Exercises

Choose the correct verbs so that each tense appears once.

Simple past, past progressive, past perfect simple, past perfect progressive

w ent
1. We  to the cinema last week.
had cleaned
2. A bird pooed on the window that I   only a minute before.
w as sitting
3. Yesterday at nine he   in front of his computer.
had been w atching
4. When their mum got home, the boys   TV for two hours.

Complete the sentences for situations in the past. Decide which tense you need to use.

1. A plumber_______cam____ (come)  to our house yesterday.

2. He____wanted_________ (want)  to repair our washing machine that (break)broke  a few days before.
3. Before he___rang__ (ring)  at my door, he (look)  for a parking space for about ten minutes.
4. While the plumber __was reparing__(repair)  the washing machine, I (watch) was watching the news.
5. Suddenly, I _relaosed__(realise)  that they__showed____ (show)  our street on TV.
6. The reporter_said_ (say)  that a car _crashed_(crash)  into a stop sign just before reaching the
crossroads.
7.
8. While I _was listening__(listen)  carefully to what___happened__ (happen) ,
someone__knocked__ (knock)  at my door.
9. I__opened__ (open)  the door and saw_(see)  a police officer standing there.
10. He__ask__ (ask)  for the plumber.
11. As it __turned__(turn)  out, it _was__(be)  our plumber’s car that_was rolling_ (roll)  down the street.
12. In his rush, the plumber____forgot___ (forget)  to put the handbrake on.

13. I told John not to drive because he ____had drunking__(drink) all night.

14. Why did you change that channel? I ____was wtching____(watch) it.

15. When I __got__ (get) of shower, the light ___went___ (go) off.

16. When I saw Clara, I realised that she ____changed__ (change) too much in all those years.

17. When he entered the room, somebody ___hitted__ (hit) him in the head.

18. I knew he ___cried______ (cry) because his eyers were red.