Writing Skills

Complete the opening of this detective story using Past Simple and Past continuous verbs in the numbered gaps
(1-27) and while or when in the lettered gaps (a-h). Follow the examples. Then write an ending of
about 50-70. words.

1)
I was sleeping (sleep) deeply a) when the
2)
alarm clock 3)
(ring). It
(be) only 6 a.m., so I
4) (go back) to sleep.
b) 5)
I (wake up) again, it was

9.15. I 6) (jump) quickly out of bed.

7)
The phone c)
(ring) I 8) (have) a shower. I
9) 10)
(let) it ring. Eventually it (stop). Then it rang again
d) 11) e) 12)
I (make) a cup of coffee. I

(answer) it, a woman’s voice 13) (say), “You’ve got to help me. Come to 12, Sutton Place

as soon as you can. I’ll pay you anything”.

14) f)
I (jump) into the car.
I 15) (arrive) at Sutton
16) 17)
Place, I (have) a feeling that somebody (watch) me. I
18)
(get) out of the car and 19) (go) towards Number 12.
g) 20) 21)
I (walk) to the door, I (can) hear voices in an
h) 22) 23)
upstairs room. But I (knock) at the door, they
24) 25)
(stop). The door (be) open so I (decide) to go in. The door
26)
(close) suddenly. Somebody 27) (stand) behind me…