Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1I ............... through the station when my phone rang with the news about the cancelled train.
Wrong!
Use "was walking" for an action in progress when the phone rang.
2By the time I reached the platform, the last train ..............., and the platform was empty.
Wrong!
Use "had already left" because the train left before I reached the platform.
3Maya ............... dinner when the power suddenly went out, so the half-chopped vegetables were still on the counter.
Wrong!
Use "was cooking" for an action in progress when the power went out.
4Maya ............... dinner before the guests arrived, so she had time to set the table calmly.
Wrong!
Use "had cooked" because the dinner was complete before the guests arrived.
5It ............... heavily as they drove home along the dark coastal road.
Wrong!
Use "was raining" for the continuing background situation during the drive.
6By seven o'clock, the streets were shining because it ............... all afternoon.
Wrong!
Use "had been raining" for an earlier continuing action with a visible later result.
7By the time her manager asked her to add one final section, Sara ............... the report to the client.
Wrong!
Use "had already submitted" because the report was complete before the manager asked for changes.
8Sara ............... the final paragraph when her manager interrupted her mid-sentence.
Wrong!
Use "was writing" for an action in progress when her manager interrupted her.
9The passengers ............... the plane when the announcement stopped them and sent everyone back to the gate.
Wrong!
Use "were boarding" for an action in progress when the announcement stopped it.
10By the time they finally boarded the plane, the passengers ............... for nearly two hours.
Wrong!
Use "had been waiting" for an action that continued up to a later past moment.
11When I visited the neighbourhood again, the café ............... to a larger building across the square and was already serving customers there.
Wrong!
Use "had moved" because the move was complete before the later visit.
12Nina ............... her suitcase when she found the letter under a pile of shirts she was folding.
Wrong!
Use "was packing" for an action in progress when Nina found the letter.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- I was walking through the station when my phone rang with the news about the cancelled train.
- By the time I reached the platform, the last train had already left, and the platform was empty.
- Maya was cooking dinner when the power suddenly went out, so the half-chopped vegetables were still on the counter.
- Maya had cooked dinner before the guests arrived, so she had time to set the table calmly.
- It was raining heavily as they drove home along the dark coastal road.
- By seven o’clock, the streets were shining because it had been raining all afternoon.
- By the time her manager asked her to add one final section, Sara had already submitted the report to the client.
- Sara was writing the final paragraph when her manager interrupted her mid-sentence.
- The passengers were boarding the plane when the announcement stopped them and sent everyone back to the gate.
- By the time they finally boarded the plane, the passengers had been waiting for nearly two hours.
- When I visited the neighbourhood again, the café had moved to a larger building across the square and was already serving customers there.
- Nina was packing her suitcase when she found the letter under a pile of shirts she was folding.