100 Past Perfect Questions for IELTS Speaking Practice

100 Past Perfect Questions for IELTS Speaking Practice

Mastering the past perfect tense is an important part of your IELTS Speaking preparation. This tense allows you to discuss events that happened before another event in the past, which is a common structure when narrating experiences or describing sequences in the exam. In this blog post, we’ll provide 100 Past Perfect questions designed to help you practice and get comfortable using this tense.

What is the Past Perfect Tense?

The past perfect tense is used to describe actions that were completed before another action in the past. It’s formed by using "had" + past participle. For example:

  • "I had finished my dinner before the movie started."

  • "She had left the office when I arrived."

In these sentences, the past perfect clarifies which action happened first.

Now, let’s dive into 100 practice questions that will help you perfect your use of this tense!

100 Past Perfect Questions for IELTS Speaking

  1. What had you done before you started preparing for the IELTS?

  2. Where had you lived before moving to your current city?

  3. What had you studied before deciding to pursue your current career?

  4. Had you ever traveled abroad before you went on your first international trip?

  5. What had you achieved by the time you graduated from school?

  6. Had you tried any sports before you became interested in your current hobby?

  7. What had you learned from your previous job before starting your current one?

  8. Had you ever met someone famous before you met your favorite celebrity?

  9. What had you hoped to accomplish before turning 25?

  10. Had you ever cooked a meal by yourself before moving out of your parents’ house?

  11. What had you done to improve your English before taking the IELTS exam?

  12. Had you ever participated in a volunteer program before you joined your current one?

  13. What had you done to prepare for your last job interview?

  14. Had you ever visited a museum before you went on your last school trip?

  15. What had you studied before applying for university?

  16. Had you finished any books before the start of your vacation?

  17. What had you saved money for before you made your last big purchase?

  18. Had you made any travel plans before the pandemic started?

  19. What had your family taught you about responsibility before you left home?

  20. Had you ever lived with roommates before your last housing arrangement?

  21. What had you accomplished in your job before you received your first promotion?

  22. Had you learned any foreign languages before studying English?

  23. What had your parents advised you to do before you made a big decision?

  24. Had you ever played a musical instrument before joining a band?

  25. What had you been interested in before you discovered your current passion?

  26. Had you planned any events before you organized your last party?

  27. What had you hoped to do during your last vacation before it was canceled?

  28. Had you ever experienced failure before achieving success in your career?

  29. What had you dreamed of becoming before you chose your current profession?

  30. Had you ever taken an online course before the pandemic began?

  31. What had you known about other cultures before traveling abroad?

  32. Had you ever had a pet before you adopted your current one?

  33. What had you read before taking your final exam?

  34. Had you experienced any challenges before you succeeded in your studies?

  35. What had you studied before taking up your current academic field?

  36. Had you ever saved money before you decided to buy a car?

  37. What had you eaten before attending your last dinner party?

  38. Had you ever worked with a charity before participating in a fundraising event?

  39. What had you thought about the job before you started working there?

  40. Had you learned to cook before moving out of your parents' house?

  41. What had you done to improve your health before your last medical checkup?

  42. Had you visited any historical sites before your last trip?

  43. What had you experienced before realizing your true calling in life?

  44. Had you seen any documentaries before you became interested in social issues?

  45. What had you written before submitting your first major assignment?

  46. Had you ever competed in sports before winning a medal?

  47. What had you practiced before your last big presentation?

  48. Had you volunteered anywhere before working for your current organization?

  49. What had you felt before receiving your IELTS results?

  50. Had you done any research before making a major decision in your life?

  51. What had your teachers taught you about discipline before you started university?

  52. Had you ever been on a plane before your first international trip?

  53. What had your friends told you before you made your career choice?

  54. Had you visited any European countries before you went to France?

  55. What had you known about university life before you started your studies?

  56. Had you completed any projects before starting your current job?

  57. What had you watched on TV before streaming services became popular?

  58. Had you studied for your exams before receiving the final timetable?

  59. What had you felt about public speaking before giving your first speech?

  60. Had you practiced any new skills before getting a promotion?

  61. What had you wished for before blowing out the candles on your last birthday?

  62. Had you learned any new skills before applying for a new job?

  63. What had your boss said to you before you took on the new role?

  64. Had you read about different cultures before traveling overseas?

  65. What had you done to relax before your last major exam?

  66. Had you prepared for any major life events before moving abroad?

  67. What had you imagined before visiting your dream destination?

  68. Had you ever experienced homesickness before living far from home?

  69. What had you heard about your favorite actor before watching their latest movie?

  70. Had you decided on your career path before entering university?

  71. What had you practiced before auditioning for the talent show?

  72. Had you learned how to budget before you moved out on your own?

  73. What had you discussed with your family before making a major life decision?

  74. Had you exercised regularly before starting your fitness journey?

  75. What had you read before deciding to pursue further studies?

  76. Had you ever written a blog before starting your own?

  77. What had you done to prepare for a major life change before moving to a new country?

  78. Had you researched your favorite university before applying?

  79. What had you planned before celebrating your last milestone?

  80. Had you ever met anyone interesting before attending your first big event?

  81. What had you accomplished before you were offered your first leadership role?

  82. Had you traveled around your home country before going abroad?

  83. What had your teachers encouraged you to do before finishing high school?

  84. Had you watched any educational videos before preparing for the IELTS?

  85. What had your colleagues said before you made the final decision to change jobs?

  86. Had you practiced public speaking before giving your first important speech?

  87. What had you hoped for before applying to your dream university?

  88. Had you completed any online courses before the pandemic lockdowns began?

  89. What had you done before attending your last major event?

  90. Had you visited any new countries before your last vacation?

  91. What had your friends told you before your last big life decision?

  92. Had you been on any long trips before you started your last job?

  93. What had your mentors advised you to do before your final year of study?

  94. Had you ever taken part in a competition before you won your first prize?

  95. What had you heard about your current job before you started working there?

  96. Had you experienced a culture shock before your first overseas trip?

  97. What had you achieved before you started focusing on your long-term goals?

  98. Had you researched about your destination before traveling?

  99. What had your favorite teacher taught you before you left school?

  100. Had you ever felt nervous before giving your first public speech?

Conclusion

Using these 100 past perfect questions in your IELTS speaking practice will help you feel more comfortable with this tense and strengthen your ability to express complex ideas. Regular practice with such questions can also improve your fluency and confidence in real IELTS speaking situations.

For further guidance, feel free to book a free 30-minute IELTS consultation by contacting me at info@lovetolearnenglish.com. Let’s take your English skills to the next level!

Richard Forrest