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Story Opening Language Exercise

July 21, 2026 B1pdf

Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.

Progress 0 of 12 answered
1..............., in a small village near the sea, there lived a girl who could talk to birds.
Wrong!
Use "Once upon a time" to begin a traditional or fairy-tale style story.
2..............., Leo found a strange key under the old library steps.
Wrong!
Use "One day" to introduce a particular event at the start of a story.
3............... my brother missed the last bus home.
Wrong!
Use "It all began when" to show the event that started the story.
4The morning was quiet, and the streets were empty. ............... the phone rang in the kitchen.
Wrong!
Use "Then" to move from the opening situation to the next event in a story.
5Maya was reading by the fire when ............... a loud crash came from upstairs.
Wrong!
Use "Suddenly" when something happens quickly and unexpectedly in a story.
6Tom ............... through the forest when he heard someone call his name.
Wrong!
Use "was walking" for a background action that was in progress when another past event happened.
7Before that night, I ............... the moon shine so brightly.
Wrong!
Use "had never seen" for something that was true before another past moment.
8The café looked ordinary from the outside. ..............., a strange music was coming from the basement.
Wrong!
Use "However" to show a contrast between the normal café and the strange event.
9At the edge of town lived a young man ............... dreamed of building a flying machine.
Wrong!
Use "who" to add information about a person.
10Near the river stood an old house ............... strange lights appeared every winter.
Wrong!
Use "where" to describe a place in a story setting.
11When Anna opened the gate, she saw a stranger ............... beside her bicycle.
Wrong!
After "saw" with an object, use "standing" to describe what the person was doing at that moment.
12..............., I did not understand why the letter had no name on it.
Wrong!
Use "Looking back" when the narrator comments on a past event from a later time.

Exercise complete

0/ out of 12 correct answers
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Answers

  1. Once upon a time , in a small village near the sea, there lived a girl who could talk to birds.
  2. One day , Leo found a strange key under the old library steps.
  3. It all began when my brother missed the last bus home.
  4. The morning was quiet, and the streets were empty. Then the phone rang in the kitchen.
  5. Maya was reading by the fire when Suddenly a loud crash came from upstairs.
  6. Tom was walking through the forest when he heard someone call his name.
  7. Before that night, I had never seen the moon shine so brightly.
  8. The café looked ordinary from the outside. However , a strange music was coming from the basement.
  9. At the edge of town lived a young man who dreamed of building a flying machine.
  10. Near the river stood an old house where strange lights appeared every winter.
  11. When Anna opened the gate, she saw a stranger standing beside her bicycle.
  12. Looking back , I did not understand why the letter had no name on it.

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