Intermediate Level >> Speaking and Conversation Materials/Discussion Starters >> Students practice past perfect by discussing what had happened before given past situations.
What had happened?
Intermediate
Fold this sheet in half. Look at the situation on the left and discuss with your partner what you think had happened before.
Example:
Situation:
Mrs. Jones looked out into her garden in the
morning and screamed.
Answer:
A tiger had escaped from the local zoo and
was walking in Mrs. Jones' garden.
| When Jane met her father at the train station, she didn't recognise him. | Fold here | He had shaved off the beard he'd had for twenty years. |
| Kenny rang his girlfriend to break up with her. | Fold here | He had seen her in the disco with his best friend. |
| Jeff looked in his fridge and looked very unhappy. | Fold here | All the cheese had gone bad. |
| Kate was dancing around the room with a letter in her hand. | Fold here | She had passed all her exams. |
| The Kimming family were standing looking very sad at airport. | Fold here | They had missed their flight. |
| Mr. Mason was stood arguing with the immigration official at the airport. | Fold here | He had forgotten his passport at home. |
| Sharon didn't want to go and see the new Tom Hanks film with her friends. | Fold here | She had read in the newspaper that it was terrible. |
| Liz didn't want to drink any wine at the restaurant last night. | Fold here | She had driven to the restaurant. |
| Bob passed all his exams easily. | Fold here | He had paid a teacher to see them before!! |
| Janet passed all her exams easily. | Fold here | She had studied a lot for two months. |
| Colin got up this morning feeling very tired. | Fold here | His neighbours had had a party till 4.30a.m. and he hadn't slept very well. |
| Debbie put the phone down and began to cry. | Fold here | She had heard some very bad news. |
| Ben danced in the street all the way home from the pub. | Fold here | The barmaid had made a date with him to go out at the weekend. |
| Karen came out of the sea holding her foot in pain. | Fold here | She had stepped on a crab. |
| Gary apologised to his girlfriend's mother in her house. | Fold here | He had dropped the family's favourite vase. |
| Mr Burton told the traffic policeman that his wife was in labour. | Fold here | He had gone through a red light. |
