THE PAST TENSE - Questions & Answers
A Complete these sentences with the simple past or the past continuous forms of the verbs in brackets.
- Shakespeare wrote (write) about thirty-seven plays during his lifetime.
- Tambra was packing (pack) her bag in a hurry as she was already getting (get) late.
- We were travelling (travel) at this hour yesterday.
- As I was driving (drive) my car, I saw (see) Priya outside a bookshop.
- Gulshan was sleeping (sleep) the whole day as he wasn't well.
- She was forever losing (lose) her things.
- Ramya was having (have) her breakfast when her father came (come) back home from his night shift.
- I hurt (hurt) my ankle while I was walking (walk) home from school.
B Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form - the simple past or the past perfect.
- Mihir had read (read) the first hundred pages of the novel before he lost (lose) it.
- I had never seen (never, see) him so sad before. Smile seemed (seem) to have deserted his face forever.
- When Divya called (call) me, I had just woken (wake) up.
- I had just turned (just, turn) off the lights when I heard (hear) a loud noise downstairs.
- I spoke (speak) with Arun after a long time yesterday.
- To be honest, I had not heard (not, hear) about the book before.
- We had driven (drive) for fifty kilometres when I realized (realize) that I had left (leave) the main door open.
- We had already dispatched (already, dispatch) the letter by the time we get (get) your message.
C Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form - past perfect or past perfect continuous.
- Tulika had been studying (study) since morning, so she took a break.
- She had been telling (tell) lies all along, but no one could tell!
- I had made (make) up my mind about my career before I graduated.
- None of us had been (be) to that place before. So, we were excited.
- I had always thought (always, think) you were my true friend, but I was wrong.
- Parul had been trying (try) to reach you all day. Where were you?
D Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form - present perfect or simple past. Identify the cases where either of the two can be used.
- The team scored/has scored (score) most runs in the last ten overs. (Note: Either can be used depending on whether the match is finished or ongoing).
- Did she meet (meet) you when she was in Kolkata?
- He has never been (never, be) honest with me.
- Have you had (have) your lunch?
- Have you faced (face) any problems so far?
- Did you have (have) your dinner on time last night?
- They have always supported (always, support) us, so I don't see why they won't now.
- I slept (sleep) early last night as I was slightly unwell.
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Quick Review Flashcards - Click to flip and test your knowledge!
Question
What is the grammatical form for statements in the simple past tense?
Answer
Subject + past tense form of the verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for most negative sentences in the simple past tense?
Answer
Subject + did + not + base form of the verb.
Question
How do we form negative sentences in the simple past tense with the verb 'be'?
Answer
By adding 'not' after 'was' or 'were' (e.g., was not/wasn't, were not/weren't).
Question
What is the grammatical form for questions in the simple past tense (excluding the verb 'be')?
Answer
Did + subject + base form of the verb.
Question
How are questions in the simple past tense formed when using the verb 'be'?
Answer
The verb 'was' or 'were' comes before the subject.
Question
For what type of past action, which is complete at the time of speaking, is the simple past tense used?
Answer
An action that happened and was completed in the past.
Question
What is the second main use of the simple past tense, besides completed actions?
Answer
To talk about habitual past actions.
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct simple past verb form: She _____ (jog) for an hour every morning.
Answer
jogged
Question
What is the grammatical form for statements in the past continuous tense?
Answer
Subject + was/were + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for negative sentences in the past continuous tense?
Answer
Subject + was/were + not + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for interrogative sentences in the past continuous tense?
Answer
Was/Were + subject + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
The past continuous tense is used to show that an action was ongoing at some point in the past, where the exact _____ may or may not be indicated.
Answer
time
Question
Which tense is used for an action that was in progress when another, shorter action took place?
Answer
The past continuous tense.
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct past continuous verb form: When I saw her, she _____ (cross) the road.
Answer
was crossing
Question
Which adverb is often used with the past continuous tense to describe persistent, and often annoying, past habits?
Answer
always
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct past continuous verb form: He _____ (always, pick) up a fight.
Answer
was always picking
Question
What is the grammatical form for statements in the past perfect tense?
Answer
Subject + had + past participle of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for negative sentences in the past perfect tense?
Answer
Subject + had + not + past participle of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for questions in the past perfect tense?
Answer
Had + subject + past participle of the main verb.
Question
When describing two related actions in the past, for which action is the past perfect tense used?
Answer
For the action that happened earlier.
Question
In a sentence with two past actions, one in past perfect and one in simple past, which action happened first?
Answer
The action in the past perfect tense.
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct past perfect verb form: When Shalu reached home, her aunt _____ (leave).
Answer
had left
Question
What is the grammatical form for statements in the past perfect continuous tense?
Answer
Subject + had + been + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for negative sentences in the past perfect continuous tense?
Answer
Subject + had + not + been + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
What is the grammatical form for questions in the past perfect continuous tense?
Answer
Had + subject + been + -ing form of the main verb.
Question
The past perfect continuous tense is used to talk of an action that started before a point of time in the past and _____ up to another time in the past.
Answer
continued
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct past perfect continuous verb form: Sanju _____ (work) in Bengaluru for two years when he met Anya.
Answer
had been working
Question
Which tense should be used if a definite past time is given for an action?
Answer
The simple past tense.
Question
The present perfect can be used when we talk of a period of time that is still _____.
Answer
going on
Question
Why is 'The captain has been injured twice this year' in the present perfect tense?
Answer
Because the year is not yet over, so the period of time is still ongoing.
Question
Complete with the simple past: Shakespeare _____ (write) about thirty-seven plays during his lifetime.
Answer
wrote
Question
Complete with the correct past tense: We _____ (travel) at this hour yesterday.
Answer
were travelling
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: As I _____ (drive) my car, I _____ (see) Priya outside a bookshop.
Answer
was driving, saw
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: Ramya _____ (have) her breakfast when her father _____ (come) back home from his night shift.
Answer
was having, came
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: I _____ (hurt) my ankle while I _____ (walk) home from school.
Answer
hurt, was walking
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: Mihir _____ (read) the first hundred pages of the novel before he _____ (lose) it.
Answer
had read, lost
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: When Divya _____ (call) me, I _____ (just, wake) up.
Answer
called, had just woken
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: I _____ (just, turn) off the lights when I _____ (hear) a loud noise downstairs.
Answer
had just turned, heard
Question
Complete with the correct past tenses: We _____ (drive) for fifty kilometres when I _____ (realize) that I _____ (leave) the main door open.
Answer
had driven, realized, had left
Question
Complete with the correct past tense: We _____ (already, dispatch) the letter by the time we _____ (get) your message.
Answer
had already dispatched, got
Question
Complete with the correct tense: Tulika _____ (study) since morning, so she took a break.
Answer
had been studying
Question
Complete with the correct tense: She _____ (tell) lies all along, but no one could tell!
Answer
had been telling
Question
Complete with the correct tense: I _____ (always, think) you were my true friend, but I was wrong.
Answer
had always thought
Question
Complete with the correct tense: Parul _____ (try) to reach you all day. Where were you?
Answer
had been trying
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: The team _____ (score) most runs in the last ten overs.
Answer
has scored
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: When _____ she _____ (meet) you when she was in Kolkata?
Answer
did, meet
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: He _____ (never, be) honest with me.
Answer
has never been
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: When _____ you _____ (have) your dinner on time last night?
Answer
did, have
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: They _____ (always, support) us, so I don't see why they won't now.
Answer
have always supported
Question
Complete with simple past or present perfect: I _____ (sleep) early last night as I was slightly unwell.
Answer
slept