What is the past perfect? "I had been busy all morning" is an example.

The Past Perfect or Past Simple Exercise

by Bob Wilson at autoenglish.org

HOME PRINTABLE EXERCISE FCE USE Part 2 MODAL VERBS GRAMMAR EXERCISES TENSES VIDEO  LESSON

Uses of the Past Perfect

Narrative – speaking about the past in the past - When I got to the room, the meeting had already started
Reported speech – what people have said - She told me she had been to Bratislava
The third conditional – consequences - If I hadn’t parked there, I wouldn’t have got a fine
The Past Perfect or The Past Simple Exercise
Fill the gaps with either the past simple or past perfect using the verbs in brackets.
Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using either the past perfect or the past simple tenses.

1. By the time we got to the cinema the film (to start), so we missed the first five minutes.
2. When I rang the bell there was no answer. The neighbour told me that they (to go out) about half an hour ago.
3. I saw Casablanca for the first time last night. I (to see) it before.
4. I feel fat. I (to have) a huge lunch.
5. I spent a week in Miami recently. I (to not be) there before.
6. There was so much to see in Toledo. I (to plan) to see everything but there wasn't enough time.
7. If I (to know) about the concert, I would have gone.
8. If you (to take) my advice, it wouldn't have happened.
9. We would have had an argument, if she (to mention) politics.
10. If you (to not park) there, you wouldn't have got a parking fine.
11. They found the body on a building site. It (to mutilate "in the passive!").
12. She told me she (to buy) a new car.
13. When he arrived, Eve wasn't there. She (to leave) about five minutes before.
14. When we arrived in Spain, they (to lose) our luggage. We only had to
wait to two days to get it back though, and they delivered it to the house.
15. When I (to get back), nobody had done the washing up. I was furious.