Test

I. Put the verb into the correct form, Past Continuous or Past Simple:
1. Jenny (wait) for me when I (arrive).
2. What (you/do) at this time yesterday? I was asleep.
3. How fast (you/drive) when the accident
(happen)?
4. (you/go) out last night? No I was too tired.
5. Sam (take) a photograph of me while I
(not/look).
6. We were in a very difficult position. We (not/ know) what to do.
7. I havent seen Alan for ages. When I last (see) him, he
(try) to find a job.
8. I (walk) along the street when suddenly I
(hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody (follow) me.
9. When I was young I (want) to be a doctor.
10.

Last night I (drop) a plate when I (do)

the washing up. Fortunately it (not/break).

II. Use the given sentences to complete the paragraphs. The paragraph begins with the underlined
sentence.
1. Somebody broke into the office during the night.
2. We arrived at work in the morning.
3. We called the police.
We arrived at work in the morning and found that somebody .. into the office during the
night. So we ..
1. Laura went out this morning.
2. I tried to phone her.
3. There was no answer.
I tried to phone Laura this morning, but .. no answer. She .. out.
1. Jim came back from holiday a few days ago.
2. I met him the same day.

3. He looked very well.

I met Jim a few days ago. He .. just .. back from holiday. He
.. very well.
1. Kevin sent Sally lots of e-mails.
2. She never replied to him.
3. Yesterday he got a phone call from her.
4. He was very surprised.
Yesterday Kevin .... from Sally. He .. very surprised.
He .. lots of e-mails, but she ....
III. Put the verbs into the correct form, Past Perfect or Past Simple:
1. Was Paul at the party when you arrives? No ..(go) home.
2. I felt very tired when I got home, so I .. (go) straight to bed.
3. The house was very quiet when I got home. Everybody .. (go) to bed.
4. Sorry Im late. The car .. (break) down on my way here.
5. We were driving along the way when we .. (see) a car which ..
(break) down, so we .. (stop) to help them.
6. Nobody .. (come) at the meeting, because Angela .. (forget) to
tell people about it.
7. Because he .. (not/check) the oil for so long, the car .. (break)
down.
8. She .. (can/not) find the book that I .. (lend) her.
9. The lesson .. (already start) when I .. (arrive).
10. I .. (be) sorry that I .. (not/be) nicer to him.

IV.

Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence. The first one is done for you.

a) I suddenly remembered that I forgot/had forgotten my keys.

b) While Diana watched/was watching her favourite television programme, there was a power-cut.
c) Tom used to live/would live in the house at the end of the street.
d) Who was driving/drove the car at the time of the accident?
e) By the time Sheila got back, Chris went/had gone.
f) David ate/had eaten Japanese food before, so he knew what to order.
g) I did/was doing some shopping yesterday, when I saw that Dutch friend of yours.
h) I used to like/was liking sweets much more than I do now.
i) What exactly were you doing/did you do when I came into your office yesterday?
j) Laura missed the party because no-one was telling/had told her about it.
V. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form. Only use the past perfect where this is
absolutely necessary.
a) While I .. (try) to get my car started, a passing car ..
(stop) and the driver .. (offer) to help me.
b) The police .. (pay) no attention to Clare's complaint because she
.. (phone) them so many times before.

c) Mary .. (not wear) her glasses at the time, so she .. (not

notice) what kind of car the man .. (drive)
d) Nick .. (lie) down on the grass for a while, next to some tourists who
.. (feed) the ducks.
e) Tony .. (admit) that he .. (hit) the other car, but said
that he .. (not damage) it.
f) Sorry, I .. (not listen) to you. I .. (think) about something
else.
g) Helen .. (feel) very tired, and when she .. (finish)
her work, she .. (fall) asleep.
h) The police .. (get) to Clare's house as fast as they could,
but the burglars .. (disappear)
i) I .. (phone) you last night but you .. (not answer)
What ... (you do) ?
j) We .. (not go) out yesterday because it ..
(rain) .