INSERT SIMPLE PAST or CONTINUOUS, PAST PERFECT and FUTURE IN THE PAST:

1. While John and Peter (play) __________________________ cards, Mary (phone) ________________

and (say) ___________________ she (drop) _____________________ by at about 8 p.m.

2. What (you and Peter, talk) _________________________________ about when I (see) _____________

you in the club last night?

Oh, he (talk) __________________ about his trip to London in 1999. He (say) ______________ he (visit)

______________________ his brother-in-law when he (be) ______________ there.

3. I (lose) ________________ my luggage while I (go) __________________ to the airport yesterday.

I (know) __________________ I (can, not) ____________________ leave without it, so I (cancel)

_________________ my plane ticket and (go) _________________ home. My wife (be)

__________________ surprised to see me. When I (explain) __________________ what (happen)

_______________________, she (tell) ________________ me to call Lost Property Office and ask

them if somebody (bring) ______________________________ it there.

4. Whenever our late English teacher (enter) _________________ the classroom, she (tell) ____________

us to open the window. She (say) __________________ we (feel) _______________________ better if

there (be) _________________ fresh air in the classroom.

5. Billy (know, not) ____________________ that his Dad (take) ___________________ him to the Zoo, so

he (be) ________ very surprised when he (get) ______________ home from school yesterday afternoon

and (find) _______________ his mother’s message about going to the Zoo on the answering machine.

6. When I (switch) _________________ on the radio last night, I (hear) _______________ Back Street

Boys (come) _________________ to our town. Their spokesman (say) ____________ they (have)

_________________________ two concerts here.

7. When I (return) _______________ from abroad last night, I (be) _______________ very unhappy

because there (be) ___________ nobody at home to meet me. They (think) __________________

I (arrive) __________________ later.

8. When I (come) _________________ home last night, my parents (just, have) _____________________

dinner, but as I (be, not) _________________ hungry, I (go) _________________ to bed.

9. Peter (go) _______________ to visit the Browns last night. He (ring) ____________________

the bell several times, but nobody (answer) ________________ . After some time, a neighbour (open)

__________________ the door and (say) ______________ that they (leave) ___________________

an hour earlier. The lady (know, not) ___________________ when they (be) ________________ back.

10. Mary (be) ________________ very busy yesterday. After her classes (be) __________________ over,
 she (go) _______________ shopping. Her boy friend (want, not) ___________________ to go shopping

with her. He (say) _____________________ he (have, not) ________________________ time.

11. I (forget) ______________________ my handbag in a restaurant yesterday but a friend of mine (remind)

____________________ me to call the restaurant and ask them about the bag. I (ring) ______________

them up and they (say) ________________ that one of their waiters (find) ______________________ it.

12. Before I (come) _________________ home last night, I (have) _______________ a sandwich so when I

(get) _______________ home I (go) _______________ to bed. My parents (just, have) ______________

dinner, but I (be, not) _________________ hungry.

13. Going home last night, I (run) ___________________ across a young lady whose car (break)

______________________ . She (ask) _________________ me to help her. I (lift) _______________

the bonnet and (check) ____________________ if there (be) _____________ enough gas. The tank

(be) _______________ half full but I (see) ___________________ that the battery (run) ____________

out. We (replace) ______________________ it with a new one.

Why (it, take) _____________________________ you so long to get home then?

Because it (take) ____________________ us an hour to find a gas station with the right battery.

14. When Bill (put) _________________ the new battery into the young lady’s car, she (say) ____________

she (take) ______________________ him home in her car. He (accept) ___________________ her offer

because he (know) ____________________ his mother (worry) ________________________ about him.

15. Last night Peter (have, not) _____________________________ time to help me with my homework.

He (just, go) ____________________________ to the theatre when I (ask) ______________ him for help.

16. When I (wake) ___________________ up yesterday morning, I (look) ________________ at my watch.

It (be) ______________ almost 8 a.m. I (know) _________________ I (have) ____________________

to take a taxi to get to my office in time.

17. The weather (be) _________________ so bad yesterday that we (not, want) ___________________

to go anywhere. We (stay) ___________________ at home, (make) ___________________ some

pancakes and (watch) ______________________ TV.

18. Peter (leave) ________________________ London last month and he (move) ___________________

to Italy. Before he (leave) _________________ he (promise) _________________________ he (write)

_______________________ as soon as he (settle) ______________________ down. And he (keep)

____________________ his promise! When I (open) ____________________ my e-mail yesterday, I

(see) _____________________ there (be) __________________ a message for me. It (be) __________

his. I (answer) ______________________ it at once. I also (accept) _______________________ his

invitation to visit him during my summer holidays.

control and (hit) _____________________ the gate. Fortunately, the gate (be) _______________ strong

enough and the tragedy (be) _________________ prevented. The police (come) ________________ in

a few minutes. They (take) ___________________ the driver to the police station and an officer (say)

__________________ he (spend) ___________________ that night in prison.

20. When they (come) ______________________ to the police station, a clerk (bring) ________________

the driver’s file. He (say) _____________________ that the driver (be) ____________________ drunk

several times. It (be) _________________ strange that he (never, be) ____________________ punished

before.

21. While the police officers (look) ____________________ through his file, they (find) _________________

the driver’s photograph. It (be) ______________ the same person but he (change) __________________

his last name three years before.

22. What (you, do) ________________________ last night?

Well, I (wait) ________________________ for some friends who (promise) ______________________

to come at about 8 p.m. When they (not, show) _______________________ up, I (go) _____________

for a walk. But when I (get) ____________________ back, I (find) ___________________ a short note

stuck on my door. My friends (come) __________________ soon after I (leave) __________________ .

23. The students (write) ______________________ their essays when the dean (open) ______________

the door and (come) ______________________ in. He (want) ______________________ to know when

the examination (start) _____________________ and when the students (leave) __________________.

He (say) ____________________ he (need) _______________________ our big lecture hall for the

staff meeting.

24. A glance at my watch (tell) __________________ me it (be) _________________ already past six

o’clock; I (know) ___________________ I (be) ____________________ late for the meeting and my

boss (be) __________________ angry again.

25. According to the government sources, two people (die) _________________ in the incident but a few

days later I (hear) __________________ that the information ( not, be) ________________ true. At least

ten people (die) __________________ !

26. Peter (join) ___________________ the company as a graduate trainee, but very soon he (be) ________

promoted. Nobody (be) _________________ surprised because he (be) ____________________ the

best student in his generation.

27. Peter (be) _______________ a member of a gang for some time. Although his parents (warn)
__________________ him about his friends, he (not, listen) ____________________ to them. He (not,

fully, understand) ________________________ that he (be) ____________________ the one who (pay)

______________________ for all their crimes.