PAST TENSES EXERCISES

1. Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentences.

Paul got up early and went/was going for a run.

I met Sally while I studied/was studying English at university.

Sue phoned while I watched/was watching ‘Friends’.

When Harry arrived/was arriving at Mary’s house, he felt very tired.

The students did/were doing an exam when the light went out.

James cooked/was cooking dinner for me last night.

I read/was reading ‘Harry Potter’ and then I saw the film.

2. Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

It ................. (be) really late at night, and I ......................... (walk) home. Suddenly, I .................

(hear) a person behind me. I ............................ (not know) who it was at first, but then I ...........

(see) that it ................... (be) my friend, Simon!

While I ..................................... (study) in Toledo, I .................. (meet) Antonio. He ....................

(be) from Seville but he ............................... (work) in Madrid. One night while we .....................

(have) dinner, he ................... (ask) me to marry him! Now he is my husband.

3. Answer the questions about yourself.

Where did you go last Saturday?

_____________________________________________________________________________

What were you doing at 12 pm yesterday?

_____________________________________________________________________________

When did you arrive at school last Friday?

_____________________________________________________________________________

What did you do while you were waiting for class?

_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Choose the correct form of the verb to complete these sentences.

John couldn’t do his homework because he left/had left all his books at school.

Sue and her children arrived at tea time. Luckily, that morning I made/had made three cakes.

I opened my birthday present from my sister. It was exactly the same CD that I bought/had
bought two days earlier.

Jenny did badly in the exam. She didn’t study/hadn’t studied hard enough.

Ten minutes after he left/had left, her sister rang/had rung.

I didn’t go to the cinema last night because I saw/had seen the film already.

She played very well, although she had not played/ didn’t play hockey before.

5. Complete the text with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

I ............................. (wait) at the cinema when I ............................ (see) John. At first

I ............... ...................... (not recognize) him because he ............................... (put) some weight

on. He also ............................... (think) I ................................... (change) a lot.

We .................................. (not have) much time to talk, but he ................................. (promise)

to phone me soon.

6. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

When we ............................. (arrive), the cinema ..................... (be) empty. The

film ................................. (finish).

After they .................................... (get married), they .............................. (go) to live in Scotland.

It ........................ (be) lovely to see Sonia again last night. I .................................. (not see) her
since last Christmas.

One hour after she .............................. (arrive) home, she .............................. (start) to feel
unwell.

When we ................................ (arrive) at their house, there ............................... (be) no-one

there. They ............................ (go) to a party!

When the film .............................. (finish), I ........................... (turn) the TV off.