Unit 17. War and Peace
Grammar
Past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past
perfect continuous tense
[FOR MORE
DETAILS SEE UNIT 13]
|
Simple
past S +
V2 + O |
With
the time adverbials: Ago,
yesterday, last, those days, ancient, last + time…. In +
past time….. |
Anju
passed the test in June. She
met me yesterday. I
bought it last week. He
got married in 1960. |
|
Narrative
in stories |
Once
upon a time, there was a king. |
|
|
Past
habits |
She
often ate Daal and Roti in India. |
|
|
Past
continuous S +
was/were + V4 + O |
To
talk about an activity that was going on at a certain time in the past with ‘ all yesterday’ |
This
time last week they were dancing. They
were reading novels all yesterday. He
was playing football all yesterday. |
|
Past
perfect S +
had + V3 + O |
To express
an action that took place before another action started. |
He
had already left the place before Ram came. The
patient had died by the time doctor came. |
|
Past
perfect continuous S +
had been + V 4 + O |
To
express an action that had been going on before another action started… |
It
had been raining when I woke up. She
had been working there when the trouble began |
A. Study the following sentences.
a. My head was aching again, so I went home early.
b. Sanita was teaching to the children while Nitesh was
washing up.
c. He worked hard all his life.
d. Just as I was getting into the bath the fire alarm went
off.
e. Before he stopped laughing, everyone had left.
f. The film had already begun by the time we got
to the cinema.
g. She had returned to the house where she had been
staying with friends.
B. Here is an extract from a newspaper article about a missing boy
(Ronish) and his father (Naresh). Decide why different forms of past tenses
were used.
Naresh said that Ronish, who used to enjoy riding with him on
his bike, followed him as he set off. He told the child to go back to his
mother, and rode away. Meanwhile, Ronish’s mother thought that Ronish had gone
with Naresh; Naresh believed Ronish had stayed behind. It was only some hours
later, when Naresh returned, that they realized Ronish had vanished …
The
different forms of past tenses were used as it is reported the past action and
the actions were occurred in a sequence.
C. Fill in the gaps with the suitable form of the verb in the
brackets. Use past simple / past continuouss / past
perfect tenses. You may need to use negative too.
It was Sunday afternoon. I ……….. (watch) a cookery programme on
TV when I …………. (realise) how hungry I was. But of course, I was hungry; I ……….
(eat) anything since lunch, and I …….. (run) a race in the morning. “Biscuits!”
I …….. (think). My mother …………. (give) me a jar of delicious home-made
biscuits.
I ….. (go) into the kitchen, …… (open) the fridge and ……. (pour)
some milk in a big glass. Then I …….. (look) for the kitchen chair but it ……
(be) there: somebody ……. (take) it away. And there were no biscuits in the
biscuit jar: somebody …… (eat) them all! I was sure I …… (put) the jar there the
previous day and I ………. (eat) only one cookie. It was very strange.
A few minutes later, I ………. (drink) my glass of milk when I ……….
(hear) a loud noise coming from the dining room. I …….. (go) there quickly and
I ……. (open) the door. I couldn’t believe my eyes. An enormous monkey ……..
(eat) the biscuits excitedly on the kitchen chair.
It was Sunday afternoon. I was watching a cookery
programme on TV when I realised how hungry I was. But of course,
I was hungry; I hadn't eaten anything since lunch, and I had
run a race in the morning. “Biscuits!” I thoought. My
mother had given me a jar of delicious home-made biscuits.
I went into the kitchen, opened the
fridge and poured some milk in a big glass. Then I looked
for the kitchen chair but it wasn't there: somebody had
taken it away. And there were no biscuits in the biscuit jar: somebody had
eaten them all! I was sure I had put the jar there the
previous day and I had eaten only one cookie. It was very
strange.
A few minutes later, I was drinking my glass of
milk when I heard a loud noise coming from the dining room. I went
there quickly and I opened the door. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
An enormous monkey was eating the biscuits excitedly on the
kitchen chair.
D. Rewrite the following sentences correcting the mistakes.
Example:
Did you ever see her before you met her at school?
Had you ever seen her before you met her at school?
a. She played the flute and then she had sung in their choir.
She had played the flute and then she had sung in
their choir.
b. I borrowed Rima’s car. Had you known about it?
I had borrowed Rima’s car. Had you known about it?
c. After the lesson had finished, we run out of school.
After the lesson had finished, we ran out of
school.
d. Had you be there? - Yes, the previous year.
Had you been there? - Yes, the previous year.
e. Did you liked my article published in the Himalayan Times
yesterday?
Did you like my article published in the Himalayan
Times yesterday?
f. I recognized him because I saw him before.
I recognized him because I had seen him before.
g. I hadn’t gone out because I hadn’t finished my homework.
I didn’t go out because I hadn’t finished my
homework.
h. We had done nothing like this at that time.
We did nothing like this at that time.
i. It was quite difficult. I had had no idea what to do.
