Had someone sneaked
had been watching
had not heard
had not been listening
had become
had left
had not been disturbed
had wanted
Had a squirrel come
Had he not noticed
had not found
had he been playing
had let
had received
had been dreaming
had thought
had taken
had he not prepared

The Mystery of the Missing Sandwich

Lunch was approaching. Xavier (1) had been looking forward to his sandwich all morning. He (2) had prepared a special sandwich today: halloumi, salad and hummus that his wife (3) had made. She (4) had been making her own hummus for years, and now it (5) had reached perfection.

But when Xavier opened the fridge, the sandwich (6) had disappeared. He stared in disbelief: he (7) had put it there last night. His wife (8) had commented on it at 9 a.m., when she took milk for her tea, “That looks nice!” Where (9) had it gone?

Xavier was alone that morning. His wife (10) had taken the train to York for the day. (11) Had someone sneaked in while he (12) had been watching TV? He (13) had not heard anything, but he (14) had not been listening carefully.

Xavier searched the house for signs of an intruder – or clues to what (15) had become of the missing sandwich. His daughter’s room was locked, because she (16) had left for university a week ago. The other bedroom and the living room (17) had not been disturbed.

The garden door was open, because Xavier (18) had wanted some fresh air. He stood checking the trees. (19) Had a squirrel come inside and opened the fridge? (20) Had he not noticed a genius thief?

After searching the garden for crumbs, Xavier returned to the kitchen. He (21) had not found any evidence of an intruder or the sandwich’s fate. Why (22) had he been playing the TV so loud? His distraction (23) had let some terrible person steal his amazing sandwich.

Finally, Xavier decided to call his wife and tell her about this tragedy. But first, he saw he (24) had received a message from her already.

“Thank you for preparing that lovely sandwich – it was everything I (25) had been dreaming of all morning!”

Xavier stared in horror. His wife (26) had thought the sandwich was for her. She (27) had taken it with her when she left! But he could only blame himself. Why (28) had he not prepared one for her, too?