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EXERCISES for CHAPTER 6. THE PAST CONTINUOUS, THE PAST PERFECT AND THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
1. Using the Past Continuous tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:I __________ a salad. (to make)
I was making a salad.
They ___________ to find some boots. (to try)
They were trying to find some boots.
1. He _______________ a book. (to read)
2. We _________________ money. (to save)
3. She _______________ school. (to attend)
4. It ________________. (to thunder)
5. They ________________ for the exam. (to study)
6. We ________________ ourselves. (to sun)
7. They ________________ they way. (to lead)
8. You _______________ by bus. (to leave)
9. We ________________ through the snow. (to plod)
10. You _______________ your goals. (to attain)
Answers
2. Rewrite the following affirmative statements as questions, negative statements, negative questions without contractions, negative questions with contractions, and affirmative statements followed by negative tag questions. For example:
You were learning French.
Were you learning French?
You were not learning French.
Were you not learning French?
Weren't you learning French?
You were learning French, weren't you?
1. We were starting a business.
2. She was waiting outside.
3. He was singing.
Answers
3. Using the Past Continuous tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
____ you _______ last night? (to work)
Were you working last night?
It ___ not _______. (to rain)
It was not raining.
They _____________ home. (to hurry)
They were hurrying home.
1. We _________________ for the test. (to prepare)
2. ______ she ___________ notes? (to take)
3. I ______ not ___________ long. (to wait)
4. They __________________ at Woolco. (to shop)
5. ______ it not ____________ outside? (to freeze)
6. She _________________ on Almond Street last year. (to live)
7. ______ you ____________ supper when the phone rang? (to eat)
8. He ________________ asleep by the time the lesson ended. (to fall)
9. ______ we not _____________ the next chapter? (to discuss)
10. They ___________ their books away, when their friends arrived. (to put)
11. You ______ not _____________ the news. (to follow)
12. ______ I ____________ too much noise? (to make)
Answers
4. Using the Past Perfect tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
I _________ the parcel. (to open)
I had opened the parcel.
They ________ to the opera. (to be)
They had been to the opera.
1. She ________________ a sweater. (to buy)
2. He _______________ to work. (to start)
3. You _________________ the message. (to understand)
4. We ________________ the appointment. (to forget)
5. They ________________ us. (to convince)
6. She ________________ the book. (to find)
7. He ________________ the envelope. (to tear)
8. You ________________ your breakfast. (to finish)
9. We ______________ to school. (to go)
10. They ________________ the beds. (to make)
Answers
5. Rewrite the following affirmative statements as questions, negative statements, negative questions without contractions, negative questions with contractions, and affirmative statements followed by negative tag questions. For example:
He had attended the concert.
Had he attended the concert?
He had not attended the concert.
Had he not attended the concert?
Hadn't he attended the concert?
He had attended the concert, hadn't he?
1. You had entered the contest.
2. I had wanted to come.
3. We had arrived on time.
Answers
6. Using the Past Perfect tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
He _____________ hard. (to practise)
He had practised hard.
___ they ____ a good job? (to do)
Had they done a good job?
I ___ not _____ the news. (to hear)
I had not heard the news.
1. You ________________ it carefully.(to consider)
2. She __________________ her way in the woods. (to lose)
3. _____ he not _____________ his hands? (to wash)
4. _____ they ____________ the letter? (to read)
5. I _____ not _____________ the words. (to forget)
6. We ____________ to come even before we received the letter. (to decide)
7. _____ he not _____________ everything well? (to organize)
8. They _____ not __________ a holiday in a long time. (to have)
9. She __________________ to talk to us. (to stop)
10. He _____ not yet ____________. (to arrive)
11. _____ you ___________ to meet him? (to plan)
12. I _____ not ____________ her for a long time. (to see)
Answers
7. Using the Past Perfect Continuous tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
We __________________ for an apartment. (to search)
We had been searching for an apartment.
She _______________ extra courses. (to take)
She had been taking extra courses.
1. We ____________________ the grass. (to cut)
2. You ______________________ at the photographs. (to look)
3. They _____________________ you the letters. (to give)
4. He _____________________ for us. (to wait)
5. She _____________________ a business. (to run)
6. It ______________________ all night. (to rain)
7. We ______________________ them. (to encourage)
8. You ___________________ on the beach. (to lie)
9. They ______________________ the sauce. (to taste)
10. He ____________________ behind. (to lag)
Answers
8. Rewrite the following affirmative statements as questions, negative statements, negative questions without contractions, negative questions with contractions, and affirmative statements followed by negative tag questions. For example:
She had been keeping a diary.
Had she been keeping a diary?
She had not been keeping a diary.
Had she not been keeping a diary?
Hadn't she been keeping a diary?
She had been keeping a diary, hadn't she?
1. We had been raking the leaves.
2. You had been visiting your cousins.
3. They had been swimming in the lake.
Answers
9. Using the Past Perfect Continuous tense, fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
We _______________. (to argue)
We had been arguing.
___ he ___________ well? (to feel)
Had he been feeling well?
I ___ not __________ much walking. (to do)
I had not been doing much walking.
