Late for the Party past perfect, passive voice
Last week-end my sister had a birthday party. There was a snowstorm that day and the
traffic was horrible. I was so late I missed most of the party. By the time I arrived all the
cake had been eaten and most of the wine had been drunk. All the gifts had been
opened too. Songs had been sung and wishes had been said. A good time was had
by everyone! I stayed long enough to finish the last of the wine and help my sister clean
up after the party. The drive home was much easier because the roads had been
plowed by the time I left my sister’s apartment.
Vocabulary help:

clean up (phrasal verb) - to make a place (or person) clean and tidy

horrible (adjective) – very bad or very unpleasant

plowed (verb) past tense of to plow – If a road has been plowed it usually means
that a snow plow has removed the snow from the road.

sung (verb) past tense of to sing

traffic (noun) – the cars & trucks using a road
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/past.htm#story11
Comprehension Check:
Did you understand the story? Are these sentences true?
1. There was cake and wine at the party. Yes or no?
2. The sister received some birthday gifts. Yes or no?
3. The apartment was cleaned up after the party. Yes or no?
4. The drive home was slow. Yes or no?
5. The word had is used in forming the past perfect tense. Yes or no?
Fill in the Blanks:
6. By the time I arrived all the cake had ________ eaten.
7. The drive home was much easier because the roads had been _______________.
8. All the wine had been ________________.
9. I was late for my sister's _________________ party.
10. Songs had been ____________ and wishes ____________ been said.
http://www.readingesl.ca/grammar/past.htm#story11