Grammar Practice
Tenses
Grammar Reference p166–169
1 For sentences a–h, put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the past
continuous.
a She nearly ………… (have) a heart attack when she ………… (see) the tiger.
b We ………… (go) down the road at 120 kph when the wheel ………… (fall) off.
c They ………… (read) the instructions when the lights ………… (go) out.
d The happy couple ………… (get) married three weeks after he …………
(propose).
e Our dog ………… (jump) up into the air and ………… (howl) when I …………
(stand) on his tail.
f The winning racing driver ………… (shake) the bottle of champagne then
………… (take) the cork out.
g She ………… (fill) in a questionnaire when the pen ………… (run) out of ink.
h Uncle Sam ………… (get) dressed when he ………… (feel) a searing pain in his
back.
2 Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete sentences a–l.
Present Simple or Present Continuous
a Decisive people ………… (make) their minds up very quickly.
b You want me to come and work for you! ………… you …………? (joke)
c Listen to the crowd. Everyone ………… . (sing)
d He always ………… (think) carefully before he ………… (say) anything.
Past Simple or Past Continuous
e The midnight train ………… (leave) five minutes early this evening.
f The linesman didn’t see the fight because he ………… (face) the other way.
g The referee ………… (blow) his whistle when the game ………… (finish).
h He ………… (dive) off the coast of South Africa when a shark ………… (swim)
right past his leg.
