Narrative tenses practice B2+ Roadmap

Using your device mark the option that best describes the usage of narrative tenses

We ​ (a)   (walk) around the town for hours so we were pleased to have a rest.

It wasn’t clear how long the children ​ (b)   (hide) in the woods.

My brother got here yesterday morning but my sister ​ (c)   (arrive) until last night.

By the time the police arrived, most of the demonstrators ​ (d)   (leave) already

When she realised I ​ (e)   (look) at her, she waved at me.

• had been walking
• were walking
• had been hiding
• were hiding
• didn't arrive
• hadn't arrived
• had left
• left
• was looking

I told John not to drive, because he _____ all night.

• drank

• was drinking

• had been drinking

Answer explanation

We use the past perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about longer continuous actions that started earlier in the past than the main events of the story.

Why did you change the channel? I ______ that movie

• was watching

• had watched

• had been watching

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past continuous for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted by shorter actions in past simple. In the sentence above, when you changed the channel, watching the movie was in progress.

When I _____ out of the shower the lights _____.

• 
  

• • a. got / were getting off

  
  

• • b. had got / were getting off

  
  

• • d. had been getting / had got off

  
  

• c. was getting / went off
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past continuous for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted by shorter actions in past simple.

When I saw Clara I realised that she ______ much in all those years.

• 
  

• • a. didn't change

  
  

• • b. wasn't changing

  
  

• • c. hadn't been changing

  
  

• d. hadn't changed
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past perfect simple (and not continuous) to say how much of something or how many things we had done earlier in the past.

When he entered the room somebody _____ him in the head.

• 
  

• a. hit
  

• • b. was hitting

  
  

• • c. had hit

  
  

• • d. had been hitting

  
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past simple to talk about past events in chronological order; i.e. for the main events of a story.

The burglar _____ to open the safe when he _____ the owner come in.

• 
  

• a. was trying / heard
  

• • b. tried / heard

  
  

• • c. had been trying / had heard

  
  

• • d. tried / was hearing

  
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past continuous for actions in progress in the past or longer actions interrupted by shorter actions in past simple.

I knew he _____ because his eyes were red.

• 
  

• • a. cried

  
  

• • b. was crying

  
  

• • c. had cried

  
  

• d. had been crying
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about longer continuous actions that started earlier in the past than the main events of the story.

We _____ for about 20 minutes when the plane was hit by turbulence.

• 
  

• • a. flew

  
  

• • b. were flying

  
  

• • c. had flewn

  
  

• d. had been flying
  

Answer explanation

➪ We use the past perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about longer continuous actions that started earlier in the past than the main events of the story.