Q.1. Past Tense – Simple or Progressive:
Fill in the correct form.
(i) George _______ off the ladder while he _______ the ceiling. (fall, paint)
Ans. George fell off the ladder while he was painting the ceiling. (fall, paint)
(ii) Last night I _______ in bed when I suddenly _______ a scream. (read, hear)
Ans. Last night I was reading in bed when I suddenly heard a scream. (read, hear)
(iii) _______ TV when I _______ you? (you watch, phone)
Ans. Were you watching TV when I phoned you? (watch, phone)
(iv) Ann _______ for me when I _______ . (wait, arrive)
Ans. Ann was waiting for me when I arrived. (wait, arrive)
(v) Maisie _______ up the kitchen when John _______ her to marry him. (clean, ask)
Ans. Maisie was cleaning up the kitchen when John asked her to marry him. (clean, ask)
(vi) The house _______ £ 150,000 in 2003. (cost)
Ans. The house cost £ 150,000 in 2003. (cost)
(vii) The fire _______ at six in the morning. (still burn)
Ans. The fire was still burning at six in the morning. (still burn)
(viii) My brother _______ a new job a week ago (get).
Ans. My brother got a new job a week ago (get).
(ix) Columbus _______ America over 500 years ago (discover)
Ans. Columbus discovered America over 500 years ago (discover)
(x) She _______ not interested in the book because she _______ it (be ,not understand)
Ans. She was not interested in the book because she did not understand it (be ,not understand)
(xi) _______ at school yesterday? (you be)
Ans. Were you at school yesterday? (you be)
(xii) We _______ in a house near the sea last summer (live)
Ans. We lived in a house near the sea last summer (live)
(xiii) She _______ the piano very well when she _______ young (can play, be)
Ans. She could play the piano very well when she was young (can play, be)
(xiv) She _______ the office very early last night (leave).
Ans. She left the office very early last night (leave).
(xv) I _______ a friend while I _______ the shopping (meet, do)
Ans. I met a friend while I was doing the shopping (meet, do)
(xvi) I _______ for my things when I _______ someone call my name
(pay, hear)
Ans. I was paying for my things when I heard someone call my name (pay, hear)
(xvii) I _______ around and _______ Judy. (turn, see)
Ans. I turned around and saw Judy. (turn, see)
(xviii) She _______ a bright yellow dress when I _______ her last (wear, see)
Ans. She was wearing a bright yellow dress when I saw her last (wear, see)
(xix) We _______ to have a cup of tea. (decide)
Ans. We decided to have a cup of tea. (decide)
(xx) While the waiter _______ up the pieces of glass he _______ his finger (pick, cut)
Ans. While the waiter was picking up the pieces of glass he cut his finger (pick, cut)
(xxi) Then we _______ the cafe and _______ good bye (leave, say)
Ans. Then we left the cafe and said good bye (leave, say)
(xxii) I _______ the fire at six and it _______ brightly when Tom came in at seven. (light, still burn)
Ans. I lit the fire at six and it was still burning brightly when Tom came in at seven. (light, burn)
(xxiii) My dog _______ along quietly when Mary’s Pekinese _______ him. (walk, attack)
Ans. My dog was walking along quietly when Mary’s Pekinese attacked him. (walk, attack)
(xxiv) When I _______ she _______ lunch. She said she always _______ lunch at 12:30. (arrive, have, have)
Ans. When I arrived she was having lunch. She said she always had lunch at 12:30. (arrive, have, have)
(xxv) What _______ of his last book? –I _______ it a lot (you think, like)
Ans. What do you think of his last book? –I liked it a lot (think, like)
(xvi) He suddenly _______ that he _______ in the wrong direction. (realize, travel)
Ans. He suddenly realized that he was travelling in the wrong direction. (realize, travel)
(xvii) He _______ guitar when someone _______ the window and _______ out a bucket of water. (play, open, throw)
Ans. He was playing guitar when someone opened the window and threw out a bucket of water. (play, open, throw)
(xviii) He _______ us to go out in the boat yesterday because a strong wind _______ (not allow, blow)
Ans. He did not allow us to go out in the boat yesterday because a strong wind was blowing (not allow, blow)
(xix) The next day, as they _______ that the police _______ for them, they _______ the coats in the woods and _______ off in different directions. (know, look, hide, go)
Ans. The next day, as they knew that the police were looking for them, they hid the coats in the woods and went off in different directions. (know, look, hide, go)
(xxx) When I _______ home they _______ around a fire. Jack _______ a crossword puzzle, Judy _______ and the others _______ . Mother _______ at me and said : “ Come and sit down” (come, sit, do, knit, read, smile)
Ans. When I came home they were all sitting around a fire. Jack was doing a crossword puzzle, Judy was knitting and the others were reading. Mother smiled at me and said : “ Come and sit down” (come, sit, do, knit, read, smile)
Q.2. Fill in each of the blanks with the correct form of the present tense
(i) Janet ______ karate class every Saturday. (attend)
Ans. Janet attends karate class every Saturday.
(ii) The market ______ usually noisy in the morning. (to be)
Ans. The market is usually noisy in the morning.
(iii) The delivery man ______ the parcel already. (delivery)
Ans. The delivery man has delivered the parcel already.
(iv) The athletes ______ for Canada tomorrow. (leave)
Ans. The athletes are leaving for Canada tomorrow.
(v) Aida ______ her room for the past hour. (paint)
Ans. Aida has been painting her room for the past hour.
(vi) The breadman ______ to our housing estate every evening. (come)
Ans. The breadman comes to our housing estate every evening.
(vii) Warren ______ badminton since primary school. (play)
Ans. Warren has been playing badminton since primary school.
(viii) The meeting ______ due to lack of quorum. (postpone)
Ans. The meeting has been postponed due to lack of quorum.
(ix) You are late. The bus ______ already. (leave)
Ans. You are late. The bus has left already.
(x) Everyone ______ about Lin Dan's achievement in the Beijing Olympics. (talk)
Ans. Everyone is talking about Lin Dan's achievement in the Beijing Olympics.
(xi) When in season, we ______ durians almost every other day. (eat)
Ans. When in season, we eat durians almost every other day.
(xii) Be patient. The circus ______ in a few minutes' time. (start)
Ans. Be patient. The circus starts in a few minutes' time.
(xiii) Jessie is not in. She ______ a seminar in Kansas City. (attend)
Ans. Jessie is not in. She is attending a seminar in Kansas City.
(xiv) I ______ the orphan a number of times since I first met him. (help)
Ans. I have helped the orphan a number of times since I first met him.
(xv) The eldest brother _______ the family since his father passed away. (support).
Ans. The eldest brother has been supporting the family since his father passed away.
