TENSES PRACTICE (Past Tenses)

1- Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense and form

Last weekend, I (1)…………………………(go) on a trip to the countryside with
my family. We usually (2)……………………..(stay) in the city, so it (3)
…………………………..(be) a nice change of pace. We (4)……………………..
(arrive) on Saturday morning and immediately started exploring the area. We
(5)…………………….(walk) around the village, taking in the beautiful scenery
and breathing in the fresh air.
While we (6)………………………..(walk), my sister (7)…………………………
(keep) pointing out different types of flowers and birds that she (8)
…………………………….(learn) about in school. She (9)
………………………….(be) so excited to see them in their natural habitat.
Later in the day, we went for a hike in the nearby hills. I (10)
…………………………(want) to do that for a long time. The weather was
perfect, and the views were breathtaking. We (11)…………………………….
(see) a few cows grazing in the fields and even spotted a deer running through
the woods.
Now I (12)………………………………..(be) back and I (13)
………………………………(try) to keep those memories in my mind. I (14)
………………………….(hope) to take another relaxing trip soon.
Find examples in the text, which express the following:
A finished action in the past

Habit in the present

An action now or around now

An action that happened before

another action in the past

An action that took place over some

time in the past

2- Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense and form

Last weekend, I (1)………………………….(go) on a trip to the mountains. I (2)

………………………..(be) usually a city person, so this was a nice change of
scenery. On the drive there, I (3)………………………..(see) some beautiful
landscapes and (4)…………………………….(stop) to take pictures. The
weather was perfect, and I (5)……………………………(decide) to go hiking so
there we went. As I walked along the trail, the birds (6)………………………
(sing) and the leaves were rustling in the wind. I (7) …………………………
(feel) so peaceful and relaxed.

Later that day, I visited a small town nearby and explored its shops and cafes. I
(8) …………………………(order) some local food. While I (9)
…………………………..(eat), I noticed that the sky was getting darker and the
wind was picking up. Suddenly, it (10)………………………(start) to rain heavily.
I decided to stay inside until the rain stopped.

The next day, I (11) ……………………….(wake) up early and decided to go for

another hike. This time, I (12) …………………………(bring) a friend with me.
We walked for hours and saw some amazing views. We even saw some deer
running. After the hike, we went to a hot spring and relaxed for a while. It was
the perfect way to end the trip.
Now, I (13)………………………….(be) back home and feeling refreshed. I (14)
……………………………..(plan) my next weekend getaway.

A finished action in the past

Habit in the present

An action now or around now

An action that happened before

another action in the past

An action that took place over some

time in the past

3- Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense and form

One weekend in 2021, I (1)………………………………(go) to the beach with my
family. We usually (2)…………………………(go) every year, but that time it (3)
………………………….(be) different because of COVID-19. We (4)
………………………..(have to) wear masks and practise social distancing, but it
was still fun.
On Saturday morning, while we (5)…………………….(walk) along the beach
and collecting shells, the waves (6)………………………….(crash) against the
shore and the seagulls (7)……………………………(fly) overhead. We even (8)
…………………………..(see) a couple of dolphins swimming in the distance.
After the walk, we went to a nearby restaurant and had some seafood for lunch.
In the afternoon, we rented some bikes and (9)…………………………..(ride)
along the boardwalk. It was so nice to feel the sun on our faces and the wind in
our hair. We (10)……………………………(stop) at a few shops and bought
some souvenirs.
That night, we had a bonfire on the beach. We roasted marshmallows and (11)
…………………….(tell) ghost stories. It was so peaceful to watch the stars and
listen to the waves.
On Sunday morning, we went for a swim in the ocean. The water was cold,
because it (12)……………………… (rain) the week before, but refreshing. We
played some beach volleyball and (13)…………………………….(build)
sandcastles.
Now, I am back at home and I (14)………………………….(miss) the beach. I
can´t wait to go back next year.
Find examples in the text, which express the following:
A finished action in the past

