8. Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect

Test 1

Choose the right variant:

1. It … bitterly cold yesterday.

a) was b) were d) had d) did

2. We … a picnic yesterday, but the rain … the whole pleasure.

a) had, spoil b) had, spoiled c) had, did spoil d) didn’t have, spoiled

3. Now my brother smokes a lot, but he … smoke before.

a) don’t b) doesn’t c) – d) didn’t

4. I … you the other day coming out of the library with some books.

a) see b) did see c) saw d) didn’t saw

5. When … he … ?

a) did, arrived b) did, arrive c) -, arrive d) -, arrived

6. What sights …you … when you … in Egypt?

a) saw, were b) did see, did be c) did see, was d) did see, were

7. I was walking quickly because I … cold.

a) felt b) feel c) fall d) fell

8. As soon as the bus …, Jill … .

a) stopped, got off b) stopped, get off c) stop, got off d) stop, get off

9. Julius Caesar … the Tower of London.

a) found b) founded c) find d) finded

10. They … to the station as they … late.

a) hurry, are b) hurried, was c) hurryed, were d) hurried, were

Test 2

Choose the right variant:

1. I … upstairs when the accident … .

1. worked, happened b) was working, happened

2. worked, was happening d) was working, was happening

2. He … the book and … reading.

1. opened, started b) was opening, started

c) opened, was starting d) was opening, was starting

3. We … the film, when suddenly the electricity … off.

1. enjoyed, went b) were enjoying, went

c) enjoyed, was going d) were enjoying, was going

4. When she … the news, she … crying.

1. heard, began b) was hearing, began

2. heard, was beginning d) was hearing, was beginning

5. While I … to Jill, I … that her husband was in hospital.

1. spoke, learned b) was speaking, learned

c) spoke, was learning d) was speaking, was learning

6. He … that someone … him.

1. felt, watched b) was feeling, watched

c) felt, was watching d) was feeling, was watching

7. When Ruth … of the window she … that it still … .

1. looked out, saw, snowed b) was looking out, saw, snowed

c) looked out, saw, was snowing d) looked out, was seeing, was snowing

8. We … the camp and … towards the mountains.

1. left, went b) was leaving, went

c) left, were going d) were leaving, were going

9. I … an umbrella because it … hard.

a) was taking, was raining b) was taking, rained

c) took, was raining d) took, rained

10. It was a cold winter night. It … hard and I … to get back home quickly.

a) was snowing, was wanting b) was snowing, I wanted

c) snowed, was wanting d) snowed, wanted

Test 3

Choose the right variant:

1. After the meeting I … a terrible headache.

a) had b) was having

2. We … tennis from 2 till 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

a) played b) were playing

3. When I saw her that day she … a stylish yellow hat.

a) wore b) was wearing

4. Where … you … for holidays last year?

a) did … go b) were … going

5. Yesterday Nick … his eighteenth birthday.

a) celebrated b) was celebrating

6. One hot, sunny day in July, at about 5 p.m. we … on the terrace drinking tea.

a) sat b) were sitting

7. A terrible wind … our mountain-tent to pieces.

a) tore b) was tearing

8. We … any survival equipment with us.

a) didn’t take b) were not taking

9. When … you … there?

a) did … stay b) were … staying

10. It was a warm autumn day. We … along the country road.

a) walked b) were walking

Test 4

Choose the right variant:

1. During my holiday I … swimming every day.

a) went b) was going

2. They ... such machines ten years ago.

a) produced b) were producing

3. What … you … at the weekend?

a) did … do b) were … doing

4. A few minutes later we … along the road in the direction of Overton.

a) rode b) were riding

5. At about 4 o’clock in the morning I … some distant noise.

a) heard b) was hearing

6. He … about his trip when I came into the room.

a) told b) was telling

7. I could hear that somebody … in the next room.

a) whispered b) was whispering

8. We … to go for a swim, but the weather was awful.

a) wanted b) were wanting

9. At the University I … Economics and Finance.

a) studied b) was studying

10. During the performance the lights on the stage suddenly … .

a) went off b) were going off

Test 5

Choose the right variant:

1. I … over the phone when they brought me a letter.

a) talked b) had talked c) was talking

2. He forgot everything he … at school.

a) learnt b) had learned c) was learning

3. They … in the room when the taxi arrived.

a) sat b) had sat c) were sitting

4. First I … the phone and then I read your letter.

a) answered b) had answered c) was answering

5. And I began writing to you instead of going to the seaside, as I … before.

a) planned b) had planned c) was planning

6. She visited Brazil in April. She … at a nice hotel for a fortnight.

a) stayed b) had stayed c) was staying

7. The lights went off and the orchestra … playing.

a) started b) had started c) was starting

8. Jane … a dark-blue suit when she came for the interview.

a) wore b) had worn c) was wearing

9. By 6 o’ clock the conference … .

a) finished b) had finished c) was finishing

10. It … heavily all week long.

a) rained b) had rained c) was raining