Past Perfect – Free Exercise

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Free Exercise

Should we use haben or sein? Choose the correct form.

  1. Wir die E-Mail schon gelesen, als der Rechner abstürzte.Verbs with accusative objects (die E-Mail) form the past perfect with haben.We had already read the email when the computer crashed.
  2. Ich ein Stück gelaufen, als mir plötzlich das Bein weh tat.Verbs of motion (laufen) form the past perfect with sein.I had been running for a bit when my leg suddenly started hurting.
  3. ihr für die Arbeit gelernt?Intransitive verbs that do not express motion form the past perfect with haben.Had you studied for the test?
  4. du zuvor schon dort gewesen?The verbs sein, werden and bleiben form the past perfect with sein.Had you ever been there before?
  5. Als sie ankam, sie noch nicht gefrühstückt.Intransitive verbs that do not express motion form the past perfect with haben.When she arrived, she hadn’t had breakfast yet.

Weak verbs: Complete the sentences with the past perfect of the verbs in brackets.

  1. Nachdem er (stürzen)  , tat ihm das linke Bein weh.Verbs that express motion or a change of location form the past perfect with sein.|weak verbs: ge…tAfter he had fallen, his left leg hurt.
  2. Vor zwei Jahren zogen Klaus und Petra in den Ort, in dem die beiden vorher (studieren)  .Intransitive verbs that do not express a change of location form the past perfect with haben.|weak verbs ending in ieren: …t (without ge)Two years ago, Klaus and Petra moved to the place where they had both gone to university.
  3. Zur Party kamen viel mehr Leute, als ich (erwarten)  .transitive verbs (verbs with an accusative object – Whom had I expect?) form the past perfect with haben.|weak verbs: ge…tMore people came to the party than I had expected.
  4. Als das Eis (tauen)  , konnten die Kinder nicht mehr Schlittschuhlaufen.Verbs that express a change in condition form the past perfect with sein.|weak verbs: ge…tWhen the ice had melted, the children couldn’t go ice-skating anymore.
  5. Uns fielen die Vokabeln nicht mehr ein, die wir so fleißig (lernen)  .transitive verbs (verbs with an accusative object – Whom/what had we learned?) form the past perfect with haben.|weak verbs: ge…tWe no longer remembered the vocabulary that we had so diligently learned.

Strong/mixed verbs: complete the sentences using the past perfect.

  1. Ich erhielt erst gestern den Brief, den du mir aus dem Urlaub (schreiben)  .transitive verbs (verbs with an accusative object – Whom/what had you written?) form the past perfect with haben.|strong verb: schreiben–schrieb–geschriebenI only got the letter you’d written me from your holiday yesterday.
  2. Als die Party richtig losging, (wir/schon/gehen)  .Verbs that express a change of location form the past perfect with sein.|strong verb: gehen–ging–gegangenWe’d already left by the time the party really got going.
  3. Wir übernachteten in dem Hotel, das Bernd uns (empfehlen)  .transitive verbs (verbs with an accusative object – Whom/what had Bernd recommended to us?) form the past perfect with haben.|strong verb: empfehlen–empfahl–empfohlenWe spent the night in the hotel that Bernd had recommended to us.
  4. Wir machten ein Foto vom Biergarten, in dem wir zuvor (sitzen)  .intransitive verbs that do not express a change of location form the past perfect with haben.|strong verb: sitzen–saß–gesessenWe took a photo of the beer garden that we’d been sitting in earlier.
  5. Nachdem ich ein paar Schritte (rennen)  , bekam ich plötzlich keine Luft mehr und musste stehenbleiben.Verbs that express a change of location form the past perfect with sein.|mixed verb: rennen–rannte–geranntAfter I had run a few paces, I suddenly couldn’t breathe and had to stop.