Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or past continuous tense. Then click on the key sheet to check your answers.
1. Mr Smith never (wake)_________ in time in the mornings and always (get)_______ into trouble for being late; so one day he (go)________ to town and (buy)________ an alarm clock.
2. To get home he (have to)_________ go through a field where a bad-tempered bull usually (graze)___________.
3. This bull normally (not chase)_________ people unless something (make)_________ him angry. Unfortunately, as Mr. Smith (cross)_________ the field, his alarm clock (go)_________ off.
4. This (annoy)___________ the bull, who immediately (begin)_______________ to chase Mr Smith.
5. Mr Smith (carry)_________ an open umbrella as it (rain)_________ slightly. He (throw)___________ the umbrella to the ground and (run)_________ away as fast as he could.
6. The bull (stop)_________ and (begin)__________ to attack the umbrella. While he (do)__________ this Mr Smith escaped.
7. When he (awake)___________ she (sit)___________ on the window. She (look) ___________ at something in the street, but when he (call)__________ her she (turn)__________ and (smile)_____________ at him.
8. Why you (interrupt)___________ me just now? I (have)___________ a very interesting conversation with Mr Pitt.
9. The murderer (carry)___________ the corpse down the stairs when he (hear) _________ a knock on the door.
10. When I (look)___________ through your books I (notice)___________ that you have a copy of Murder in the Cathedral.
11. As they (walk)__________ along the road they (hear)____________ a car coming from behind them. Tom (turn)___________ round and (hold)__________ up his hand. The car (stop)___________.
12. When I (arrive)___________ at the station Mary (wait)__________ for me. She (wear)__________ a blue dress and (look)___________ very pretty. As soon as she (see)___________ me she (wave)____________ her umbrella and (shout)___________ something, but I couldn't hear what she (say)_____________because everybody (make) _____________such a noise.
13. The prisoner (escape)___________ by climbing the wall on the garden where he (work)____________. He (wear)______________ blue overalls and black shoes.
14. She said that the car (travel)____________ at 40 k.p.h. when it (begin)__________ to skid.
15. She said that she (not like)____________ her present flat and (try)__________ to find another.
16. While he (make)____________ his speech the minister suddenly (feel)__________ faint. But someone (bring)___________ him a glass of water and after a few minutes he (be able)____________ to continue.
17. When I (see)___________ him he (paint)____________ a portrait of his wife.You (like)____________ it? He only just (start)____________ when I (see)___________ it, so I couldn't judge.
18. I (take)____________ my friend to a murder trial the other day. Who (be)________ tried? A man called Bill Sykes. Was he acquitted? I don't know. They still (listen) _____________to the evidence when we (leave)_____________.
19. I (be)____________ sorry that I (have to)_____________ leave the party early, because I (enjoy)_______________ myself.
20. As we (come)____________ here a policeman (stop)___________ us. He (say)___________ that he (look)___________ for some stolen property and (ask)___________ if he could search the car.
21. I (see)___________ you yesterday from the bus. Why you (use)___________ a stick? I (use)___________ a stick because I had hurt my leg that morning falling off a horse. Whose horse you (ride)___________?
22. The floor was covered with balls of wool. Obviously Mrs Pitt (knit)___________ something.
23. Ann said that she (be)___________ on holiday. I (say)___________ that I (hope)___________ that she (enjoy)___________ herself.
24. While he (water)___________ the flowers it (begin)___________ to rain. He (put)___________ up his umbrella and (go)___________ on watering.
25. I just (write)___________ a cheque when I (remember)___________ that I (have) ___________nothing in the bank.
26. I (find)___________ this ring as I (dig)___________ in the garden. It looks very old. I wonder who it (belong)___________ to?
27. When I last (see)___________ her she (hurry)___________ along the road to the station. I (ask)___________ her where she (go)___________ and she (say)___________, "London", but I don't think she (speak)___________ the truth because there (not be)___________ any train for London at that time.
28. The tailor said, "Your suit will be ready on Monday". But when I (call)___________ on Monday he still (work)___________ on it.
29. The teacher (come)___________ into the classroom unusually early and one of the boys, who (smoke)___________ a cigarette, (have)___________ no time to put it out. So he (throw)___________ it into his desk and (hope)___________ for the best.
30. A little later the teacher (notice)___________ that smoke (rise)___________ from this desk. You (smoke)___________ when I (come)___________ in? he (ask)___________.
1. woke/got (was getting)/went/bought
2. had/grazed/was grazing
3. did not chase/made/was crossing/went
4. annoyed/began
5. was carrying/was raining/threw/ran
6. stopped/began/was doing
7. awoke/was sitting/was looking/called/turned/smiled
8. did interrupt/was having
9. was carrying/heard
10. was looking/noticed
11. Was walking (walked)/heard/turned/held/stopped
12. arrived/was waiting/was wearing/looked (was looking)/saw/waved/shouted/was saying (said)/was making
13. escaped/was working/was wearing
14. was travelling/began
15. did not like/was trying
16. was making/felt/brought/was able to
17. saw/was painting/did like/was starting/saw
18. took/was being/were listening/left (were leaving)
19. was/had/was enjoying
20. were coming/stopped/said/was looking/asked
21. saw/were using/was using/were riding
22. was knitting
23. was/said/hoped/was enjoying
24. was watering/began/put/went
25. was writing/remembered/had
26. found/was digging/belonged
27. saw/was hurrying/asked/was going/said/was speaking/was not
28. called/was working
29. came/was smoking/had/threw/hoped
30. noticed/was rising/were smoking/came/asked