Past tenses

1. Last year we ____ a house.

• losed

• winning

• bought

• talked

2. John _______ as a teacher for 30 years until he retired last year.

• has not been working

• had been working

• had not been working

• is working

3. Jolene _____ him before, so she _____ him when he passed by.

• had never seen / missed

• had never seen / had missed

• never saw / missed

• never saw / had missed

4. By the time Hugh _____, we _____ to the cinema.

• arrived / already went

• had arrived / already went

• arrived / had already went

• arrived / had already gone

5. Palmer _____ in his new car when a mysterious cab _____ to his side.

• was taking a ride / had drove up

• was taking a ride / had driven up

• was taking a ride / drove up

• had taken a ride / drove up

6. I ___ shocked when Bart ____ in a brand new suit.

• was / showed up

• was / had showed up

• was / had shown up

• was / was showing up

7. Life's been good since we _____ to Canada.

• had moved

• moved

• were moving

• had been moving

8. I _____ TV while my dad _____ dinner

• watched / made

• watched / was making

• was watching / was making

• was watching / made

9. Gunther _____ that way before.

• never felt

• had never felt

• was never feeling

• had never been feeling

Answer explanation

'that way' points to greater time distance; also narration

10. He _____ down, so he ____ to buy that ice-cream he _____ to try.

• had been feeling / went / had been meaning

• felt / was going / was meaning

• was feeling / had gone / meant

• was feeling / went / had been meaning