Past Simple vs Past Perfect – Questions
Past Simple vs Past Perfect – Exercises with Question
We use past simple questions for finished actions in the past.
Example: Did you call him yesterday?
[Hast du ihn gestern angerufen?]
We use past perfect questions for an action that happened before another moment or action in the past.
Example: Had you called him before the meeting started?
[Hattest du ihn angerufen, bevor das Meeting begann?]
For German speakers:
Did + verb asks about a finished past action.
Had + past participle asks about an earlier past action.
Simple timeline:
Past Perfect ─────────► Past Simple
Signal words:
before – after – when – by the time – already – yet
These help you decide if the question is about one finished past action or about the earlier of two past actions.
[Diese helfen dir zu entscheiden, ob die Frage nach einer abgeschlossenen Handlung in der Vergangenheit fragt oder nach der früheren von zwei vergangenen Handlungen.]
1. ______ you call her yesterday?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hast du sie gestern angerufen?]
2. ______ they finished dinner before the guests arrived?
Had
a) Did
b) Had
[Hatten sie das Abendessen beendet, bevor die Gäste ankamen?]
3. ______ he send the email last night?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hat er die E-Mail gestern Abend geschickt?]
4. ______ she already left when you arrived?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[War sie schon gegangen, als du ankamst?]
5. ______ you see him at the office yesterday?
Did
a) Had
b) Did
[Hast du ihn gestern im Büro gesehen?]
6. ______ they locked the door before they left?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatten sie die Tür abgeschlossen, bevor sie gingen?]
7. ______ she pass the exam last week?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hat sie letzte Woche die Prüfung bestanden?]
8. ______ you ever visited London before that trip?
Had
a) Did
b) Had
[Hattest du London vor dieser Reise jemals besucht?]
9. ______ he call you yesterday evening?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hat er dich gestern Abend angerufen?]
10. ______ they prepared everything by the time the meeting started?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatten sie alles vorbereitet, als das Meeting begann?]
11. ______ you buy the tickets yesterday?
Did
a) Had
b) Did
[Hast du die Tickets gestern gekauft?]
12. ______ she finished the report before the manager asked for it?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatte sie den Bericht fertiggestellt, bevor der Manager danach fragte?]
13. ______ they move to Berlin in 2022?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Sind sie 2022 nach Berlin gezogen?]
14. ______ he already eaten when you got there?
Had
a) Did
b) Had
[Hatte er schon gegessen, als du dort angekommen bist?]
15. ______ she read the email yesterday morning?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hat sie die E-Mail gestern Morgen gelesen?]
16. ______ they met before that conference?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatten sie sich vor dieser Konferenz schon getroffen?]
17. ______ you finish your homework last night?
Did
a) Had
b) Did
[Hast du gestern Abend deine Hausaufgaben gemacht?]
18. ______ she spoken to him before the interview?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatte sie vor dem Interview mit ihm gesprochen?]
19. ______ he lose his keys yesterday?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hat er gestern seine Schlüssel verloren?]
20. ______ they solved the problem before the customer called?
Had
a) Did
b) Had
[Hatten sie das Problem gelöst, bevor der Kunde anrief?]
21. ______ you go to the meeting yesterday?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Bist du gestern zum Meeting gegangen?]
22. ______ he repaired the car before the journey started?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Hatte er das Auto repariert, bevor die Reise begann?]
23. ______ she visit her parents last weekend?
Did
a) Had
b) Did
[Hat sie letztes Wochenende ihre Eltern besucht?]
24. ______ they already left when the taxi arrived?
Had
a) Had
b) Did
[Waren sie schon gegangen, als das Taxi ankam?]
25. ______ you see that film last year?
Did
a) Did
b) Had
[Hast du diesen Film letztes Jahr gesehen?]