Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
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Passage
Last Saturday, Emma had a very busy day. In the morning, she went to the supermarket to buy some food. While she was walking through the fruit section, she met her old school friend, Anna. They talked for a few minutes, and Emma learned that Anna had moved to another city two years earlier. After they had finished shopping, they decided to have lunch together.
At the restaurant, they were eating and chatting happily when suddenly Anna received a phone call. She explained that her brother had had an accident and was in the hospital. Emma immediately offered to drive her there. On the way, it started to rain heavily, but luckily they arrived safely.
Later that evening, Emma returned home. She was very tired, but she felt happy that she had helped her friend in a difficult situation.
1 Where did Emma go in the morning?
(a) To the cinema
(b) To the supermarket
(c) To the hospital
2 Who did Emma meet at the supermarket?
(a) Her cousin
(b) Her teacher
(c) Her old school friend
3 Anna ______ to another city two years earlier.
(a) moved
(b) was moving
(c) had moved
4 What were Emma and Anna doing at the restaurant when Anna received a call?
(a) They were eating and chatting.
(b) They were paying the bill.
(c) They were leaving.
5 Why did Anna have to go to the hospital?
(a) Her mother was ill.
(b) Her brother had an accident.
(c) Emma was not feeling well.
6 Who offered to drive to the hospital?
(a) Anna
(b) Emma
(c) Anna’s brother
7 What happened on the way to the hospital?
(a) The car broke down.
(b) It started to rain heavily.
(c) They got lost.
8 How did they feel when they arrived at the hospital?
(a) Lucky to be safe
(b) Angry
(c) Bored
9 True or False: Anna had never moved to another city.
10 True or False: Emma and Anna decided to have lunch together after shopping.
11 True or False: Anna was laughing when she received the phone call.
12 What had Emma done before she went home?
13 What tense is used in “Anna had moved to another city two years earlier”?
(a) Past Simple
(b) Past Continuous
(c) Past Perfect
14 What tense is used in “They were eating and chatting happily”?
(a) Past Simple
(b) Past Continuous
(c) Past Perfect
15 What tense is used in “Emma went to the supermarket to buy some food”?
(a) Past Simple
(b) Past Continuous
(c) Past Perfect
16 Why did Emma feel happy at the end of the day?
17 Who had the accident?
(a) Emma
(b) Anna’s brother
(c) Anna
18 What was the weather like on the way to the hospital?
19 Did Emma and Anna meet by chance or by plan?
20 Where were Emma and Anna when they decided to have lunch together?
21 Choose the best summary:
(a) Emma went shopping and spent the whole day at the supermarket.
(b) Emma met her old friend, had lunch, and helped her during an emergency.
(c) Emma visited her family in another city.
22 Why did Anna explain the phone call?
23 What did Emma buy at the supermarket?
(a) Clothes
(b) Some food
(c) Medicine
24 How did Emma get home later that day?
(a) By bus
(b) She drove back
(c) On foot
25 What word in the passage means “not long ago” (similar to ‘recently’)?
(a) Earlier
(b) Later
(c) Before
26 What action happened first: Anna moved to another city OR Emma met Anna?
27 What action happened after lunch: Anna’s call OR Emma went home?
28 Which tense is used to show a background action? Give an example from the text.
29 Which tense is used to show an action completed before another? Give an example.
30 How did the story end?
Answer
1 (b) To the supermarket – Past Simple “she went.”
2 (c) Her old school friend – Passage line 2.
3 (c) had moved – Past Perfect shows earlier action.
4 (a) They were eating and chatting – Past Continuous.
5 (b) Her brother had an accident – Explicit in passage.
6 (b) Emma – She offered to drive.
7 (b) It started to rain heavily – Mentioned in text.
8 (a) Lucky to be safe – Passage says “luckily they arrived safely.”
9 False – She had moved.
10 True – After shopping, they had lunch together.
11 False – She was eating and chatting, then received a call.
12 She had helped Anna and driven her to the hospital – Past Perfect for earlier action.
13 (c) Past Perfect – Shows earlier move.
14 (b) Past Continuous – Ongoing action.
15 (a) Past Simple – Completed action.
16 Because she helped her friend in a difficult situation.
17 (b) Anna’s brother – Accident context.
18 It was raining heavily – Passage detail.
19 By chance – They met unexpectedly.
20 At the supermarket – After finishing shopping.
21 (b) Emma met her old friend, had lunch, and helped her during an emergency – Best summary.
22 To tell Emma that her brother was in the hospital.
23 (b) Some food – Mentioned in line 1.
24 (b) She drove back – She had her car.
25 (b) Later – Passage: “Later that evening…”
26 Anna moved to another city first – Past Perfect “had moved.”
27 Anna’s call happened first – After lunch before Emma went home.
28 Past Continuous – Example: “They were eating and chatting happily.”
29 Past Perfect – Example: “Anna had moved to another city two years earlier.”
30 Emma went home tired but happy after helping her friend.