ADDITIONAL EXERCISES Past tenses revision test
Fill in the gaps with the correct tenses.
1. When Ginny ___ (see) me yesterday, I ___ (cross) the street.
2. My dad ___ (paint) the living room for two hours before my brother (come) to help him.
3. Nora (lie) in a homework while Phil ___(weed) the garden.
4. Before the Smiths ___(buy) their new house, they (look) for a suitable one for a year.
5. Laura (send) us a postcard from her holiday in Italy.
6. As Claire (dust) the furniture, she (break) her mum's vase.
7. My sister ___ (never, be) to the circus before last week.
8. Pam and I ___( study) for the history exam when the lights ___(go) off.
9. The alarm clock ___ (not, ring) yesterday morning and I ___(be) late for work.
10. Mr. Roberts ___ (work) in the company for six years before it ___(go) bankrupt.
11. You ___(not, sleep) when I ___(return) last night.
12. When ___(they, visit) you last time?
13. Yesterday at this time, Karen ___(write) a letter of application to the manager of L'Oréal.
14. I ___(not, pay) attention to the teacher and my friends ___(not, pay) attention, either.
15. When we (go) out for a walk last Sunday morning, the sun ___(shine) and it (be) quite warm.
16. We (never, see) the Pyramids before our trip to Egypt in 2005.
17. (Simon and Alice, get) married last summer?
18. They ___(wait) for more than an hour before the singer ___( appear) on the stage.
19. Michael and Robert ___(rollerblade) in the backyard when Sally ___ ( phone).
20. I (meet) Harry at Brenda's birthday party last month.
21. Where ___(you, spend) your last winter holidays?
22. My cousin and I (sit) at a park bench when we (hear) a thunder.
23. By six o'clock Ted (pack) all his staff in his backpack.​

1. When Ginny saw me yesterday, I was crossing the street.

Explanation: The action of seeing Ginny happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("saw"). The action of crossing the street was happening at the same time as Ginny seeing me, so we use the past continuous tense ("was crossing").

2. My dad had been painting the living room for two hours before my brother came to help him.

Explanation: The action of painting the living room started before the action of my brother coming to help, so we use the past perfect continuous tense ("had been painting"). The action of my brother coming to help happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("came").

3. Nora was lying in a hammock while Phil was weeding the garden.

Explanation: Both actions ("lying" and "weeding") were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for both verbs.

4. Before the Smiths bought their new house, they had been looking for a suitable one for a year.

Explanation: The action of looking for a house started before the action of buying the new house, so we use the past perfect continuous tense ("had been looking"). The action of buying the new house happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("bought").

5. Laura sent us a postcard from her holiday in Italy.

Explanation: The action of sending the postcard happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("sent").

6. As Claire was dusting the furniture, she broke her mum's vase.

Explanation: Both actions ("dusting" and "breaking") were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for the first verb and the past simple tense for the second verb.

7. My sister had never been to the circus before last week.

Explanation: The action of never being to the circus happened before the action of last week, so we use the past perfect tense ("had never been").

8. Pam and I were studying for the history exam when the lights went off.

Explanation: The action of studying for the exam and the action of the lights going off were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for the first verb and the past simple tense for the second verb.

9. The alarm clock did not ring yesterday morning and I was late for work.

Explanation: The action of the alarm clock not ringing and the action of being late for work were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past simple tense for both verbs.

10. Mr. Roberts had worked in the company for six years before it went bankrupt.

Explanation: The action of working in the company started before the action of the company going bankrupt, so we use the past perfect tense ("had worked"). The action of the company going bankrupt happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("went").

11. You were not sleeping when I returned last night.

Explanation: The action of not sleeping happened at the same time as the action of me returning, so we use the past continuous tense for the first verb and the past simple tense for the second verb.

12. When did they visit you last time?

Explanation: The action of the visit happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("did they visit").

13. Yesterday at this time, Karen was writing a letter of application to the manager of L'Oréal.

Explanation: The action of writing the letter was happening at the same time as "yesterday at this time," so we use the past continuous tense ("was writing").

14. I was not paying attention to the teacher and my friends were not paying attention either.

Explanation: Both actions ("not paying attention" for me and my friends) were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for both verbs.

15. When we went out for a walk last Sunday morning, the sun was shining and it was quite warm.

Explanation: The action of going out for a walk happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("went"). The actions of the sun shining and it being warm were happening at the same time as the walk, so we use the past continuous tense for both verbs.

16. We had never seen the Pyramids before our trip to Egypt in 2005.

Explanation: The action of not seeing the Pyramids happened before the action of our trip to Egypt, so we use the past perfect tense ("had never seen"). The action of the trip happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("in 2005").

17. Did Simon and Alice get married last summer?

Explanation: The action of getting married happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("did they get").

18. They had been waiting for more than an hour before the singer appeared on the stage.

Explanation: The action of waiting started before the action of the singer appearing, so we use the past perfect continuous tense ("had been waiting"). The action of the singer appearing happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("appeared").

19. Michael and Robert were rollerblading in the backyard when Sally phoned.

Explanation: The action of rollerblading and the action of Sally phoning were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for the first verb and the past simple tense for the second verb.

20. I met Harry at Brenda's birthday party last month.

Explanation: The action of meeting Harry happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("met").

21. Where did you spend your last winter holidays?

Explanation: The action of spending the holidays happened in the past, so we use the past simple tense ("did you spend").

22. My cousin and I were sitting at a park bench when we heard a thunder.

Explanation: Both actions ("sitting" and "hearing") were happening at the same time in the past, so we use the past continuous tense for the first verb and the past simple tense for the second verb.

23. By six o'clock, Ted had packed all his stuff in his backpack.

Explanation: The action of packing happened before the action of six o'clock, so we use the past perfect tense ("had packed").