Four exercises on the past perfect tense using the context of Tudor England, Queen Elizabeth I, and Sir Francis Drake.
Read the text about Queen Elizabeth I, then match each sentence beginning (1–6) with the correct ending (a–f).
Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) was one of England's most famous and powerful rulers. Before she became queen, there had never been such a powerful queen in English history. Her father, Henry VIII, had had six wives, and many people believed this was one reason why Elizabeth had always said she would never marry.
One of the most famous stories about Elizabeth involves her favourite sea captain, Sir Francis Drake. According to legend, Drake was playing a game of bowls at Plymouth when enemy ships were spotted approaching the coast. He hadn't finished his game, so his men had to wait for him before they could set sail — he refused to rush!
Life in Tudor England was very different from today. Many of the things we take for granted today simply didn't exist. People hadn't eaten many of the foods we enjoy now: potatoes, for example, had only just arrived from the Americas, so people were very excited about this strange new vegetable. And because nobody had invented electricity, central heating, or modern medicine, life could be cold, dark, and very short.
The endings are listed at the bottom. Select the correct letter for each sentence.
First study the grammar rule, then complete the gap-fill text using the past perfect.
Use the past perfect to show that one action happened before another action in the past.
| Past perfect (earlier action) | Simple past (later action) |
|---|---|
| After Elizabeth had decided not to marry, | she never changed her mind. |
| Life was boring because | they hadn't invented all the fun things yet. |
Read each sentence carefully. Which event happened first in time?
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the past perfect.
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form — simple past or past perfect. Then click Check Answers.
Use the events below to write a story. Put the verbs in the simple past or past perfect, and link the events using the words from the word bank.
Use these events to write your story. The first sentence is given to help you start.
Start like this:
"After Francis Drake had seen so many ships as a boy, he wanted to have his own adventures at sea. Then, on his first big adventure…"
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