WorksheetsNarrative Tenses in English VIDEO
Total questions: 43
Worksheet time: 57mins
1-14.
Answer the questions below after watching the video
The tense used to describe a completed action in the past:
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect
The tense which often used in stories and dialogues:
Past perfect
Past continuous
Past simple
Past perfect continuous
The tense used to describe actions that started and finished in the past?
Past perfect continuous
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
The form used in the past continuous tense:
Subject + had + past participle of the verb
Subject + was/were + base form of the verb
Subject + was/were + ing form of the verb
Subject + is/was + ing form of the verb
The tense used for background information and to describe a situation that continued for some time:
Past simple
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect
Past continuous
The form used in the past perfect tense:
Subject + had + base form of the verb
Subject + was/were + ing form of the verb
Subject + had + past participle of the verb
Subject + had been + ing form of the verb
had + past participle of the verb:
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
Past perfect continuous
The tense used to describe an action that was completed before another past action:
Past perfect
Past continuous
Past simple
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect (a) describes an action that (b) in the past and continued up (c) another time in the (d) . So, it is an action that takes place (e) a period of time.
It started raining in the past up until I got in the car.
It started raining.
It was raining.
It has been raining.
The two tenses often used together to describe when one action interrupts another:
Past simple and present continuous
I was walking on the pavement when I saw a cat in a tree. “I was walking” is a _ action in the past interrupted by the short _ action “I saw”.
longer, incomplete
longer, completed
shorter, longer
ongoing, shorter
In (a) English we usually use the (b) form of had: I’d, you’d, he’d, she’d, it’d, we’d, they’d. In the (c) , we say: hadn’t plus the past (d) . It is the (e) for all subjects.
Four narrative tenses are the past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous. A story using these four tenses.
1. The sun (a) shining. (past continuous: set the scene). 2. I (b) in my car. (past simple: completed action in the past). 3. It (c) raining. (past perfect continuous: what has been happening before I got in the car, over a longer period of time). 4. All my washing (d) wet. (past perfect: what was (e) before I got in the car).
narrative tenses:
Past continuous, past simple, past continuous, present continuous
Past perfect, present perfect, past simple, past continuous
Past simple, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous
Match a narrative tense with its main function:
past simple
a completed action in the past
past continuous
an ongoing action in the past
past perfect
happened before another action in the past
past perfect continuous
continued up to a certain point in the past
What tense is used to set the scene in a story?
Past perfect
Past simple
Past perfect continuous
Past continuous
Which tenses are often used together when one action interrupts another?
Past simple and past perfect continuous
Past perfect and past perfect continuous
Past continuous and past perfect
Past simple and past continuous
What tense is used for a series of events in someone's life?
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
Past perfect continuous
Which tense is often used in stories and dialogue?
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
Past perfect continuous
What tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past?
Past perfect continuous
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
What is the short form of 'had' for 'he' in spoken English?
He's
He'd
He'll
He's
What is the negative form of the Past perfect continuous tense?
Didn't be + verb's present participle
Hadn't been + verb's present participle
Won't be + verb's present participle
Hasn't been + verb's present participle
Which tense is used to describe an action that happened before and over a period of time?
Present simple
Past perfect continuous
Past simple
Past perfect
This happened about ten years ago. I ___ with a college friend, Sarah, in the country.
was staying
stayed
had stayed
had been staying
They ___ an old country house a few miles from Cambridge.
recently bought
were recently buying
had recently bought
had recently been buying
and she ___ me down to see it.
had invited
invited
was inviting
had been inviting
Anyway, it was a dark, winter afternoon and we ___ in the sitting room.
have been chatting
have chatted
were chatting
had chatted
Sarah's mum ___ a little while earlier, so we were alone in the house.
went shopping
shopped
had gone shopping
had been going shopping
Then, to our surprise we ___ someone walking around in the room above.
had heard
heard
have heard
had been hearding
But Sarah said, 'Oh I expect Mum ___ something - she always does.'
