Grammar: Past Tenses (Simple / Continuous / Perfect)

• Past Simple передає події, які трапилися в минулому, в хронологічному порядку:

Helen woke up and looked at the clock. It was half past eight so she knew she was late for work. She hurried out of the bedroom looking for her mobile to call when suddenly she realized it was Sunday.

• Past Continuous виражає тривалу дію або ситуацію в минулому:

They were having dinner when the phone rang.

She was wearing a lovely green dress. Her eyes were shining. Everybody was looking at her.

• Past Perfect виражає дію, яка трапилася до іншої дії в минулому. Мовець може змінювати порядок подій для підсилення ефекту розповіді:

Ann couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She had had a terrible day. She had been late for work, she had lost her purse, and now she had burned the meal.

Past Perfect вживається, якщо важливо показати, що перша дія завершилася до початку наступної.

When they had saved enough money, they bought the house.

1 Complete the sentences with the verb in bold in either the Past Simple or the Past Perfect:

fall a Matt___in love with a beautiful Greek girl while he was working in Athens. b At last there was silence. All the children__________asleep. feel c She told me that she_________sick with nerves before making that speech. d Tom_______really sorry for himself. Not only had his girlfriend gone off with his best friend, but he didn't get the promotion he wanted.

have	e It was clear from the tense atmosphere that Susie and Gary___________yet another row.
	f We___________breakfast on the veranda every morning whilst we were staying in Venice.
tear	g Camilla___________his letter into tiny pieces and threw it onto the fire.
	h Johnny's mother asked him how he___________his trousers.
cost	і I didn't ask the price of Ted's new car, but I knew it___________a fortune.
	j It___________more to have our word processor fixed than to buy a new one.
fly	k My father___________into a temper when he heard I'd failed my exams.
	1 I went to visit my brother in Australia. I was nervous because I_____________(never) before.
catch	m We___________a taxi outside the restaurant, and it took us to our hotel.
	n She wondered how she_____________a cold in the middle of summer.
be	о They___________held hostage for over six weeks when they finally escaped.
	p Talks___________held in New York last week to discuss global warming.

 

2 Past Simple or Past Continuous? Underline the correct tense:

1) I lived / was living in Eastbourne when I met / was meeting my husband. 2) Our team played / was playing really well. We won / were winning at half time, but in the end we lost/were losing 3-2. 3) I'm worn out. The baby was coughing / coughed all night long and we weren't getting / didn't get any sleep. 4) Jack was playing / played happily with his toys when his big brother hit / was hitting him on the head and made / was making him cry. 5) I didn't think / wasn't thinking of having a birthday party, but now I'm glad I had / was having one. 6) I picked / was picking two baskets of strawberries. I gave / was giving one basket to my neighbour and the rest I made / was making into jam. 7) Roger pruned / was pruning the roses when he heard / was hearing a loud buzzing sound, and an enormous bee appeared / was appearing and stung / was stinging him on the nose. 8) It was snowing / snowed when I got up / was getting up this morning. The children next door made / were making a snowman, so I quickly put / was putting on some warm clothes and raced / was racing outside to help them.

3 Put the verb in brackets in either the Past Simple or Past Perfect Simple:

E.g. I had (have) an awful hangover because I had drunk (drink) too much the night before.

a) I cooked a chicken curry for some friends, but I __________ (not find) out until the next day that I ________ (give) them all food poisoning. b) Sandra ________ (ring) her friend Dawn to ask about her holiday. Dawn ________ just ________ (return) from a cruise in the Caribbean. c) Since he was a little boy, Mark__________ (want) to go to Oxford University and study to become a doctor. Imagine his delight when he ________ (do) really well in all his exams! His childhood dream ________ (come) true. d) Keith ________ (have) a very difficult week. On Monday a water pipe________ (burst) and flooded the kitchen, on Thursday the central heating ________ (break) down, and on Friday his wife ________ (leave) him. e) Kenneth and Diana ________ (go) to Brighton for their holiday last year. They ________ (be) there the year before and they ________ (have) an awful time, so I can't understand why they ________ (decide) to go back again. f) Rachel ________ (be) a successful model before she________ (become) a teacher. She ________ (earn) a lot of money, but then she ________ (give) it all up for the classroom. g) Paul ________ (eat) so much chocolate pudding that his trousers ________ (not fit) him anymore. h) When I ________ (come) downstairs this morning, I couldn't believe my eyes. The children ________ (do) all the washing-up, and they ________ (make) breakfast for me.

4 Complete these sentences. Use past tenses only and add any other words that are necessary:

1 Two years ago, while she… (work/Paris/grandfather/die). 2 As soon as I… (feed/cat/do/homework). 3 First I… (shower/then/dressed). 4 Since I was a child I…always… (want/Australia/finally/go/last year). 5 As he… (post/letter/realize/not put/stamp) 6 By the time he… (finish/speak/most/audience/fall asleep). 7 Once I… (tell him/truth/feel better). 8 Until I … (try water skiing/not believe/how difficult/be).

 

5 Open the brackets using either Past Simple, Past Continuous, or Past Perfect:

 

1. He (not tell) me that he (receive) a telegram from her. 2. I (ask) him if he (know) where she (live). I (say) I (not know) her address. 3. I (ask) him where he (put) my letter. 4. He (tell) us that they (spend) all the money. 5. She (come) to see usjust at the time when we (have) dinner. It (be) the first time I (see) her. 6. He (leave) the house before I (have) time to ask him anything. 7. After spending several days in Paris he (feel) lonely and (want) to return home. 8. I (think) he already (go) home. 9. He (speak) a language we never (hear) before. 10. He (tell) me he (learn) it from the newspaper. 11. He (enter) the room, (take) something from the desk and (go) out. 12 At this time yesterday I (talk) to my friend over the phone.