It had been quite difficult. I had no
idea what to do.
j. As far as I’d known, she had always had some pets.
As far as I knew, she had always had some pets.
k. When I met Jim, he was already a soldier for three years.
When I met Jim, he had already been a
soldier for three years.
l. He had gone to the coffee because somebody had told him.
He went to the coffee because somebody had told
him.
Extra Questions
Complete the texts below using the correct past forms of the verbs
from the bracket. Put the verb into the correct form and complete the
sentences. Fill in the blanks with appropriate past tense.
1) 1) ….... (she/make) good coffee?
2)
A: Isn’t that your daughter playing
outside without a coat on? She ........ a chill. B: She has a thermal vest on
under her pullover, but you have a point. I ........ her coat. [a) was catching
/ am fetching b) is catching / fetch c) will be catching / have fetched d) will
catch / will fetch e) catches / am going to fetch]
3) After she .......... her breakfast, she
went to work. (ate, had eaten, was eating)
4) As the police ........ the road, we
........ a time-consuming detour around the mountain. [a) are closing / were
making b) will close / had made c) had closed / made d) will have closed / had
been making e) close / have made]
5)
At this time tomorrow I shall……a movie
on television. (watch, be watching, have watched)
6)
Before Petar Preradovic ........ poems
in his native Croatian, he ........ all his poems in German. [a) has published
/ is writing b) is publishing / was writing c) published / had written d) had
published / will have written e) has been publishing / has written]
7)
Before the policeman came, the thief ……
(run away, runs away, had run away)
8)
Bimala ……food every day. (prepares,
prepared, was prepared)
9)
By the end of this year she will……here
for six years. (be staying, have stayed, have been staying)
10)
By the first half of the 19th century,
the potato ........ the staple food in Ireland. In 1854, a disease ........
which resulted in widespread starvation.
[a) was becoming / has struck b) will become / was going to strike c)
had become / struck d) was going to become / strikes e) has become / has
struck]
11)
By the time I reached the station, the
train .......... (departed, had departed)
12)
By the time the work on their house is
finished, they ........ the painters, decorators and carpenters a total of
₤8000. They ........ a beautiful kitchen, though. [a) are paying / have had b)
paid / are having c) had paid / were having d) will have paid / will have e)
have paid / have]
13)
By the time we reach home, it ……been
dark. (will have, has, had)
14)
By the time we reached home, it ……been dark.
(will have, had, has)
15)
Did you … lots of interesting photos on
your holiday? a) took b) take c) takes
16)
Don’t cross the road. The bus …… (come,
is coming, will come)
17)
Every morning, he .......... for a walk.
(was going, went, had gone)
18)
He .......... home late when the
accident occurred. (drove, was driving, had driven)
19)
He ................ too busy in the
office yesterday. (be)
20)
He … see a dentist yesterday because he
had a toothache. a) has to b) have to c) had to
21)
He ……out. (has gone already, already
went, has already gone)
22)
He didn’t … me because I was behind the
tree. a) saw b) see c) sees
23)
He will come to the spot as soon as you
……him. (call, called, will call)
24)
I ........ some shopping during my lunch
break, but I couldn’t as I ........ awful because of my cold. [a) was going to
do / felt b) have done / have felt c) will do / am feeling d) did / was feeling
e) do / will have felt]
25)
I .......... sleep well last night.
(hadn't, didn't)
26)
I .......... TV when dad arrived.
(watched, was watching, had watched)
27)
I ............. new job last week.
(start)
28)
I ……here until Amrita comes back. (be,
am, will be)
29)
I feel certain that Greg ........ in his
new business because he ........ so hard all the time. [a) is succeeding / will
work b) will succeed / works c) was succeeding / is going to work d) had
succeeded / will be working e) has succeeded / had worked]
30)
I thought of it just when you ..........
your mouth. (was opening, had opened, opened)
31)
I wanted to …, but I couldn’t. I had to
stay and help my friend. a) went b) go c) going
32)
I went to see the film, but I…………..it.
(not/enjoy)
33)
I wish the children …….longer in the
morning, then I shouldn’t get woken so early. (sleep, are sleeping, slept)
34)
I …….... (not/change) trains at
Victoria.
35)
I …….... (not/drink) any beer last
night.
36)
I …….... (receive) £300 when my
uncle died.
37)
I’m sure you ……the exam. (passes,
passed, will pass)
38)
I…………..Rojina in town in a few days ago.
(meet)
39)
In 1868, the US government ........ 7000
Navajo Indians to return to their homeland and, since then, they ........ the
largest and richest Indian tribe. [a) allowed / have become b) has allowed /
are becoming c) was going to allow / will become d) has allowed / were becoming
e) was allowing / become]
40)
In 1960, only 2000 American Indians
........ at university, while in 1970, only a decade later, this number
........ to 12000. [a) are studying / is increasing b) were studying /
increased c) will be studying / will have increased d) studied / will increase
e) had studied / was increasing]
41)
In two months the SLC exam result ……out.