1. You _______________________ the stove. (to clean)
2. She _____ not ___________________ regularly. (to come)
3. _____ they not ___________________ on you? (to count)
4. We ________________________ for shoes. (to look)
5. _____ it not ________________ that day? (to snow)
6. I ________________________ for groceries. (to shop)
7. _____ he not ___________________ to the news? (to listen)
8. They _____ not ___________________ to drive far. (to intend)
9. _____ we ___________________ on time? (to leave)
10. _____ you ____________________ that? (to expect)
11. They ________________________ television. (to watch)
12. He _____ not _________________ long when the bus arrived. (to wait)
Answers
10. For each of the following sentences, paying attention to whether the underlined auxiliary is a form of to be, to do or to have, fill in the blank with the bare infinitive, present participle, or past participle of the verb given in brackets, as appropriate. Refer if necessary to the table summarizing the formation of the English present and past tenses. For example:
He was ________ medicine. (to study)
He was studying medicine.
You have _______ the food. (to bring)
You have brought the food.
We had been _______ a long time. (to wait)
We had been waiting a long time.
Does she _______ classical music? (to like)
Does she like classical music?
1. She was _______________ a picture. (to draw)
2. We have ________________ our homework. (to finish)
3. I have been ________________ for an opportunity. (to wait)
4. Do you ________________ a bicycle? (to own)
5. We are ________________ coffee. (to drink)
6. Did he ________________ the book? (to enjoy)
7. They were ________________ us. (to expect)
8. You had ________________ a job. (to find)
9. He is ______________ the truth. (to tell)
10. It had been ________________ all morning. (to snow)
11. We had ________________ the window. (to open)
12. I am _______________ potatoes. (to peel)
13. You did not ________________ my letter. (to answer)
14. It does not __________________. (to matter)
15. I have ________________ this movie before. (to see)
Answers
11. Make the following statements emphatic. For example:
He likes cats.
He does like cats.
You have finished.
You have finished.
They were here.
They were here.
We are not ready.
We are not ready.
1. I enjoy reading.
2. They do not like music.
3. It snowed.
4. I have found my pen.
5. She cooks well.
6. You were listening to the radio.
7. They found the answer.
8. He was right.
9. She understands.
10. They had locked the door.
11. He did not arrive late.
12. You ran fast.
Answers
ANSWERS for CHAPTER 6. THE PAST CONTINUOUS, THE PAST PERFECT AND THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Answers to Exercise 1:1. was reading 2. were saving 3. was attending 4. was thundering 5. were studying 6. were sunning 7. were leading 8. were leaving 9. were plodding 10. were attaining
Answers to Exercise 2:
1. Were we starting a business? We were not starting a business. Were we not starting a business? Weren't we starting a business? We were starting a business, weren't we?
2. Was she waiting outside? She was not waiting outside. Was she not waiting outside? Wasn't she waiting outside? She was waiting outside, wasn't she?
3. Was he singing? He was not singing. Was he not singing? Wasn't he singing? He was singing, wasn't he?
Answers to Exercise 3:
1. were preparing 2. Was, taking 3. was, waiting 4. were shopping 5. Was, freezing 6. was living 7. Were, eating 8. was falling 9. Were, discussing 10. were putting 11. were, following 12. Was, making
Answers to Exercise 4:
1. had bought 2. had started 3. had understood 4. had forgotten 5. had convinced 6. had found 7. had torn 8. had finished 9. had gone 10. had made
Answers to Exercise 5:
1. Had you entered the contest? You had not entered the contest. Had you not entered the contest? Hadn't you entered the contest? You had entered the contest, hadn't you?
2. Had I wanted to come? I had not wanted to come. Had I not wanted to come? Hadn't I wanted to come? I had wanted to come, hadn't I?
3. Had we arrived on time? We had not arrived on time. Had we not arrived on time? Hadn't we arrived on time? We had arrived on time, hadn't we?
Answers to Exercise 6:
1. had considered 2. had lost 3. Had, washed 4. Had, read 5. had, forgotten 6. had decided 7. Had, organized 8. had, had 9. had stopped 10. had, arrived 11. Had, planned 12. had, seen
Answers to Exercise 7:
1. had been cutting 2. had been looking 3. had been giving 4. had been waiting 5. had been running 6. had been raining 7. had been encouraging 8. had been lying 9. had been tasting 10. had been lagging
Answers to Exercise 8:
1. Had we been raking the leaves? We had not been raking the leaves. Had we not been raking the leaves? Hadn't we been raking the leaves? We had been raking the leaves, hadn't we?
2. Had you been visiting your cousins? You had not been visiting your cousins. Had you not been visiting your cousins? Hadn't you been visiting your cousins? You had been visiting your cousins, hadn't you?
3. Had they been swimming in the lake? They had not been swimming in the lake. Had they not been swimming in the lake? Hadn't they been swimming in the lake? They had been swimming in the lake, hadn't they?
Answers to Exercise 9:
1. had been cleaning 2. had/been coming 3. Had/been counting 4. had been looking 5. Had/been snowing 6. had been shopping 7. Had/ been listening 8. had/been intending 9. Had/been leaving 10. Had/ been expecting 11. had been watching 12. had/been waiting
Answers to Exercise 10:
1. drawing 2. finished 3. waiting 4. own 5. drinking 6. enjoy 7. expecting 8. found 9. telling 10. snowing 11. opened 12. peeling 13. answer 14. matter 15. seen
Answers to Exercise 11:
1. I do enjoy reading. 2. They do not like music. 3. It did snow. 4. I have found my pen. 5. She does cook well. 6. You were listening to the radio. 7. They did find the answer. 8. He was right. 9. She does understand. 10. They had locked the door. 11. He did not arrive late. 12. You did run fast.
Go to : Grammar Home | Table of Contents | Alphabetical Index | Back to Chapter 6
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