B2 Past Tenses Practice Student’s Copy

EXERCISE 1. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses.

When I came home from school that day, I (1) ________________ (realize) that I
(2) ________________ (leave) my keys in my desk. I was about to go back and get them when I
(3) ________________ (see) that the kitchen window was open because dad (4) ________________
(forget) to close it that morning. I climbed through the window and then I saw that the kitchen was a
mess. Someone (5) ________________ (break) into our house! The burglar (6) ________________
(break) my favorite cup and he (7) ________________ (even/eat) the chocolate biscuits that mum
(8) ________________ (leave) on the kitchen table for me! I was terrified! I (9) ________________
(go) into the living room to call the police and realized that the burglar (10) _________________ (not
leave) the house yet. He was still in our living room, sitting on the sofa. The burglar was a big, fat cat!
I must say, he was the friendliest burglar (11) I ________________ (see)!

EXERCISE 2. Choose the correct forms of the verbs to complete the sentences.

DOUBLE DISASTER

Sam (1) was driving / drove home from the office when he
(2) was having / had the accident. He (3) wasn’t
concentrating / didn’t concentrate and (4) was crashing /
crashed into a car which was parked at the side of the road.
Fortunately, he (5) was wearing / wore his seat belt so he
wasn’t badly hurt. He (6) was using / used his mobile phone
to call an ambulance. The ambulance (7) was arriving / arrived ten minutes later. By the time the
ambulance (8) arrived / had arrived, Sam (9) had already taken care of / took care of his bleeding
nose. Unfortunately, as the ambulance (10) was taking / took him to the nearest hospital, it (11) was
breaking / broke down. Then, one of the drivers (12) was cutting / cut his hand while he (13) was
trying / tried to repair it. When the ambulance (14) was finally arriving / finally arrived at the
hospital, it had two patients on board, not one.
B2 Past Tenses Practice Student’s Copy

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses.

Rampyari was an unusual female. She (1) ________________ (work) for many years until she
(2) ________________ an accident and (3) ________________ (lose) the ability to make money.
Before the accident, she (4) ________________ (work) loyally for her employer, without bonuses or
overtime pay. Then, she (5) ________________ (go) to court about losing her job.

During her trial, Rampyari (6) ________________(come/never) to the courtroom. Because of her
large stomach, she (7) ________________ (cannot) climb the stairs to the courthouse. Also, she
(8) ________________ (be) very upset because she (9) _________________ (not work) anymore. She
(10) ________________ (stop) working early, long before the normal age, but it
(11) ________________ (not be) her choice.

Finally, after two years in court, Rampyari (12) ________________ (receive) $2.300 for damages. She
(13) ________________ (become) wealthy. And she (14) ________________ (become) the first
elephant in Indian history to win in the courtroom!

Before 1991, this lovable circus performer (15) ________________ (entertain) audiences for sixteen
years. Then one winter night, a truck (16) ________________ (hit) her when she
(17) ________________ (walk) down an Indian highway. Because of the injury, now she
(18) ________________ (walk) with difficulty. She (19) ________________ (be) still young for an
elephant, and perhaps she (20) ________________ (go) back to work sometime in the future, but not
in the circus. That would be too difficult for her now. If she goes back to work in the future, the
defense lawyers will ask for a retrial. No one wants to pay $2.300 to a working elephant.