EXERCISES
Exercise 1: Complete the text below with the appropriate tenses
Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela__________ (call). She said
she (call) __________ me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at
UCLA. I asked her if she (wait) __________ for class, but she said that the
professor was at the front of the hall lecturing while she (talk) to me. I
couldn't believe she (make) __________ a phone call during the lecture. I
asked what was going on.
She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students
(sleep, actually) __________ in class. Some of the students
(talk) __________ about their plans for the weekend and the student next to
her (draw) __________ a picture of a horse. When Angela (tell) __________ me
she was not satisfied with the class, I __________ (mention) that my biology
professor was quite good and __________ (suggest) that she switch to my
class.
While we were talking, I__________ (hear) her professor yell, "Miss, are you
making a phone call?" Suddenly, the line went dead. I__________ (hang) up
the phone and went to the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut)
__________ vegetables for a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be)
__________ Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in class.
Exercise 2:
1. The lights ___________________ out as we ___________________ the plans
for the wedding. (go, discuss)
2. I ___________________ on a road in the mountains when I
___________________ out of petrol. (drive, run)
3. "What ___________________ between 5 and 7 yesterday afternoon? (you
do) - I ___________________ in the red lion pub with a lot of other people.
(sit)
4. The singer ___________________ his best hits while the fans
___________________ over the fence. (sing, climb)
5. While the woman ___________________ into the bus, the driver suddenly
___________________ (get, move)
6. When ___________________ that the train ___________________ in the
opposite direction? (you realise, go)
7. That's terrible! A four-year old boy ___________________ from a bridge
while he ___________________ after his dog. (fall, run)
8. This morning while I ___________________ past the supermarket I
___________________ something strange hanging from the roof. (walk,
notice)
9. We ___________________ out because it ___________________ (not go,
rain)
10. When Betty, Ann and Jane ___________________, we
___________________ a cup of tea (arrive, just have)
11. The weather was bad as I ___________________ in a queue for the
cinema - it ___________________ heavily and a cold wind
___________________ (stand, rain, blow)
12. They ___________________ in the fields when they
___________________ a UFO flying over their heads (play, see)
13. The earthquake ___________________ the region at three in the
morning. Many inhabitants ___________________ in their houses. (hit,
sleep)
14. When they ___________________ the car two years ago a doctor
___________________ it (buy, own)
15. Linda and John ___________________ the car when it
___________________ to rain. They ___________________ everything away
and ___________________ into the house where their mother
___________________ cookies. (wash, start, put, run, just make)
16. I haven't seen Andy for ages. When I last ___________________ him
he ___________________ for a job somewhere in London. (meet, look)
17. Yesterday when I ___________________ home from school, a man
___________________ out on the road. Luckily I ___________________ very
fast, so I managed to stop in time and ___________________ him. (cycle,
step, not go, not hit)
18. ___________________ Carol at the party last night? – Yes, she
___________________ that wonderful dress she ___________________ in
Paris. (you meet, wear, buy)
19. The car ___________________ strange noises all the way home.
(make)
20. Simon ___________________ an ice cream and then he
___________________ home (buy, go)
Exercise 3:
1. A: What (you, do) ___________________ when the accident occurred? B: I
(try) ___________________ to change a light bulb that had burnt out.
2. After I (find) ___________________ the wallet full of money, I (go,
immediately) ___________________ to the police and (turn)
___________________ it in.
3. The doctor (say) ___________________ that Tom (be) _______________ too
sick to go to work and that he (need) ___________________ to stay at
home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive) ___________________ at Susan's house a little before
9:00 PM, but she (be, not) ___________________ there. She (study, at the
library) ___________________ for her final examination in French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday,
she (watch, also) ___________________ television. That's all she ever
does!
6. A: I (call) ___________________ you last night after dinner, but you (be,
not) ___________________ there. Where were you? B: I (work)
___________________ out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk) ___________________ into the busy office, the secretary
(talk) ___________________ on the phone with a customer, several clerks
(work, busily) ___________________ at their desks, and two managers
(discuss, quietly) ___________________ methods to improve customer
service.
8. I (watch) ___________________ a mystery movie on TV when the
electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie
ends.
9. Sharon (be) ___________________ in the room when John told me what
happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not)
___________________.
10. It's strange that you (call) ___________________ because I (think,
just) ___________________ about you.
11. The Titanic (cross) ___________________ the Atlantic when it (strike)
___________________ an iceberg.
12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain,
busily) ___________________ and (try) ___________________ to sell their
goods to naive tourists who (hunt) ___________________ for souvenirs.
Some young boys (lead) ___________________ their donkeys through the
narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)
___________________ over the price of a leather belt. I (walk)
___________________ over to a man who (sell) ___________________ fruit
and (buy) ___________________ a banana.
13. The firemen (rescue) ___________________ the old woman who (be)
___________________ trapped on the third floor of the burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) ___________________ her
dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually)
___________________ me to do them for her.
15. Samantha (live) ___________________ in Berlin for more than two
years. In fact, she (live) ___________________ there when the Berlin Wall
came down.
Exercise 4:
George ________________________ (fall) off the ladder while he
________________________ (paint) the ceiling.
Last night I ________________________ (read) in the bed when I suddenly
________________________ (hear) a scream.
________________________ you ________________________ (watch) TV when I
________________________ (call) you?
Ann ________________________ (wait) for me when I ________________________
(arrive).
I ________________________ (not drive) very fast when the accident
________________________ (happen).
I ________________________ (break) a plate last night. I
________________________ (wash) the dishes when it ________________________
(slip) out of my hand.
Tom ________________________ (take) some photos when I
________________________ (play) in the garden.
We ________________________ (not go) out because it
________________________ (rain).
What ________________________ (you do) last week?
I ________________________ (see) Carol at the party. She
________________________ (wear) a new dress.
The cell phone ________________________ (ring) when I
________________________ (take) a shower.
It ________________________ (begin) to rain when I ________________________
(walk) home.
We ________________________ (see) an accident when we
________________________ (wait) for the bus.
The children ________________________ (sleep) all night.
The car ________________________ (make) strange noises all the way home.
Exercise 5: Write an essay about an experience you had in a place you
visited. (100–150 words).
