1 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets: Past /8

Simple or Past Continuous.

0 When I _was watching_ (watch) television, my brother ___broke__ (break) my computer.

1 What ______________________________ (your son/do) yesterday at 8 p.m., Mrs Walker?

2 It ______________________________ (rain) and the sun ______________________________

(not/shine).

3 What ______________________________ (you/read) before you

______________________________ (fall) asleep?

4 While she ______________________________ (complain) about the noise, he

______________________________ (switch) on the television.

5 Finally he ______________________________ (finish) writing and called it The Cat Waltz.

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets: /7
Present Perfect or Past Simple.

0 Where __have you been (you/be)?

1 How long ______________________________ (he/know) his girlfriend?

2 She’s very depressed because she thinks her boyfriend ______________________________

(forget) about her birthday.

3 When ______________________________ (you/hear) that?

4 Well, ____________________________________ (he/ask) her to marry him? No? What is he

waiting for?

5 You ______________________________ (tell) the joke three times, don’t you remember?

6 After ten years they ______________________________ (move) away from here to start a new
life in another country.

7 It’s strange but he ______________________________ (not/see) his children for five years.
3 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets: Past /6
Simple or Past Perfect.

0 She discovered _discovered__ (discover) that he had had ___had had___ (have) a love affair with
another woman.

1 ______________________ (they/break) into your house before you ____________________

(buy) the alarm system?

2 And then she _______________________ (see) that somebody ____________________ (steal)

her purse from the office.

3 The student ______________________ (say) that he _______________________ (not/cheat) in

an exam before.

4 He ______________________ (spend) six years in prison before he ________________(escape).

5 She ______________ (tell) the police yesterday that she ______________ (not/see) her husband
for three months.

6 How long ______________ (you/know) him before he ______________ (steal) all your money?

4 SIMPLE PAST/PAST CONTINUOUS & PAST PERFECT

1 I decided to learn English when we (live) in Sydney.

2. The competitors (shake) hands after the ceremony ended.
3. I went to the box office at lunch-time, but they (already, sell) all the tickets.
4. When he (arrive), the meeting (start) 1 hour ago

5. I saw them as I (drive) to work.

6. Unfortunately his girlfriend was not there because she (already, leave) when he arrived.
7. I saw her at the party and I realised that we (already, meet) one week earlier.
8. When John arrived, I (still, work) in the garden.
9. I (watch) TV when you (telephone)
KEY
1
1 was your son doing / 2 was raining, wasn’t shining / 3 were you reading, fell / 4 was complaining,
switched / 5 finished

2
1 has he known / 2 has forgotten / 3 did you hear / 4 has he asked / 5 have told / 6 moved / 7 hasn’t seen

3
1 Had they broken, bought / 2 saw, had stolen / 3 said, hadn’t cheated 4 had spent, escaped / 5 told, hadn’t
seen / 6 had you known, stole

4
1 were living / 2 shook / 3 had already sold / 4 arrived; had started/ 5 was driving / 6 had already left / 7
had already met / 8 was still working / 9 was working; tepephoned