Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
Grammar » Grammar Test for B1 » Past Tense – English Grammar Test for B1
(a) studied
(b) was studying
(c) had studied
2 After he ____ his coffee, he left for work.
(a) drank
(b) was drinking
(c) had drunk
3 We ____ the answer immediately when the teacher asked.
(a) knew
(b) were knowing
(c) had known
4 They ____ in the park all afternoon yesterday.
(a) walked
(b) were walking
(c) had walked
5 By the time I called her, she already ____ the news.
(a) heard
(b) was hearing
(c) had heard
6 I ____ in bed when suddenly I heard a strange noise.
(a) lay
(b) was lying
(c) had lain
7 The plane ____ before we reached the airport.
(a) departed
(b) was departing
(c) had departed
8 While he ____ his homework, his friends were playing outside.
(a) did
(b) was doing
(c) had done
9 She ____ to open the window, but it wouldn’t move.
(a) tried
(b) was trying
(c) had tried
10 When the phone rang, I ____ dinner.
(a) cooked
(b) was cooking
(c) had cooked
11 I ____ him last Monday at the conference.
(a) met
(b) was meeting
(c) had met
12 They ____ never seen such a beautiful sunset before that evening.
(a) saw
(b) were seeing
(c) had seen
13 He ____ a lot of money on clothes last month.
(a) spent
(b) was spending
(c) had spent
14 While we ____ the match, it suddenly started to rain.
(a) watched
(b) were watching
(c) had watched
15 She ____ in New York for five years before she moved to Boston.
(a) lived
(b) was living
(c) had lived
16 The teacher ____ the test when the principal came in.
(a) explained
(b) was explaining
(c) had explained
17 I ____ my wallet at home, so I couldn’t buy the ticket.
(a) forgot
(b) was forgetting
(c) had forgotten
18 They ____ happily when the storm hit their campsite.
(a) slept
(b) were sleeping
(c) had slept
19 By the time I arrived, the meeting ____.
(a) started
(b) was starting
(c) had started
20 He ____ his car when it suddenly broke down.
(a) drove
(b) was driving
(c) had driven
21 We ____ many times before we finally decided to buy the house.
(a) visited
(b) were visiting
(c) had visited
22 While I ____ to the radio, my brother was reading a book.
(a) listened
(b) was listening
(c) had listened
23 She ____ the piano beautifully at yesterday’s concert.
(a) played
(b) was playing
(c) had played
24 I couldn’t get into the house because I ____ my keys.
(a) lost
(b) was losing
(c) had lost
25 They ____ the whole afternoon when their guests arrived.
(a) chatted
(b) were chatting
(c) had chatted
26 By the time he finished school, he already ____ a job offer.
(a) got
(b) was getting
(c) had got
27 I ____ TV when suddenly the electricity went off.
(a) watched
(b) was watching
(c) had watched
28 She ____ me twice before I finally answered the phone.
(a) called
(b) was calling
(c) had called
29 The children ____ in the yard while their mother was cooking.
(a) played
(b) were playing
(c) had played
30 When we arrived at the theater, the play already ____.
(a) began
(b) was beginning
(c) had begun
Answer
1 (b) was studying – Ongoing action when I saw her.
2 (c) had drunk – Completed action before leaving.
3 (a) knew – Past Simple for immediate knowledge.
4 (b) were walking – Ongoing action all afternoon.
5 (c) had heard – She knew it before I called.
6 (b) was lying – Continuous background action.
7 (c) had departed – Plane left before we arrived.
8 (b) was doing – Ongoing action while others played.
9 (a) tried – Simple past for one attempt.
10 (b) was cooking – Interrupted action.
11 (a) met – Completed past event.
12 (c) had seen – Experience before that evening.
13 (a) spent – Simple past for last month.
14 (b) were watching – Ongoing action when rain began.
15 (c) had lived – Completed time before moving.
16 (b) was explaining – Action in progress.
17 (c) had forgotten – Mistake happened before needing ticket.
18 (b) were sleeping – Action in progress when storm came.
19 (c) had started – Meeting already in progress.
20 (b) was driving – Interrupted by breakdown.
21 (c) had visited – Multiple visits before decision.
22 (b) was listening – Ongoing action simultaneous with reading.
23 (a) played – Past event in concert.
24 (c) had lost – Earlier action caused later problem.
25 (b) were chatting – Action in progress when guests came.
26 (c) had got – Offer came before finishing school.
27 (b) was watching – Interrupted action.
28 (c) had called – Repeated actions before I answered.
29 (b) were playing – Continuous activity in the yard.
30 (c) had begun – Play already started before we arrived.