PRACTICE TEST 6 – TENSES (Past tenses)

Exercise 1. The simple past tense

1. Mary (go) shopping with me yesterday.
2. The policeman (drive) away ten minutes ago.
3. The biscuit factory (close) last year.
4. The headmaster (come) to the school in 1985.
5. You (spend) a lot of money last month?
6. I last (go) to Spain in 1990.
7. The boy (finish) their homework yesterday.
8. Rolf (buy) the leather jacket last week.
9. I (not have) any trouble with my car last week.
10. She (wash) her clothes last night
11. What you (do) last weekend?
I (stay) at home and (sleep)
12. When she was young, she (be) beautiful and attractive.
13. Where you (be) last night?
14. The man (get) out of the car, (lock) it and (come) into the
building.
15. You (join) with them on a picnic last week?
Exercise 2: The past continuous tense
1. At this time yesterday we (play) tennis in the schoolyard.
2. At 7 p.m yesterday he (watch) TV.
3. Yesterday while my father (watch) TV, my mother (read) the
newspaper, my sister (do) her homework and I (play) chess with
my friend.
4. What were you doing when I phoned you? I (have) a bath.
5. She (do) her homework at the time yesterday.
6. Marry (water) the flowers at 3 p.m yesterday.
7. They (visit) the zoo at ten o'clock yesterday.
8. Peter and I (do) the exercise at this time last night.
9. At 7 p.m last night my father (feed) the pigeons.
10. At this time last year we (learn) English in London.
Exercise 3 Give the correct form of the verbs in past simple or past continuous.
1. When I (arrive)________ at this house, he still (sleep) ________
2. The light (go) ________ out while we (have) ________ dinner.
3. Bill (have) ________ breakfast when I (stop) ________ at this house this morning.
4. When I (come) ________ to his house, he (work) ________
5. As we (cross) ________ the street, we (see) ________ an accident.
6. Tom (see) ________ a serious accident while he (stand) ________ at the bus stop.
7. The children (play) ________ football when their mother (come) ________ back home.
8. The bell (ring) ________ while Tom (take) ________ a bath.
9. He (sit) ________ in a car when I (see) ________ him.
10. We (clean) ________ the house when she (come) ________ yesterday.
Exercise 4 Give the correct form of the verbs in past perfect.
1. Yesterday they went home after they (finish) ________ their work.
2. When we came to the stadium, the match (already start)
3. Many people (move) ________ to the new place before the storm occurred.
4. I sat down and rested after they (go) ________
5. Before he died, he (be) ________ ill for several days.
6. Last night before he watched TV, he (do) ________ the exercise.
7. She went to the department after she (clean) ________ the floor.
8. When I got to the party, they (go) ________ home.
9. By the time the police arrived, the house (be) ________ burned down.
10. By last year, twenty schools in this province (be) ________ built.
Exercise 5 Give the correct form of the verbs in past perfect or past simple
1. They (go) ________ home after they (finish) ________ their study.
2. Yesterday when I (arrive) ________ to the party, they (already go) ________ home.
3. After the guests (leave) ________, she (go) ________ back into the living-room and
(switch) ________ off the light.
4. On arrival at home I (find) ________ that she (just leave) ________ just a few minutes
before.
5. Before he (go) ________ to bed, he (do) ________ his homework.
6. When they (get) ________to the place, the man (die) ________
7. He (do) ________ nothing before he (see) ________ me.
8. He (thank) ________ me for what I (do) ________ for him.
9. I (be) ________ sorry that I [hurt] ________ him.
10. After they (go) ________ , I (sit) ________ down and (rest) ________.

VERB TENSE REVISION 2

Choose the best answers
1. John________ tennis once or twice a week.
A. is playing usually B. is usually playing C. usually plays D. plays usually
2. Tom________ his hand when he was cooking dinner.
A. burnt B. was burning C. has burnt D. had burnt
3. Jim is away on holiday. He________ to Spain.
A. is gone B. have been C. has been D. was
4. Everything is going well. We________ any problems so far.
A. didn't have B. don't have C. haven't had D. hadn't had
5. Jane ________ just a few minutes ago.
A. left B. has left C. leaves D. had left
6. Timson ________ 13 films and I think the latest is the best.
A. made B. had made C. has made D. was making
7. ________ Robert lately?
A. Did you see B. Have you seen C. Do you see D. Are you seeing
8. When I was a child, I________ the violin.
A. was playing B. am playing C. played D. play
9. He________ for the national team in 65 matches so far.
A. has played B. has been played C. played D. is playing
10. I'm busy at the moment. I________ on the computer.
A. work B. worked C. am working D. working
11. When I looked round the door, the baby________ quietly.
A. is sleeping B. slept C. was sleeping D. were sleeping
12. Robert________ ill for three weeks. He is still in hospital.
A. had been B. has been C. is D. was
13. I'm very tired. I________ over four hundred miles today.
A. drive B. am driving C. have drived D. have driven
14. What time________ to work this morning?
A. did you get B. are you getting C. have you got D. do you get
15. When I________ this man, he was running away
A. see B. was seeing C. saw D. had seen
16. As soon as Martina saw the fire, she________ the fire department.
A. was telephoning B. telephoned C. had telephoned D. has telephoned
17. Every time Parkas sees a movie made in India, he________ homesick.
A. will have left B. felt C. feels D. is feeling
18. After the race________ , the celebration began.
A. had been won B. is won C. will be won D. has been won
19. The earth________ on the sun for its heat and light.
A. is depended B. depends C. is depending D. has depended
20. When I entered the room, everyone ________
A. has been dancing B. was dancing C. had danced D. danced
21. I was very tired because I________ all the day.
A. have worked B. have been working C. had worked D. had been working
22. How long________ able to drive? - Since 1990.
A. could you B. have you been C. were you D. are you
23. When she______ the noise, she________ down to the kitchen and ________on the lights.
A. hears; goes; turns B. heard; went; turned
C. heard; was going; turned D. had heard; went; had turned
24. Jane and I________ school in 1987.
A. finish B. have finished C. finishes D. finished
25. Pasteur ________ in the 19th century.
A. was living B. lived C. had lived D. has lived
26. When he came, ________.
A. I was watching TV. B. I watched TV.
C. I am watching TV D. I have watched TV
27. Everyday, my sister the ________ floor.
A. usually clean B. cleans usually C. usually cleaned D. usually cleans
28. After they ________ their breakfast, they________ shopping yesterday.
A. have; go B. had had; go C. had; had gone D. had had; went
29. Father________ his pipe while mother________ a magazine.
A. smoked; read B. was smoking; was reading
C. had smoked; read D. smoking; reading
30. When we came to the stadium, the match ________
A. already begins. B. had already begun.
C. already began. D. have already begun