Past Tense Exercise: Test your English Skills

1. Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?

By the time I arrived, they have already finished dinner.
By the time I arrived, they were already finishing dinner.
By the time I arrived, they finished dinner.
By the time I arrived, they had already finished dinner.

2. Choose the sentence in the past continuous tense.

I was working on the report when the power went out.
I worked on the report when the power went out.
I had worked on the report when the power went out.
I am working on the report when the power went out.

3. Identify the sentence in the past perfect continuous tense.

She had been studying for hours before the test started.
She studied for hours before the test started.
She was studying for hours before the test started.
She had studied for hours before the test started.

4. Which sentence uses the past simple tense?

He hadn’t seen the movie before he watched it last night.
He didn’t see the movie before he watched it last night.
He had seen the movie before he watched it last night.
He saw the movie before he watched it last night.

5. Choose the correct sentence in past perfect tense.

By the time I got to the station, the train had already left.
By the time I got to the station, the train left.
By the time I got to the station, the train was leaving.
By the time I got to the station, the train has left.

6. Which sentence is in the past continuous tense?

I was cooking when the phone rang.
I cooked when the phone rang.
I have cooked when the phone rang.
I had cooked when the phone rang.

7. Select the sentence in past perfect continuous tense.

They had been arguing for hours before they decided to stop.
They argued for hours before they decided to stop.
They were arguing for hours before they decided to stop.
They have argued for hours before they decided to stop.

8. Which of the following sentences is in past simple tense?

I had walked to the store before it started raining.
I was walking to the store before it started raining.
I walked to the store before it started raining.
I have walked to the store before it started raining.

9. Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?

By the time I arrived, they had already eaten.
By the time I arrived, they were already eating.
By the time I arrived, they have already eaten.
By the time I arrived, they ate already.

10. Choose the correct sentence in past continuous tense.

She was writing an email when I called her.
She writes an email when I called her.
She had written an email when I called her.
She wrote an email when I called her.

11. Which sentence is in the past perfect tense?

I had been watching the movie when the lights went out.
I was watching the movie when the lights went out.
I watched the movie when the lights went out.
I had watched the movie when the lights went out.

12. What is the correct verb form? “By the time we got there, they __________ (finish) their work.”

had finished
finished
were finishing
have finished

13. Identify the correct sentence in the past perfect continuous tense.

He had been working all day when he got the news.
He worked all day when he got the news.
He had worked all day when he got the news.
He was working all day when he got the news.

14. Choose the sentence that is in past simple tense.

We had been waiting for hours when the bus finally arrived.
We were waiting for hours when the bus finally arrived.
We waited for hours when the bus finally arrived.
We had waited for hours when the bus finally arrived.

15. Which sentence uses the past continuous tense?

I was reading a book when my friend called.
I read a book when my friend called.
I had read a book when my friend called.
I am reading a book when my friend called.

16. Which sentence is in the past perfect tense?

After she had finished her dinner, she went to bed.
After she finished her dinner, she went to bed.
After she finishes her dinner, she went to bed.
After she was finishing her dinner, she went to bed.

17. What is the correct form of the verb? “I __________ (never/see) such a beautiful sunset before.”

had never seen
never saw
never see
have never seen

18. Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect continuous tense?

We had been traveling for hours before we found a place to stay.
We traveled for hours before we found a place to stay.
We have been traveling for hours before we found a place to stay.
We were traveling for hours before we found a place to stay.

19. Choose the correct sentence in the past perfect tense.

She had already left when I called her.
She already left when I called her.
She was already leaving when I called her.
She had been leaving when I called her.

20. Which sentence is in the past continuous tense?

They were playing basketball when I arrived.
They played basketball when I arrived.
They had played basketball when I arrived.
They are playing basketball when I arrived.

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