Past Tenses – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Choose the correct options so that each tense appears once (simple past, past progressive, past perfect simple, past perfect progressive).

  1. We to the cinema last week.standard past tense action (signal: last week) → simple past
  2. Once we our food, the waiter took our order.action that happened before a second past action (signal: once)
    action 1: choosing food; action 2: order taken → past perfect simple
  3. I saw a lovely dress while I , maybe I’ll go back and buy it.action that was already in progress when another action occurred (signal: while) → past progressive
  4. When their mum got home, the boys TV for two hours.duration of an action up to a second past action (signal: for) → past perfect progressive

Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets and the following tenses: simple past, past progressive, past perfect simple, past perfect progressive.

  1. A plumber (come)   to our house yesterday.standard past action (signal: yesterday) → simple past
  2. He (want)   to repair our washing machine that (break)   a few days before.1. normal narrative past form → simple past
    2. action that occurred prior to another point in the past (signal: before) → past perfect simple
  3. Before he (ring)   at my door, he (look)   for a parking space for about ten minutes.1. normal narrative past form → simple past
    2. duration of an action up to a second past action (signal: before; for about ten minutes → past perfect progressive}
  4. While the plumber (repair)  the washing machine, I (watch)   the news.simultaneous past actions (signal: while) → past progressive
  5. Suddenly, I (realise)   that they (show)   our street on TV.1. newly occurring action → simple past
    2. background action that was already in progress → past progressive
  6. The reporter (say)   that a car (crash)   into a stop sign just before reaching the crossroads.1. reporting verb → simple past
    2. action that occurred prior to a second past action → past perfect simple
  7. While I (listen)   carefully to what (happen)  , someone (knock)   at my door.1. action that was ongoing when other actions occurred (signal: while) → past progressive
    2. referring to events that occurred prior to a certain point in the past → past perfect simple
    3. newly-occurring action → simple past
    past progressive here would sound as if the person had been knocking on the door the whole time
  8. I (open)   the door and (see)   a police officer standing there.1. & 2. sequential past actions → simple past
  9. He (ask)   for the plumber.sequential past action → simple past
  10. It (be)   our plumber’s car that (roll)   down the street.1. normal narrative past form → simple past
    2. action that occurred prior to a second past action → past perfect simple
  11. In his haste, the plumber (forget)   to put the handbrake on.action that occurred prior to a second point in the past → past perfect simple