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Mixed Tenses Exercises PDFSet 2: Past Tenses Mixed

20 questions·12 min·Answers included·Explanations included

Preview: Questions

Fill in the blank with the correct option.

1.I ___ to the cinema last night.

a) wentb) was goingc) had goned) had been going

2.While she ___ dinner, the phone rang.

a) cookedb) was cookingc) had cookedd) had been cooking

3.By the time we arrived, the movie ___.

a) startedb) was startingc) had been startingd) had started

4.They ___ for three hours before they took a break.

a) walkedb) were walkingc) had walkedd) had been walking

5.What ___ you ___ at 8 o'clock yesterday evening?

a) were ... doingb) did ... doc) had ... doned) had ... been doing

... and 15 more questions in the PDF

Preview: Answers

1.went

2.was cooking

3.had started

4.had been walking

5.were ... doing

... and 15 more answers in the PDF

Preview: Explanations

1."went"(a)

Use Past Simple for completed actions at a specific time in the past. 'Last night' indicates a finished time.

2."was cooking"(b)

Use Past Continuous for a longer action that was interrupted by a shorter action (the phone rang).

3."had started"(d)

Use Past Perfect for an action that happened before another past action. The movie started before we arrived.

4."had been walking"(d)

Use Past Perfect Continuous to emphasize the duration of an action that happened before another past action.

5."were ... doing"(a)

Use Past Continuous to ask about an action in progress at a specific time in the past.

... and 15 more explanations in the PDF

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