Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
Grammar » Grammar Test for B1 » Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
(a) lost
(b) was losing
(c) had lost
2 While Tom ____ his bike, he fell and hurt his knee.
(a) rode
(b) was riding
(c) had ridden
3 They ____ the museum last Sunday.
(a) visited
(b) were visiting
(c) had visited
4 She was tired because she ____ all night.
(a) studied
(b) was studying
(c) had studied
5 I ____ a shower when someone knocked at the door.
(a) took
(b) was taking
(c) had taken
6 By the time we reached the station, the train ____.
(a) left
(b) was leaving
(c) had left
7 He ____ the guitar beautifully at the party yesterday.
(a) played
(b) was playing
(c) had played
8 While we ____ football, it started to rain heavily.
(a) played
(b) were playing
(c) had played
9 After she ____ the email, she went to bed.
(a) sent
(b) was sending
(c) had sent
10 We ____ dinner when the lights went out.
(a) had
(b) were having
(c) had had
11 When I called him, he ____ his homework.
(a) did
(b) was doing
(c) had done
12 She ____ to London twice before she finally decided to move there.
(a) went
(b) was going
(c) had gone
13 At 10 o’clock last night, I ____ TV.
(a) watched
(b) was watching
(c) had watched
14 The teacher was angry because the students ____ their work.
(a) didn’t finish
(b) weren’t finishing
(c) hadn’t finished
15 While Mary ____ dinner, the children were setting the table.
(a) cooked
(b) was cooking
(c) had cooked
16 I ____ to the supermarket yesterday.
(a) went
(b) was going
(c) had gone
17 By the time the meeting started, everyone ____ already.
(a) arrived
(b) was arriving
(c) had arrived
18 He ____ a book when I entered the room.
(a) read
(b) was reading
(c) had read
19 We ____ in Paris for three years before we moved to Rome.
(a) lived
(b) were living
(c) had lived
20 While they ____ the house, the phone rang.
(a) cleaned
(b) were cleaning
(c) had cleaned
21 The film ____ when we got to the cinema.
(a) started
(b) was starting
(c) had started
22 He ____ football every weekend when he was younger.
(a) played
(b) was playing
(c) had played
23 When I saw her, she ____ with her friends.
(a) talked
(b) was talking
(c) had talked
24 After I ____ the letter, I felt much better.
(a) wrote
(b) was writing
(c) had written
25 They ____ breakfast when their grandparents arrived.
(a) had
(b) were having
(c) had had
26 By the time we arrived, the teacher ____ the test papers.
(a) gave
(b) was giving
(c) had given
27 I ____ home when I met an old friend on the street.
(a) walked
(b) was walking
(c) had walked
28 She ____ many times before she finally passed the exam.
(a) failed
(b) was failing
(c) had failed
29 While we ____ to the airport, the taxi broke down.
(a) went
(b) were going
(c) had gone
30 He ____ the movie three times before he explained it to us.
(a) saw
(b) was seeing
(c) had seen
Answer
1 (c) had lost – Action completed before I tried to open the door.
2 (b) was riding – Ongoing action interrupted by falling.
3 (a) visited – Past Simple for a completed past event.
4 (c) had studied – Explains the reason for being tired.
5 (b) was taking – Action in progress when interrupted.
6 (c) had left – Train left before we arrived.
7 (a) played – Completed action yesterday.
8 (b) were playing – Ongoing action when it started to rain.
9 (c) had sent – Email completed before going to bed.
10 (b) were having – Action in progress when lights went out.
11 (b) was doing – Ongoing homework at that time.
12 (c) had gone – Multiple visits before a later decision.
13 (b) was watching – Action at a specific time last night.
14 (c) hadn’t finished – Work not completed before teacher noticed.
15 (b) was cooking – Simultaneous actions in the past.
16 (a) went – Simple past for a completed event.
17 (c) had arrived – Arrival completed before meeting started.
18 (b) was reading – Ongoing action when another happened.
19 (c) had lived – Action completed before moving.
20 (b) were cleaning – Ongoing action when phone rang.
21 (c) had started – Film already in progress.
22 (a) played – Habitual past activity.
23 (b) was talking – Ongoing action when I saw her.
24 (c) had written – Writing finished before the feeling.
25 (b) were having – Ongoing action when grandparents arrived.
26 (c) had given – Action completed before we arrived.
27 (b) was walking – Ongoing movement when another happened.
28 (c) had failed – Repeated past failures before passing.
29 (b) were going – Ongoing trip when taxi broke down.
30 (c) had seen – Action repeated before explaining.