Past tenses revision C1/C2

Which sentence is correct?

• A. I have seen that movie last week.

• B. I saw that movie last week.

• B. I saw that movie last week.

Answer explanation

Past Simple is used for completed actions at a specific time in the past ("last week").

Which sentence correctly describes a finished past action?

• A. She completed her degree in 2019

• B. She has completed her degree in 2019.

• C. She was completing her degree in 2019.

Answer explanation

A finished action in the past with a specific time reference ("in 2019").

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

• A. They didn’t went to the party.

• B. They weren’t go to the party.

• C. They didn’t go to the party.

Answer explanation

The correct negative form in Past Simple is "didn't" + base verb.

Which sentence correctly expresses a past fact?

• A. The company was founded in 1985.

• B. The company has been founded in 1985.

• C. The company was founding in 1985.

Answer explanation

Past Simple is used for historical facts with a specific time ("in 1985").

Which question is correctly formed?

• A. Did you finish the report yesterday?

• B. Have you finished the report yesterday?

• C. Were you finished the report yesterday?

Answer explanation

The correct question form in Past Simple is "Did" + subject + base verb.

Which sentence correctly describes an action in progress at a specific time?

• A. I was cooking when the guests arrived.

• B. I cooked when the guests were arriving.

• C. I had cooked when the guests arrived.

Answer explanation

Past Continuous describes an action in progress when another action (Past Simple) interrupted it.

Which sentence correctly expresses two simultaneous actions?

• A. While she talked on the phone, she was making dinner.

• B. While she was talking on the phone, she was making dinner.

• C. While she talked on the phone, she made dinner.

Answer explanation

Two simultaneous actions in the past require Past Continuous.

Which sentence correctly describes an interrupted action?

• A. He slept when the alarm rang.

• B. He was sleeping when the alarm rang.

• C. He had been sleeping when the alarm rang.

Answer explanation

Past Continuous is used for an interrupted action in progress.

Which sentence correctly describes background context?

• A. The birds were singing as the sun rose.

• B. The birds sang as the sun had been rising.

• C. The birds had sung as the sun rose.

Answer explanation

Past Continuous sets the background, and Past Simple describes the main event.

Which sentence correctly describes an unfinished past action?

• A. At 8 p.m., I was still working

• B. At 8 p.m., I still worked.

• C. At 8 p.m., I had worked.

Answer explanation

• Past Continuous expresses an unfinished action at a specific time.