Complete the following sentences using an appropriate tense form.
1Suddenly we noticed that the clock ...............
Wrong!
Use "had stopped" because the clock stopped before we noticed it.
2I never thought that I ............... see him again.
Wrong!
Use "would" for future-in-the-past after the past verb "thought".
3The woman led me to her hut and ............... me to remain there for the night.
Wrong!
Use "told" to keep the second action in the same past sequence as "led".
4We ............... higher so that we might get a better view of the procession.
Wrong!
Use "climbed" for the completed past action before the purpose clause with "might".
5Euclid proved that the three angles of a triangle ............... equal to two right angles.
Wrong!
Use "are" because the clause states a general mathematical truth.
6I will nurse him so that he ............... live.
Wrong!
Use "may" to express purpose after the future main clause "will nurse".
7I will call you when I ...............
Wrong!
Use "arrive" because future time clauses with "when" normally take the present simple.
8He went to the city so that he ............... find work.
Wrong!
Use "might" to express purpose after the past main verb "went".
9Wherever he preached, people ............... to listen.
Wrong!
Use "gathered" to match the past-time habit described by "preached".
10The thieves stole whatever they ............... find in the house.
Wrong!
Use "could" after the past verb "stole" to show past ability or opportunity.
11He came more often than we ............... him to.
Wrong!
Use "expected" to match the past comparison with "came".
12He stayed at home because he ............... feeling ill.
Wrong!
Use "was" because the reason belongs to the same past-time situation as "stayed".
Answers
- Suddenly we noticed that the clock had stopped.
- I never thought that I would see him again.
- The woman led me to her hut and told me to remain there for the night.
- We climbed higher so that we might get a better view of the procession.
- Euclid proved that the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles.
- I will nurse him so that he may live.
- I will call you when I arrive.
- He went to the city so that he might find work.
- Wherever he preached, people gathered to listen.
- The thieves stole whatever they could find in the house.
- He came more often than we expected him to.
- He stayed at home because he was feeling ill.