Past Simple, Past Continuous or Past Perfect Exercise

Mixed Forms in the Past – B1 Intermediate Level

Multiple Choice Exercise

Complete the gaps in the sentences by choosing the correct form of the PAST SIMPLE, PAST CONTINUOUS & PAST PERFECT.

Use the Past Simple: When the action is finished and the time is past.
Use the Past Continuous: When the action is unfinished in the past.
Use the Past Perfect: To show that one action happened before another in the past.

225 votes, 4.3 avg

Created on July 24, 2020

Past Simple, Past Continuous or Past Perfect

Choose the correct form of the verb in the Past Simple, Past Continuous or Past Perfect to complete the gaps in the sentences.

1 / 40

While she _______ (do/make) the English exercises, he _______ (do/make) dinner.

was making / was doing

was doing / was making

2 / 40

He hurt his leg when he _____ (play) football.

had played

was playing

3 / 40

She ________ (arrive) on time so she couldn't take the plane.

didn't arrive

wasn't arriving

4 / 40

I _______ (get) a job until I __________ (leave) university.

didn't get / had left

wasn't getting / had left

5 / 40

I didn't like the dress she _____ (wore) yesterday.

was wearing

had worn

6 / 40

It took a long time but after I _______ (save) enough money, I ________ (bought) a car.

was saving / had bought

had saved / bought

7 / 40

I _________ (recognise) her immediately even though I ________ (see) her for 20 years.

had recognised / didn't saw

recognised / hadn't seen

8 / 40

When we arrived, the film _____ (start). We were late.

had already started

already started

9 / 40

When the men ______ (deliver) the T.V., I _________ (pay) for it.

were delivering / was paying

delivered / had already paid.

10 / 40

We couldn't snowboard because it ______ (snow) yet. There wasn't any snow.

hadn't snowed

didn't snow

11 / 40

France _____ (win) the football World Cup in 2019.

had won

won

12 / 40

By the time, the waiter _____ (bring) our drinks, we __________ (finish) our food!

brought / had already finished

had brought / were already finished

13 / 40

The tennis match was postponed because it _____ (rain) too hard the night before.

had rained

was raining

14 / 40

I ______ (make) dinner when I got home.

made

was making

15 / 40

Yesterday, she _______ (go) to the post-office.

was going

went

16 / 40

The children _______ (play) in the garden while I __________ (make) dinner.

were playing / was making

had played / made

17 / 40

They _____ (spend) all their money before the holiday was finished.

were spending

had spent

18 / 40

After she ________ (tell) the police officers, she ________ (feel) much better.

had told / felt

told / were feeling

19 / 40

After she ________ (eat) her lunch, she ________ (leave) the restaurant.

was eating / was leaving

had eaten / left

20 / 40

We couldn't get a table at the restaurant because we ______ (book).

hadn't booked

weren't booking

21 / 40

The plane ________ (take) off at 10p.m. Right on time!

took

was taking

22 / 40

What time __________ (get up) this morning?

did you get up

were you getting up

23 / 40

They ______ (be) busy yesterday. They ________ (have) much work to do.

weren't / didn't have

weren't / weren't having

24 / 40

Luckily, the rain ______ (start) after we ________ (arrive) home.

had started / were arriving

started / had arrived

25 / 40

I _________ (arrive) at the airport when I ________ (realise), I had forgotten my passport.

arrived / had realised

had arrived / realised

26 / 40

The thieves _______ (choose) a quiet time. The street _____ (be) quiet.

had chosen / was

were choosing / was

27 / 40

I _______ (saw) the man as I _______ (cross) the road.

was seeing / was crossing

saw / was crossing

28 / 40

He was hit by a car when he _____ (cycle) to school.

was cycling

cycled

29 / 40

He ________ (wait) at the station, when she _______ (arrive).

waited / was arriving

was waiting / arrived

30 / 40

I ______ (close) the door and realised I ______ (forget) my bag.

closed / had forgotten

had closed / was forgetting

31 / 40

The dog _______ (lie) on the sofa, when I ______ (get) home.

was lying / got

lied / got

32 / 40

When we _______ (turn) on the T.V., the match ________ (start).

had turned / already finished.

turned / had already finished

33 / 40

We _________ (have) dinner when the doorbell _____ (ring).

ate / was ringing

were eating / rang

34 / 40

Lunch was delicious because I _________ (have) anything for breakfast.

wasn't eating

hadn't eaten

35 / 40

I _______ (hear) the phone because I _________ (work) in the garden.

wasn't hearing / was working

didn't hear / was working

36 / 40

I __________ (know) my husband before we ________ (meet) at a party.

didn't know / met

wasn't knowing / were meeting

37 / 40

In 1450, they _______ (have) phones, cars or the internet.

hadn't had

didn't have

38 / 40

She ________ (know) the answers to all the exercises.

didn't know

wasn't knowing

39 / 40

He _______ (leave) the party because he ________ (have) a good time.

left / wasn't having

was leaving / didn't have

40 / 40

She didn't pass the English exam even though she ______ (study) every evening.

had studied

was studying

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