61840 time expressions with the past perfect

Time Expressions with the Past Perfect
Example:

John does his homework. The class starts.

By the time the class started, John had done his homework.
The class started after John had done his homework.
John had done his homework before the class started.
John had already done his homework when the class started.
The class started at 6pm. By then John had done his homework.
Use the following prompts to write short stories using a range of past tenses including the past
perfect:John sees a unicorn in the forest. He calls to his friends. His friends arrive. The unicorn disappears.
His friends say he’s crazy.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………
John cooks lunch. The doorbell rings. John answers it and the postman gives him a parcel. The dog
eats the lunch. He returns to the kitchen.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The students have a party. Miley Cyrus arrives at the party. Miley Cyrus leaves the party. John
arrives at the party.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………….….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………….….…
It starts raining. John goes into the shop to buy an umbrella. It stops raining. John leaves the shop.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………..


……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………..………
Possible answers:
John was walking through the forest when he saw a unicorn. He called to his friends but by the time they
arrived the unicorn had disappeared. His friends said he was crazy.
John was cooking lunch when the doorbell rang. John answered the door and the postman gave him a parcel.
As the postman was driving away John remembered the food in the kitchen. He ran back inside but it was too
late. The dog had already eaten it.
The students were bored and decided to have a party. They were amazed when Miley Cyrus arrived at the
party and started singing. Unfortunately John had to work as a waiter and only arrived home at midnight. By
then Miley Cyrus had left.
John was walking through Guadalajara when it started raining. As was wearing his new suit, he decided to
buy an umbrella in Corte Ingles. It was December so the queues were huge. Before John left the shop the
rain had stopped.
Possible answers:
John was walking through the forest when he saw a unicorn. He called to his friends but by the time they

arrived the unicorn had disappeared. His friends said he was crazy.
John was cooking lunch when the doorbell rang. John answered the door and the postman gave him a parcel.
As the postman was driving away John remembered the food in the kitchen. He ran back inside but it was too
late. The dog had already eaten it.
The students were bored and decided to have a party. They were amazed when Miley Cyrus arrived at the
party and started singing. Unfortunately John had to work as a waiter and only arrived home at midnight. By
then Miley Cyrus had left.
John was walking through Guadalajara when it started raining. As was wearing his new suit, he decided to
buy an umbrella in Corte Ingles. It was December so the queues were huge. Before John left the shop the
rain had stopped.
Possible answers:
John was walking through the forest when he saw a unicorn. He called to his friends but by the time they
arrived the unicorn had disappeared. His friends said he was crazy.
John was cooking lunch when the doorbell rang. John answered the door and the postman gave him a parcel.
As the postman was driving away John remembered the food in the kitchen. He ran back inside but it was too
late. The dog had already eaten it.
The students were bored and decided to have a party. They were amazed when Miley Cyrus arrived at the
party and started singing. Unfortunately John had to work as a waiter and only arrived home at midnight. By
then Miley Cyrus had left.


John was walking through Guadalajara when it started raining. As was wearing his new suit, he decided to
buy an umbrella in Corte Ingles. It was December so the queues were huge. Before John left the shop the
rain had stopped.