(will be, will have been, will have)
42)
It ……night, we must leave. (had been,
has been, was being)
43)
It was very warm, so I………..my coat.
(take off)
44)
Krishna ……yet. (hasn’t arrived, didn’t
arrive, won’t arrive)
45)
Listen! Someone …… (is singing, sings,
will sing)
46)
My family and I … in London when I was
young. a) lived b) live c) was live
47)
My jacket is expensive. It……….me Rs
5000. (cost)
48)
My mother ……TV when I entered the room.
(watched, has been watching, was watching)
49)
My sister ……the room before the guests
entered. (cleans, was cleaning, had cleaned)
50)
Newton………….an apple falling from the
tree. (see)
51)
Nila ……all day yesterday. (wrote, had
written, had been writing)
52)
Nita…………. her to the party, but she
didn’t come. (invite)
53)
Our team .......... them yesterday. (had
defeated, defeated, was defeating)
54)
Pramila is pregnant now. She ……birth to
a baby. (is going to give, is giving, will give)
55)
Pramita ……us daily in the past. (helped,
helps, will help)
56)
Pramod ……his house. It looks nice. (is
painting, had painted, has painted)
57)
Ram and Nagma love travelling. They
……India next month. (will visit, are visiting, visit)
58)
Ram and Shyam ……Pokhara by next week.
(will go, will have gone, will have been going)
59)
Ramesh Bikal…………..many popular stories.
(write)
60)
Sera ……to me whenever he was in a
shortage of money. (always comes, always came, will always come)
61)
She .......... college last year. (was
leaving, left, had left)
62)
She .......... here yesterday. (came,
had come)
63)
She .......... when she heard the news.
(was weeping, wept, had wept)
64)
She didn’t answer the phone because she
… at home. a) didn’t b) weren’t c) wasn’t
65)
She …….... (get on) the bus in the
centre of the city.
66)
She………….early in the morning yesterday.
(get up)
67)
Sophia and Sagun……working in the radio
Nepal since six months ago. (will be, were , have been)
68)
Take the umbrella. It ……outside. (is
raining, rains, raining)
69)
The bus ……Pokhara at 10 o’clock.
(leaves, will leave, left)
70)
The cat ……you when you pull its tail.
(scratched, will scratch, will be scratching)
71)
The guests had left before I ..........
home. (reached, was reaching, had reached)
72)
The number of orders per week ........
all year and the sales manager is confident that we ........ our target. [a)
has increased / had been reaching b) will increase / have been reaching c) increases
/ reached d) increased / reached e) has been increasing / will reach]
73)
The old beggar ……yesterday. (dies, died,
had died)
74)
The origins of domestic poultry ........
uncertain, but experts believe that some breeds are descended from the Indian
jungle-fowl, which still ........ in India today. [a) are going to be / will
exist b) had been / will have existed c) were / had been existing d) are /
exists e) have been / existed]
75)
The river Amazon ……into the Atlantic
Ocean. (flow, flows, flowed)
76)
They … back to their country last month.
a) fly b) flies c) flew
77)
They ……home by tomorrow. (will go, are
going, will have gone)
78)
They wanted to … a movie but there were
no more tickets. a) see b) saw c) seeing
79)
They will……the building by the end of
this month. (complete, be completing, have completed)
80)
They …….... (live) in Paris.
81)
Though the bed was very comfortable,
I………very well. (not/sleep)
82)
Today we ........ a lot of tangerines at
one pound per kilo, unlike yesterday, when we ........ very few customers. [a)
were selling / have had b) are selling / had c) had been selling / had had d)
sold / will have had e) are going to sell / will be having]
83)
We … some sandwiches and fresh fruit to
eat for lunch yesterday. a) buy b) buys c) bought
84)
We generally ……to school in the morning.
(went, go, have gone)
85)
We had a great time and we … lots of fun
and exciting things. a) did b) do c) was did
86)
We …….... (not/use) the computer
last night.
87)
We …….... (wake up) very late.
88)
What time …….... (he/get up)
yesterday?
89)
What …….... (he/give) his mother
for Christmas?
90)
When did they … back to their country?
a) flew b) flies c) fly
91)
When I last saw you, you ……of moving to
your village. (are thinking, were thinking, have thinking)
92)
When I pushed him, he ……there. (was
falling, fell, had fallen)
93)
When I was small, my father………..me at
home. (teach)
94)
When she hit on his head, he ……....
(fainted, has fainted, had fainted)
95)
When the bus arrived, we ……on it. (were
getting, had got , got)
96)
When the telephone rang, I …… (slept,
has slept, was sleeping)
97)
Where …….... (you/get off) the
train?
98)
While I was having my dinner, she ……me.
(call, is calling, called)
99)
Why … you finish your math homework last
week? [a) didn’t b) wasn’t c) weren’t]
100)
Why did you………….the cap away? (throw)
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