Past Tenses

Do you need some PRACTICE on the past tenses in English?
 If so, GO HERE!


The following is for the morning group only.

 
KEY to the exercises on page 4 of the photocopies about PAST TENSES:

1 Rewrite the sentences using the words given in brackets

1. He came into the house when she was having a nap
2. First, Mary got up (and) then she called Mark
3. Dave was excited because he had never travelled before
4. I didn’t know (that)you had already arrived
5. I was watching the news while Tom was making dinner

2 Complete the sentences for situations in the past. Use (past simple, past continuous or past perfect)

a.      A plumber CAME to our house yesterday.

b.      He WANTED  to repair our washing machine that HAD BROKEN a few days before.

c.       Before he RANG at my door, he HAD LOOKED for a parking space for about ten minutes.

d.      While the plumber WAS REPAIRING  the washing machine, I WATCHED/WAS WATCHING the news.

e.      Suddenly, I REALIZED that they WERE SHOWING our street on TV.

f.        The reporter SAID that a car HAD CRASHED into a stop sign just before reaching the crossroads.

g.      While I WAS LISTENING carefully to what HAD HAPPENED  someone KNOCKED at my door.

h.      I OPENED the door and SAW a police officer standing there.

i.        He ASKED for the plumber.

j.        As it TURNED out, it WAS our plumber’s car that WAS ROLLING down the street.

k.    In his haste, the plumber HAD FORGOTTEN to put the handbrake on.

3 Complete the sentences. Decide if you need to use the simple past or the past perfect.

a)      Yesterday, Mandy WENT to a café after work.

b)      She SAT down at a table outside the café and LOOKED  at the menu.

c)       When the waiter CAME  to take her order, she WAS surprised.

d)      It WAS James, an old friend from school.

e)      They HADN’T SEEN each other for at least five years.

f)       So they TOLD each other what HAD HAPPENED in the past five years.

FURTHER PRACTICE HERE