Past tenses

Past tenses

Exercises part 1

Choose the correct answer

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As the stranger came | was coming to the station, a car stopped | was stopping behind him

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My grandma never watched | was never watching TV. But she read | was reading books.

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I started | was starting work at 6 o'clock.

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He got up | was getting up and switched off | was switching off the light

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When I finished | was finishing my homework, I cooked | was cooking dinner.

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While we listened | were listening to the news, the telephone rang | was ringing. Kate stood up | was standing up and answered | was answering it.

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Yesterday Carrol wrote | was writing emails from 10 to 11 and then from 5 to 7 again.

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As I drove | was driving to work last Friday, a car crashed | was crashing in front of me. I stepped | was stepping on the brakes.

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We arrived in Cannes at 2.30. The sun shone | was shining, people sunbathed | were sunbathing on the beach and big yachts sailed | were sailing near the harbour. We parked our car and went | were going to the beach.

Exercises. Part 2

Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use past perfect simple or past perfect continuous

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I had to have a break. I ............................................................ so long. (drive)

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Before we parked our car we .................................................. the ticket. (collect)

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I arrived on Sunday. I ........................................... at home for two days. (not be)

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The roads were blocked in the morning. It ................................................. all night. (snow)

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They got to the beach after they ..................................................... for hours. (walk)

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She called the police when she .......................................... the light in the hall. (see)

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His English was perfect. He ............................................... it since he started school. (study)

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I was really hungry. I .................................................... anything since the morning. (not eat)

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She didn't go to work because she ............................................. her leg. (break)

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As soon as Betty .............................................. the door, the burglar alarm went off. (open)

Exercises. Part 3

Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use past tenses

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When I ....(WALK) through Bologna I ........ (THINK) about the wonderful times I ........ (SPEND) there as a student.

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They ......(ALREADY LEAVE) the village before the sun ........(RISE)

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As soon as she........ (FINISH) cleaning the floors she ........ (START) gardening.

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After I ....... (POST) the letter I ....... (REALISE) I .........(WRITE) the wrong address.

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We .....(DRIVE) for two hours when we saw the hotel.

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It was the first time that he ...... (INVITE) me for lunch.

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John .... (ASK) me if I ...... (BE) away on holiday.

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When I ..... (GET) home last night my family .......(ALREADY GO) to bed.

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We ...... (BE) worried about John because we ........ (CALL) several times but he never answered.

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When I ..... (ARRIVE) home I ....... (SEE) that someone ....... (BREAK) into my house.

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She ...... (MEET) James on the street yesterday and he ..... (TELL) her that he ........ (BE) ill for the past two weeks.

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I ....... (LOOK) out of the window last night because I ........ (HEAR) some noises.

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I ......... (INVITE) Susan to the party but she couldn’t come because she ............ (ALREADY MAKE) other plans

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They ........ (WATCH) TV when the earthquake occurred.

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When room service arrived, we .......... (ALREADY WAIT) for nearly half an hour.

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He ..... (STUDY) English for three years when he started a new course.

Poll

Assess yourself

• I have understood over 90%

• I have understood 50-89%

• I have understood less than 50%

• I need much more practice