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Past Tenses Exercises
Past Tenses Exercises
These exercises are based on the Reading and Use of English paper where you may be tested on this grammar point.
Open close - write one word to complete the sentence.
Key word transformation - complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
Key word transformation
She worked at the company for a long time before she finally got promoted.
BEEN
She ____________________ at the company for a long time when she got promoted.
had been working
Duration before a past moment uses past perfect continuous.
Key word transformation
When the teacher entered the room, everyone stopped talking.
SOON
Everyone stopped talking as ____________________ the room.
soon as the teacher entered
Two past simple actions in sequence.
Key word transformation
Before the police came, the thieves managed to escape.
BY
The thieves ____________________ the police came.
had escaped by the time
Past perfect before past simple.
Key word transformation
He was washing the car and it started raining.
WHILE It started raining ____________________ the car.
while he was washing
Past continuous + past simple interruption.
Key word transformation
They waited until everyone arrived to start the movie.
UNTIL
They didn’t start the movie ____________________ everyone.
until everyone had arrived
Past perfect for earlier action.
Key word transformation
I met her after waiting for nearly an hour.
WAITING
I met her after ____________________ for nearly an hour.
I had been waiting
Duration before past event uses past perfect continuous.
Key word transformation
He often borrowed my clothes when we lived together, which I found very annoying.
WAS
He ____________________ my clothes when we lived together.
was always borrowing
Past continuous for repeated annoying habit.
Key word transformation
That summer was her first time travelling abroad.
NEVER
She ____________________ abroad before that summer.
had never travelled
Past perfect for before that moment.
Key word transformation
The children were playing outside when the storm began.
WHILE
The storm began ____________________ outside.
while the children were playing
Past continuous background, past simple interruption.
Key word transformation
I finished my homework and then I watched TV.
AFTER
I watched TV ____________________ my homework.
after I had finished
Earlier past action uses past perfect.
Key word transformation
Tom spent hours driving so then he arrived late.
BEEN
Tom arrived late because ____________________ for hours.
he had been driving
Reason for arriving late expressed with past perfect continuous.
Key word transformation
When Mark was a student, he was in the habit of forgetting his books.
ALWAYS
When Mark was a student ____________________ his books.
he was always forgetting
Past continuous with always for annoying habits in the past.
Key word transformation
She spent the whole morning cleaning before she went shopping.
HAD
She ____________________ all morning before she went shopping.
had been cleaning
Duration before past moment uses past perfect continuous.
Key word transformation
He called me but I had already left the office.
WHEN
I ____________________ he called me.
had already left when
Past perfect before past simple.
Key word transformation
I saw her taking photos by the river.
WAS
She ____________________ by the river when I saw her.
was taking photos
Ongoing past action interrupted by another.
Key word transformation
They finished the project and then they relaxed.
AFTER
They relaxed ____________________ the project.
after they had finished
after uses past perfect for earlier action.
Key word transformation
Before I moved to London, I lived in Spain for ten years.
HAD
I ____________________ ten years before I moved to London.
had lived in Spain for
Duration before a past moment uses past perfect simple
Key word transformation
I was talking to her and she started crying.
WAS
She started crying ____________________ to her.
while I was talking
Past continuous for background action.
Key word transformation
We arrived at the station and then the train left.
AFTER
The train left ____________________ the station.
after we had arrived at
Action 1 (arrived) then action 2 (left) uses after + past perfect.