has forgotten
had forgotten
forgot
was forgetting
So we took no notice and ___ talking.
had carried on
were carrying on
have been carrying on
carried on
Imagine our surprise when five minutes later we looked out the window and ___ Sarah's mum in her car driving up to the house!
saw
had seen
seen
had been seeing
So who, or what ___ around upstairs?
had walked
had been walking
was walking
walked
Which tense do we use to talk about completed actions in the past, a series of past actions and past habits or states?
past simple
past continuous
past perfect
Which tense do we use to talk about actions in progress in the past and to set the scene in a story?
past simple
past continuous
past perfect
Which tense do we use to talk about an action that happened before another past time, action or event.
past simple
past continuous
past perfect
Which tense do we use to narrate the main events in a story?
past simple
past continuous
past perfect
Which tense do we use to talk about two actions happening at the same time in the past.
past simple
past continuous
past perfect
Which tenses do we use to show an interupted action in the past?
past simple and past continuous
past continuous and past perfect
past perfect and past simple
This story is based on true events that ... many, many years ago in Scotland.
happened
were happening
had happened
One day, Mr. Clark ... home with a smile on his face.
walked
was walking
had walked.
He ... something very valuable in his hand: tickets for a long, long journey.
carried
was carrying
had carried
After many years working and saving, Mr Clark ... all the money he needed to take all his family to the United States.
saved
was saving
had saved
Earlier that afternoon he ... all the tickets that now he ... in his hand.
bought, held
was buying, had held
had bought, was holding
It was the opportunity of their lives. “The United States of America,” he repeated aloud, just to see how nice it ... in his ears.
sounded
was sounding
had sounded
A few days before their departure, Mr Clark’s son 8 ... in the street when a dog ... him.
played, was biting
was playing, bit
had played, bit
The doctor 10 ... to their home and 11 ... the child’s wound.
went, treated
went, was treating
had gone, treated
Then he ... a yellow sheet on their front door.
hung
was hanging
had hang
That yellow sheet meant that they ... quarantined.
were just
were just being
had just been
They ... to stay at home for two weeks because of the possibility of rabies (la rabia).
had
were having
had had
Five days later, Mr Clark was at the docks. He ... the house and now he ... their ship leave to the United States without him or his family.
left, had watched
was leaving, watched
had left, was watching
When the ship ... over the horizon, he ... and ... back home, crying.
disappeared, had stood up, was going
was disappearing, stood up, had gone
had disappeared, stood up, went
A few days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland - the mighty Titanic 20 ... taking hundreds of lives with it.
sank
was sinking
had sunk
Time expressions used in narrative writing:
later that day
once upon a time
all of the above
56-63.
Answer the questions below after watching the video
What was Alysa doing when she realized the streets were empty?
She was calling for help.
She was leaving her office.
She was running away.
She was hiding in the cemetery.
What tense is used to describe Alysa working late at the office?
Future perfect
Past simple
Past continuous
Past perfect
Which action interrupted Alysa's walk home?
She heard footsteps behind her.
She started running.
She fell down.
She received a phone call.
What does the past continuous tense indicate about the time an action occurred?
It specifies the exact start and end times.
It shows the action was ongoing over a period.
It indicates the action happened instantly.
It details every moment of the action.
How can past continuous and past simple tenses be used together?
To describe a longer background action and a shorter action during it.
To indicate two actions happening at exactly the same time.
To show actions that are unrelated.
To list actions that happened in the future.
In the example, what action did Alysa take after hearing footsteps?
She stopped and hid.
She called the police.
She continued walking.
She ignored the sounds.
What is the correct form to create a past continuous statement?
Subject + is/am/are + verb in the ing form
Subject + will be + verb in the ing form
Subject + had + past participle
Subject + was/were + verb in the ing form
What conjunctions can be used to join past continuous and past simple actions?
While, when, as
And, but, or
Before, after, by
Since, until, unless