Habit in the present

An action now or around now

An action that happened before

another action in the past

An action that took place over some

time in the past

Fill in the correct form of the verb – All tenses

1. My family have ___________________ (buy) some land in southern France
recently. They
___________________ (build) a summer house there at the moment.
2. Andy and Mary ___________________ (go) to a concert tomorrow night.
They
____________________________ (look forward to) it the whole week.
3. Jonathon ___________________ (watch) the news on TV every day and it
___________________
(help) him with his English.
4. My car ___________________ (break) down when I ___________________
(drive) home from
work. I ________________________ (fix) it if I ___________________ (know)
what was wrong.
But I didn’t so ___________________ (have) to take it to the garage.
5. When he ___________________ (found) Microsoft, Bill Gates was only 20
years old. He
___________________________ (already write) his first computer programme
six years earlier.
6. An accident ___________________ (happen) near my house last night. A
car _______________
(hit) a young man. He ___________________ (ride) his bike when someone in
front of him
suddenly ___________________ (open) a car door. Many people
___________________ (see) the
accident. The police ___________________ (interrogate) them last night.
7. Mrs Smith said that one day she ________________________ (retire) from
teaching. She said that
she ___________________ (spend) her new free time learning about
computers.
8. I ______________________ (not sleep) at all last night. Someone
___________________ (listen)
to music all night.
9. I ___________________ (see) a film a week ago, but I
_______________________ (not enjoy) it
very much because I _______________________ (already read) the book. If I
___________________ (not read) the book I
____________________________ (probably enjoy)
the film more.
10. The judge sentenced the man to eight years in prison because he
___________________ (rob) a
bank.
11. They ________________________ (stand) in the queue for over an hour
when the manager
___________________ (tell) them that there were no more tickets.
12. Alan ___________________ (be) in the car accident yesterday. The other
driver
___________________ (lose) control of his car because he
___________________ (fall) asleep.
13. She ___________________ (not see) her father since he
___________________ (start) to work in
Marseille two years ago.
14. I ___________________ (sleep) when the fire broke out.
15. Linda phoned and explained that she _________________________ (not
can) to come to the party
the next day because she ___________________ (be) still sick.
16. I ________________________ (just see) the film “The Da Vinci Code”. –
___________________
(you see) it too? – No, I ___________________ (not have) but I
___________________ (read) the
book.
17. My sister ___________________ (fly) home from London today. Her flight
___________________
(arrive) in an hour so I ___________________ (leave) for the airport right now
to get there in time.
18. Unless he ___________________ (sell) more he won’t get much money.
19. While he ___________________ (wait) for the bus there
___________________ (be) a robbery at
the bank. After the robbers ___________________ (go) away the police
___________________
(come) but they ___________________ (not can) to catch them.
20. I ___________________ (use) to ski when I was at the university but I
___________________
(break) a leg five years ago and since then I ___________________ (not ski)
any more
KEY TO ALL TENSES EXERCISE

1. My family have bought (buy) some land in southern France recently. They are building
(build) a

summer house there at the moment.

2. Andy and Mary are going (go) to a concert tomorrow night. They have been looking forward
to

(look forward to) it the whole week.

3. Jonathon watches (watch) the news on TV every day and it helps (help) him with his English.

4. My car broke (break) down when I drove / was driving (drive) home from work. I would have

fixed (fix) it if I had known (know) what was wrong. But I didn’t so had (have) to take it to the

garage.

5. When he founded (found) Microsoft, Bill Gates was only 20 years old. He had already
written

(already write) his first computer programme six years earlier.

6. An accident happened (happen) near my house last night. A car hit (hit) a young man. He
was

riding (ride) his bike when someone in front of him suddenly opened (open) a car door. Many

people saw (see) the accident. The police interrogated (interrogate) them last night.

7. Mrs Smith said that one day she would retire (retire) from teaching. She said that she would
spend

(spend) her new free time learning about computers.

8. I did not sleep (not sleep) at all last night. Someone was listening (listen) to music all night.

9. I saw (see) a film a week ago, but I didn’t enjoy (not enjoy) it very much because I had
already

read (already read) the book. If I hadn’t read (not read) the book I would probably have
enjoyed

(probably enjoy) the film more.

10. The judge sentenced the man to eight years in prison because he had robbed (rob) a bank.

11. They had been standing (stand) in the queue for over an hour when the manager told (tell)
them

that there were no more tickets.

12. Alan was (be) in the car accident yesterday. The other driver lost (lose) control of his car
because

he had fallen (fall) asleep.

13. She has not seen (not see) her father since he started (start) to work in Marseille two years
ago.

14. I was sleeping (sleep) when the fire broke out.

15. Linda phoned and explained that she would not be able (not can) to come to the party the
next day

because she was (be) still sick.

16. I have just seen (just see) the film “The Da Vinci Code”. – Have you seen (you see) it too? –
No, I

haven’t (not have) but I read (read) the book.

17. My sister is flying (fly) home from London today. Her flight will arrive (arrive) in an hour so I
am

leaving (leave) for the airport right now to get there in time.

18. Unless he sells (sell) more he won’t get much money.

19. While he was waiting (wait) for the bus there was (be) a robbery at the bank. After the
robbers had

gone (go) away the police came (come) but they were not able (not can) to catch them.

20. I used (use) to ski when I was at the university but I broke (break) a leg five years ago and
since

then I have not skied (not ski) any more