Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one. Some sentences have two correct answers. Choose both.
1By the time the bus arrived, we had ............... for over an hour in the rain.
Wrong!
"Been waiting" is correct because it shows an activity continuing up to a past moment.
2She was exhausted because she had ............... all night before the exam.
Wrong!
"Been studying" is correct because it emphasizes duration before a past result.
3The ground was wet because it had ............... since early morning.
Wrong!
"Been raining" is correct because "since early morning" shows duration before a past situation.
4Before they moved to Madrid, they had ............... in Valencia for six years.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Lived" and "been living" are correct because both forms can describe a continuing situation before another past event.
5His hands were dirty because he had ............... on the car all afternoon.
Wrong!
"Been working" is correct because it explains a visible past result with an ongoing earlier activity.
6I ............... for twenty minutes when the manager finally called my name.
Wrong!
"Had been waiting" is correct because it gives duration before a later past action.
7They were out of breath because they had ............... to catch the last train.
Wrong!
"Been running" is correct because it shows an activity before a past result.
8When the lights went out, the children had ............... a film for nearly half an hour.
Wrong!
"Been watching" is correct because it marks an ongoing activity before another past event.
9By noon, the technicians had ............... on the network problem since 7 a.m.
Wrong!
"Been working" is correct because "since 7 a. m." signals duration before a past time.
10Her eyes were red because she had ............... before the interview.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Cried" and "been crying" are correct because both forms can explain the visible past effect.
11We had ............... about the budget for hours before we reached an agreement.
Wrong!
"Been arguing" is correct because it emphasizes a long activity continuing until a past outcome.
12He felt confident because he had ............... for the presentation all week.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Prepared" and "been preparing" are correct because both forms can describe activity over that period before a past feeling.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- By the time the bus arrived, we had been waiting for over an hour in the rain.
- She was exhausted because she had been studying all night before the exam.
- The ground was wet because it had been raining since early morning.
- Before they moved to Madrid, they had been living in Valencia for six years.
Before they moved to Madrid, they had lived in Valencia for six years. - His hands were dirty because he had been working on the car all afternoon.
- I had been waiting for twenty minutes when the manager finally called my name.
- They were out of breath because they had been running to catch the last train.
- When the lights went out, the children had been watching a film for nearly half an hour.
- By noon, the technicians had been working on the network problem since 7 a.m.
- Her eyes were red because she had cried before the interview.
Her eyes were red because she had been crying before the interview. - We had been arguing about the budget for hours before we reached an agreement.
- He felt confident because he had been preparing for the presentation all week.
He felt confident because he had prepared for the presentation all week.
