Language practice. Grammar 1. Past (part 1).

1.      Choose a suitable description for each picture.

a) When he left the house, Peter forgot that he had put his passport and wallet in his other jacket.

b) After phoning the airport, Peter packed his suitcase.

c) When he returned from Portugal in March, Peter put his passport and wallet in his jacket pocket.

d) A few days before leaving for his summer holiday, Peter phoned the airport to check his flight.

e) While Peter was packing his suitcase, the phone rang.

f) While Peter was packing his suitcase, the phone rang.

 

2.      Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence.

a)      I suddenly remembered that I forgot/had forgotten my keys.

b)      While Diana watched/was watching her favourite television programme, there was a power-cut.

c)      Tom used to live/would live in the house at the end of the street.

d)     Who was driving/drove the car at the time of the accident?

e)      By the time Sheila got back, Chris went/had gone.

f)       David ate/had eaten Japanese food before, so he knew what to order.

g)      I did/was doing some shopping yesterday, when I saw that Dutch friend of yours.

h)      I used to like/was liking sweets much more than I do now.

i)        What exactly were you doing/did you do when I came into your office yesterday?

j)        Laura missed the party because no-one was telling/had told her about it.

k)      Tanya would/used to be a doctor.

 

3.      Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form. Only use the past perfect where this is absolutely necessary.

a)      While I (try) ..was trying…to get my car started, a passing car (stop) ………………….and the driver (offer) ………………….. to help me.

b)      The police (pay) ……………………… no attention to Clare’s complaint because she (phone) …………………… them so many times before.

c)      Mary (not wear) …………………………. her glasses at the time, so she (not notice) ……………………………… what kind of car the man (drive) …………………….

d)     Nick (lie) ………………………….. down on the grass for a while, next to some tourists who (feed) ……………………………… the ducks.

e)      Tony (admit) ………………………….. that he (hit) ……………………….. the other car, but said that he (not damage) …………………………. it.

f)       Sorry, I (not listen) ………………………….. to you. I (think) ………………………. about something else.

g)      Helen (feel) ………………………….. very tired, and when she (finish) ………………………….. her work, she (fall) …………………………. asleep.

h)      The police (get) …………………….. to Clare’s house as fast as they could, but the burglars (disappear) ………………………………….

i)        I (phone) ………………………………. you last night but you (not answer) …………………………… What (you do) …………………………?

j)        We (not go) …………………………… out yesterday because it (rain).

Correct answers:

1.      1) c           2) d     3) b     4) a

2.      a) had forgotten

b) was watching

c) used to live

d) was driving

e) had gone

f) had eaten

g) was doing

h) used to like

i) were you doing

j) had told

k) used to

3.      a) was trying, stopped, offered;   b) paid, had phoned   c) was not wearing, didn’t notice, was driving      e) admitted, had hit, hadn’t damaged            f) wasn’t listening, was thinking         g) felt/ was feeling, finished/had finished, fell  h) got, had disappeared         i) phoned, didn’t answer, were you doing     j) didn’t go, was raining.

  

Key points.

1.      The past simple describes completed events in the past, such as the main events in a narrative. It can also describe habits and routines in the past.

2.      The past continuous is used for:

a)      background description.

b)      actions in progress, often contrasted with a sudden event.

The past continuous cannot be used to describe past routines and habits.

3.      Participle clauses can introduce a clause giving the main event.

The subjects of both clauses must be the same.

4.      The past perfect describes a past event which took place before another past event. If before or after is used, the past perfect is optional.