Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
1The film ............... by the time we reached our seats, and the opening scene was already over.
Wrong!
The opening scene was already over, so "had already started" shows that the film began before we reached our seats.
2By the time the firefighters arrived, the residents ............... the building, and no one was still inside.
Wrong!
The building was empty when the firefighters arrived, so "had all left" describes a completed earlier action.
3Priya ............... the report by 9 p.m., emailed the completed file, and switched off her computer.
Wrong!
Emailing the completed file shows that "had finished" happened before Priya switched off her computer.
4On their first school trip, the children were excited because they ............... in a hotel before.
Wrong!
The trip is a past reference point, so "had never stayed" describes the children's experience before it.
5When the bus finally arrived, Sara ............... in the rain for over an hour.
Wrong!
"Had been waiting" describes an activity continuing for over an hour until the bus arrived.
6By the time the payment was due, I ............... the invoice, so I called the company.
Wrong!
The invoice was still missing at a past deadline, so "hadn't received" refers to the period before that point.
7When the coach arrived, every room key ............... in advance, so the students could check in immediately.
Wrong!
The keys were ready before the coach arrived, so the passive form "had been prepared" is required.
8At the workshop, I opened my bag and realized that I ............... the wrong notebook.
Wrong!
Opening the bag and realizing the mistake happened after the earlier action expressed by "had brought".
9If we ............... the timetable before leaving, we would have found out about the cancelled train.
Wrong!
The result clause with "would have found" describes an unreal past situation, so the if-clause takes "had checked".
10I wish I ............... a copy of the document before the computer crashed; now I cannot recover it.
Wrong!
The speaker regrets an action not completed before the crash, so "had saved" follows "I wish".
11Daniel explained that he was late because he ............... the earlier bus.
Wrong!
Missing the earlier bus happened before Daniel explained why he was late, so "had missed" is correct.
12............... this booking system before you joined the hotel?
Wrong!
"Had you ever used" asks about experience before the past event of joining the hotel.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The film had already started by the time we reached our seats, and the opening scene was already over.
- By the time the firefighters arrived, the residents had all left the building, and no one was still inside.
- Priya had finished the report by 9 p.m., emailed the completed file, and switched off her computer.
- On their first school trip, the children were excited because they had never stayed in a hotel before.
- When the bus finally arrived, Sara had been waiting in the rain for over an hour.
- By the time the payment was due, I hadn’t received the invoice, so I called the company.
- When the coach arrived, every room key had been prepared in advance, so the students could check in immediately.
- At the workshop, I opened my bag and realized that I had brought the wrong notebook.
- If we had checked the timetable before leaving, we would have found out about the cancelled train.
- I wish I had saved a copy of the document before the computer crashed; now I cannot recover it.
- Daniel explained that he was late because he had missed the earlier bus.
- Had you ever used this booking system before you joined the hotel?