Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
Grammar » Grammar Test for B1 » Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
Part A – Multiple Choice
1 I ______ him at the party last night.
(a) saw
(b) was seeing
(c) had seen
2 They ______ TV when the lights went out.
(a) watched
(b) were watching
(c) had watched
3 By the time we arrived, the film ______.
(a) started
(b) was starting
(c) had started
4 What ______ you ______ at 9 p.m. yesterday?
(a) did / do
(b) were / doing
(c) had / done
5 She ______ her keys, so she couldn’t get in.
(a) lost
(b) was losing
(c) had lost
6 While I ______ dinner, the phone rang.
(a) cooked
(b) was cooking
(c) had cooked
7 After he ______ his homework, he went out to play.
(a) finished
(b) was finishing
(c) had finished
8 They ______ in Paris for three years before they moved to Rome.
(a) lived
(b) were living
(c) had lived
9 I ______ that movie twice before I talked about it.
(a) saw
(b) was seeing
(c) had seen
10 When she called, I ______ a shower.
(a) took
(b) was taking
(c) had taken
11 Who ______ you ______ yesterday at the library?
(a) did / meet
(b) were / meeting
(c) had / met
12 By the time the police arrived, the thief ______.
(a) escaped
(b) was escaping
(c) had escaped
13 I ______ tired because I ______ all night.
(a) was / studied
(b) was / had studied
(c) had been / studied
14 They ______ dinner when I knocked on the door.
(a) had
(b) were having
(c) had had
15 After I ______ the letter, I put it in the mailbox.
(a) wrote
(b) was writing
(c) had written
16 Where ______ you ______ last weekend?
(a) did / go
(b) were / going
(c) had / gone
17 She ______ never ______ in London before 2010.
(a) had / lived
(b) was / living
(c) did / live
18 At 10 a.m. yesterday, I ______ in class.
(a) sat
(b) was sitting
(c) had sat
19 He ______ his car when it suddenly broke down.
(a) drove
(b) was driving
(c) had driven
20 The children ______ in the garden when it started to rain.
(a) played
(b) were playing
(c) had played
Part B – Gap-fill
21 When I ______ (enter) the room, everyone ______ (talk).
22 She ______ (already/leave) when I called her.
23 While we ______ (walk) home, it suddenly ______ (start) to rain.
24 By the time the train ______ (arrive), we ______ (wait) for 30 minutes.
25 He ______ (not/know) the answer, so he stayed quiet.
26 I ______ (read) when my friend came in.
27 They ______ (study) English before they moved abroad.
28 She ______ (break) her phone yesterday.
29 While he ______ (drive), he saw an accident.
30 We ______ (eat) dinner when our teacher called.
31 I ______ (lose) my wallet, so I couldn’t pay.
32 After they ______ (finish) the project, they went out to celebrate.
33 At 11 p.m. last night, I still ______ (write) emails.
34 She was tired because she ______ (work) all day.
35 They already ______ (close) the shop before we arrived.
Part C – Error Correction
36 He didn’t went to school yesterday.
37 While we walked in the park, it began to snow.
38 She had wrote three emails before dinner.
39 The students was playing football when the teacher came.
40 By the time I arrived, they already leave.
41 He was cook dinner when the phone rang.
42 They was studying English last night.
43 I seen her at the station yesterday.
44 She had studies hard before the exam.
45 While I sleep, the alarm went off.
Part D – Dialogue Completion
46
A: Why didn’t you come yesterday?
B: Because I ______ (be) sick.
47
A: What ______ (you/do) at 8 last night?
B: I was doing my homework.
48
A: Did you enjoy the concert?
B: Yes, but when I arrived, it already ______ (begin).
49
A: Where ______ (you/go) last weekend?
B: I went hiking.
50
A: Was she studying when you called?
B: Yes, she ______ (study).
51
A: Why was he so tired?
B: Because he ______ (work) all night.
52
A: Did they come on time?
B: No, they ______ (already/leave).
53
A: What happened while you ______ (drive)?
B: I saw an accident.
54
A: Did you meet Anna yesterday?
B: Yes, she ______ (talk) to Tom when I met her.
55
A: What did you do after you ______ (eat) dinner?
B: I watched TV.
Part E – Reading Comprehension
Yesterday, Sarah had a very long day. She got up early because she had promised to help her aunt clean the house. While they were cleaning, Sarah found an old photo album. She looked at it with great interest because it reminded her of her childhood. After they had finished, Sarah went shopping with her cousin. On the way, it started to rain, but they didn’t mind. In the evening, Sarah was very tired, but she was also happy because she had spent time with her family.
56 What did Sarah do in the morning?
(a) She went shopping.
(b) She cleaned the house.
(c) She visited her cousin.
57 What did Sarah find while cleaning?
58 By the time she went shopping, what had she done?
59 How did Sarah feel in the evening?
(a) Bored
(b) Tired but happy
(c) Angry
60 Why was she happy?
Answer
1 (a) saw – Past Simple for completed action.
2 (b) were watching – Ongoing action interrupted.
3 (c) had started – Action before arrival.
4 (b) were / doing – Past Continuous at time.
5 (c) had lost – Earlier action caused later problem.
6 (b) was cooking – Interrupted action.
7 (c) had finished – Homework before playing.
8 (c) had lived – Past Perfect before moving.
9 (c) had seen – Earlier experience.
10 (b) was taking – Action in progress.
11 (a) did / meet – Past Simple event.
12 (c) had escaped – Action before police arrived.
13 (b) was / had studied – Cause explained by earlier action.
14 (b) were having – Ongoing background action.
15 (c) had written – Completed before sending.
16 (a) did / go – Past Simple question.
17 (a) had / lived – Earlier action before 2010.
18 (b) was sitting – Ongoing at time.
19 (b) was driving – Continuous action interrupted.
20 (b) were playing – Ongoing background action.
21 entered / were talking – Correct combination.
22 had already left – Past Perfect before call.
23 were walking / started – Continuous interrupted by Simple.
24 arrived / had waited – Past Perfect before arrival.
25 didn’t know – Past Simple negative.
26 was reading – Ongoing action.
27 had studied – Completed before moving.
28 broke – Past Simple yesterday.
29 was driving – Continuous action.
30 were eating – Ongoing when called.
31 had lost – Action caused later problem.
32 had finished – Completed before celebration.
33 was writing – Ongoing at 11 p.m.
34 had worked – Completed before feeling tired.
35 had closed – Action completed before arrival.
36 didn’t went → didn’t go. Bare infinitive after “did.”
37 walked → were walking. Continuous background.
38 had wrote → had written. Correct participle.
39 was playing → were playing. Plural subject.
40 leave → had left. Past Perfect needed.
41 was cook → was cooking. Past Continuous.
42 was studying → were studying. Plural subject.
43 seen → saw. Simple past.
44 studies → studied. Past participle needed → had studied.
45 sleep → was sleeping. Continuous action.
46 was – Simple past.
47 were you doing – Past Continuous.
48 had begun – Past Perfect before arrival.
49 did you go – Past Simple.
50 was studying – Continuous action.
51 had worked – Earlier cause of tiredness.
52 had already left – Left before expected.
53 were driving – Continuous background.
54 was talking – Ongoing action.
55 had eaten – Action before watching TV.
56 (b) She cleaned the house – Passage line 1.
57 She found an old photo album – Detail in text.
58 She had finished cleaning – Past Perfect before shopping.
59 (b) Tired but happy – Passage final line.
60 Because she had spent time with her family – Cause of happiness.