Let’s practice using the Past Simple and the Past Perfect together.
Do you want a little practice before you start the activity? Try out this drag and drop activity.
Can you invent what happened, that led to something else that happened in the past? How many times can you do it before you can’t think of anything? You receive a point for each answer, but you only have ten seconds to think of something!
You can play as individual players or in teams.
Here is an example of a round:
Player 1: Why weren’t you at the office yesterday?
Player 2: I wasn’t at the office, because I had forgotten our appointment.
Player 1: Why did you forget our appointment?
Player 2: I forgot our appointment because I had left my calendar at work.
Player 1: Why did you leave your calendar at work?
Player 1: …. No! I can’t think of an answer!
Player 1 gets 2 points, one for each answer in the Past Perfect. Now it is Player 2’s turn to ask Player 1 a question in Past Simple.
Select a question, or invent your own!
1.) Why did the chicken cross the road?
2.) Why didn’t you bring a tent on your camping trip?
3.) Why was Tom so angry with his mother?
4.) Why did the dog bite the old man?
5.) Why did Samantha have such bad breath last week?
6.) Why did the workers go on strike?
7.) Why did the soccer players lose the game?
8.) Why didn’t the students listen to their teacher?
