The document provides examples of sentences using either the simple past or past perfect tense in Spanish. It gives 10 sentences where the appropriate tense - simple past or past perfect - must be filled in. It then provides another set of sentences for practice combining clauses using "after" or "before". Finally, it gives one more set of 10 sentences to fill in with the appropriate past tense. The document is a grammar exercise contrasting and practicing use of the simple past and past perfect tenses in Spanish.

1. Simple Past or Past Perfect
Completa las oraciones utilizando el PASADO SIMPLE O PASADO PERFECTO:
1) When the firefighters _______________ (arrive), the building_______________
(already, burn) down.
2) By the time I _______________ (start) my meal, my brother _______________ (already
finish) his.
3) I _______________ (not / go) with them as I _______________ (be) there before.
4) I was so tired because I_______________ (go) to bed late the previous night.
5) By the time I _______________ (finish) my homework, the match _______________
(already start).
6) The teacher got angry with her because Diana _______________ (not / do) her
homework.
7) I couldn’t do well in the exam as I _______________ (not / study) enough.
8) When Ted _______________ (come) out of the café, he realized that someone
_______________ (steal) his car.
9) Last year I ________ (spend) my holiday in Las Vegas.
10) I _______________ (graduate) from high school in 1998.

2. Provee el tiempo verbal (SIMPLE PAST OR PAST PERFECT) más adecuado en los espacios de las
siguientes oraciones:
1. ________________ they _______________ (know) each other for a long time before
they ___________________ (get) married?
2. He ___________________ (arrive) at the hotel by the time it ___________________
(get) dark.
3. By the time my father ___________________ (get) to his office, his colleagues
___________________ (already / leave).
4. Larry ___________________ (already / finish) his assignment before I
___________________ (finish) mine.
5. By the time the police ___________________ (arrive) at the crime scene, the suspects
___________________ (run away).
6. When I got to school, I remembered that I ___________________ (forget) my books at
home.
7. He knew he ___________________ (win) that competition by chance.
8. After they ___________________ (attend) the course for three months, they
___________________ (have) more self-confidence in last year’s trip to London.
9. He ___________________ (have to) lie in bed for two months because he
___________________ (break) his leg.
10. By the time Tina ___________________ (graduate) from school, she
___________________ (already / turn) 18.
Simple Past or Past Perfect

3. Combina las siguientes oraciones utilizando: AFTER / BEFORE:
1. My mother took her raincoat. She left home.
(before)___________________________________________________________
2. Frank invited me to his birthday. I went out to buy a present.
(after)___________________________________________________________
3. I did my homework. I watched TV.
(before)___________________________________________________________
4. Sarah washed her hands. She had dinner.
(after)___________________________________________________________
5. The boys bought a toy car. They played with that all day.
(after)___________________________________________________________
6. My mother cleaned everywhere. The guests came.
(after)___________________________________________________________
7. He added some more salt in his soup. He drank it.
(before)___________________________________________________________
8. I drove my son to school. I went to work.
(after)___________________________________________________________
9. The students sat down. The teacher came in.
(before)___________________________________________________________
10. I switched off my phone. The plane took off.
(after)___________________________________________________________
Simple Past or Past Perfect

4. 1. My mother _____________________ (worry) a lot about me before she
_____________________ (hear) that I was safe with my friends.
2. I didn’t like Romania; It _____________________ (be) much smaller than I
_____________________ (expect).
3. By the time the firefighters ____________________(arrive) the apartment
__________________(already / burn) down.
4. They _____________________ (go) to the cinema after they _____________________
(finish) their dinner.
5. She ______________ just _____________ (enter) the room when Jason
_____________________ (walk) in.
6. His mother wanted to know why he _____________________ (not / do) his homework the
previous day.
7. After he _____________________ (work) for the software company for two years he
_____________________ (decide) to give it up.
8. When I _____________________ (arrive) at the station the train _____________ already
_____________(leave).
9. We _____________________ (live) in Italy before we _____________________ (move)
to Spain.
10. By the time the meeting _____________________(finish), they
_____________________ (leave) the room.
Simple Past or Past Perfect
Provee el tiempo verbal (SIMPLE PAST OR PAST PERFECT) más adecuado en los espacios de las
siguientes oraciones: