PAST TENSES NARRATIVE TENSES REVIEW

Try to complete the next structures, taking into account the past tenses

Remember: We use past simple tense for referring to a completed action in the past; past continuous tense
for referring to a continuous action going on at a specific time in the past

I. Past progressive or simple past?

Put the verbs into the correct tense (SIMPLE PAST or PAST PROGRESSIVE).

1. While Tom (read) ___ was reading____, Amely (watch) ___ was watching______-a documentary on TV.

2. Marvin (come) ____ came ____home, (switch) ____ switched__ ___on the computer and (check) ___
checked __his emails.

3. The thief (get) _____ got______-into the house, (steal) ____stole___-the jewels and (leave)
_____left_____-without a trace.

4. Nobody (listen) ___was listening____-while the teacher (explain) ___was_explaining____the tenses.

5. While we (do) __were doing____-a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) ___were_laying_____on the beach.

6. He (wake) ___wake__-up and (look) ___looked___at his watch.

7. The receptionist (welcome) __welcomed_____the guests and (ask) ___asked___them to fill in the form.

8. The car (break) ____brake____down and we (have) ___had____to walk home.

9. The boys (swim) ___were swimming____while the girls (sunbathe) ____________.

10. My father (come) ______came_____-in, (look) ___looked_____around and (tell) ____told__me to tidy up
my room.

II. Read the text carefully and complete it with the Past Simple of the verbs in brackets. Provide your own
ending.

Last summer holidays Rui Silva and his family ____traveled_____ (travel) to Britain. They ____stayed____
(stay) in London for three days.

On the first day they ___enjoyed____ (enjoy) a full English breakfast at the hotel. Then they toured (tour)
London on a red double-decker bus. They ___loved____ (love) the ride. In the afternoon they ___visited___
(visit) the Tower of London. They ___waited___ (wait) for a long time in a queue, but when they
___entered_____ (enter), a real Beefeater greeted (greet) them. Rui and his sister Sara __posed___ (pose) for
a photo with him.

On the second day they _____watched____ (watch) the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and
they _____prayed_______ (pray) in Westminster Abbey. They _____crossed_______ (cross) Westminster
Bridge and _____looked_______ (look) at the famous Big Ben.

Conclude the story: __ On the third day they arrived in Great Britain, they went to eat at a restaurant after
having seen so much beauty in that place, then the time to leave is approaching and they promise to return
another day.___________________.
III. Match the pairs.

1. get ate 7. go did

2. have 8. buy
gave laid
3. drink 9. do
got watched
4. eat 10. lay

5. make had 11. watch bought

6. give 12. brush

drank went

IV. Complete the table with the correct form of the verb in the past simple (regular).

Infinite Past Simple

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

to watch watched didn’t watch Did you watch …? (you)

to work worked Doesn’t work Doesn’t Sarah work…?

(Sarah)

to enjoy Enjoyed Doesn’t enjoy Doesn’t Simon enjoy …

(Simon)

V. Complete the table with the correct form of the verb in the past simple (irregular)

Infinite Past Simple

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

to see saw didn’t see Did you see …? (you)

to come came Doesn’t come Does came sarah?

to write Writed Didn’t write Did write Sam and Paul?

(Sam and Paul)

VI. Change the sentences into the present simple and in the past simple.

Present Past

1. He likes Sidney very much. 1. he was likes Sidney very much

2. There are five cookies on the table. 2. there were five cookies on the table

3. I’m not in Sidney 3. I wasn’t in Sidney

VII. Circle the correct form of the verb.

1. I go / went to the cinema last week. 4. She see / saw beautiful monuments last month.

2. Did you hear / heard the news two days ago? 5. Did they find / found the car yesterday?

3. He didn’t eat / didn’t ate a cake yesterday. 6. We didn’t get / didn’t got up early last Sunday.