EFI - FIle 5A - Narrative tenses

Narrative past tenses

Past SImple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect

PAST SIMPLE

She was born in Berlin.

They got married last year.

On the way to Rome we stopped in Florence for the night.

The plane didn't arrive on time.

What time did you get up this morning?

PAST CONTINUOUS

1 What were you doing at six o'clock last night?

2 I was driving along the motorway when it starred snowing.

3 While I was doing the housework the children were playing in the garden.

4 It was a cold night and it was raining. I was watching TV in the sitting room...

PAST PERFECT

When they turned on the TV, the match had already finished.

As soon as I shut the door, l realized that I'd left my keys on the table.

We couldn't get a table in the restaurant because we hadn't booked.

When John arrived, they went out.(= first John arrived and then they went out)

When John arrived, they had gone out. (= they went out before John arrived)

NARRATIVE TENSES

It was a cold night and it was raining. I was watching TV in the sitting room. Suddenly I heard a knock at the door. I got up and opened the door. But there was nobody there. The person who had knocked on the door had disappeared...

I got home late and my wife had already finished her lunch and was watching the news on TV.

Multiple Choice

The teacher gave Robbie a zero because he ____ in the exam.

• cheated

• had cheated

• was cheating

Multiple Choice

They didn't win the match although they ____ every evening.

• had trained

• were training

• were trained

Multiple Choice

Mike had an accident while he ____ to work.

• had cycled

• were cycling

• cycled

Multiple Choice

I ____ the house when I got home. It looked great.

• cleaned

• was cleaning

• had cleaned

Multiple Choice

When we arrived, the match ____. We got there just in time and saw everything!

• started

• had started

• had strarting

Multiple Choice

The captain ____ any goals when the referee sent him off.

• didn't score

• hadn't scored

• scored

Multiple Choice

My son got injured ____ basketball last Saturday.

• was playing

• played

• had played

Multiple Choice

Luckily ____ skiing when the snowstorm started. We were already back at the hotel.

• stopped

• were stopping

• had stopped

Multiple Choice

The referee suspended the match because it ___ too hard to play.

• had rained

• was rained

• was raining