Past Tense Forms Quiz: Trivia Test!

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1. If he _____ the window he would repair it.

Explanation

The correct answer is "broke." This is because the sentence is in the conditional form, indicating a hypothetical situation. In this case, the sentence suggests that if he broke the window, he would then repair it. The verb "broke" is in the past tense, which is appropriate for this hypothetical scenario.

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About This Quiz
Past Tense Quizzes & Trivia

What do you know about past tense forms? Sentences that are written in past tense depict an action or event that took place in the past. How good are you when it comes to writing grammatically correct sentences? In this quiz, you will be expected to complete the sentences by... see moreinserting the perfect choice for the sentence to depict something in the past tense. Give it a try and get to polish up your skills. see less

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2. He said he _____ yesterday.

Explanation

The correct answer is "would come" because the sentence is in the past tense and the speaker is reporting someone's statement or intention from the past. "Would come" is the correct form to express a future action that was planned or intended in the past.

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3. I found this gold coin while I _____ in the garden!

Explanation

The correct answer is "was digging". This is because the sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. "Was digging" accurately reflects the continuous nature of the action of digging in the garden.

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4. If I _____ you, I would finish my homework!

Explanation

The correct answer is "were". This is because the sentence is in the subjunctive mood, expressing a hypothetical or unreal condition. In this case, the speaker is imagining being in the other person's position and saying that if they were in that position, they would finish their homework.

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5. They _____ an argument when I arrived to celebrate Pete's birthday.

Explanation

The correct answer is "were having." This is because the sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. "Were having" is the correct form of the verb "to have" in the past continuous tense. It suggests that the argument was already in progress when the speaker arrived to celebrate Pete's birthday.

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6. I _____ the bags before we left on holiday.

Explanation

The correct answer is "checked". This is because the phrase "before we left on holiday" indicates that the action of checking the bags occurred in the past, before the speaker and others went on vacation. The past simple tense "checked" is the appropriate choice to describe a completed action in the past.

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7. _____ the dog before they left on vacation?

Explanation

The question is asking about an action that happened before the subject left on vacation. The correct answer "Had they fed" is in the past perfect tense, indicating that the action of feeding the dog had already been completed before they left.

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8. If she had visited us last summer, she _____ the hikes in the mountains.

Explanation

The sentence is a conditional sentence in the past unreal condition. It suggests that the person did not visit last summer, but if she had visited, she would have enjoyed the hikes in the mountains. The correct answer is "would have enjoyed" because it matches the correct verb form for the unreal past condition.

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9. I'm not sure where Jack was yesterday. He ______ visiting Tom.

Explanation

The correct answer is "might have been." This is because the sentence is referring to a possibility in the past. "Might have been" suggests that there is a chance that Jack was visiting Tom yesterday, but it is uncertain.

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10. Jack ______ the report by the time it was due.

Explanation

The correct answer is "hadn't finished". This is because the sentence is in the past perfect tense, indicating an action that was not completed before another past event. "Hadn't finished" suggests that Jack had not completed the report by the time it was due.

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11. There was no food left when I returned. They _____ everything!

Explanation

The correct answer is "had eaten" because it indicates that the action of eating occurred before the speaker's return. The past perfect tense "had eaten" is used to describe an action that happened before another past action or event. In this case, the food was already consumed before the speaker came back.

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12. By the time the presentation began, they _____ their discussion.

Explanation

The correct answer is "had completed." This is because the use of "had" in the past perfect tense indicates that the completion of their discussion occurred before the presentation began.

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13. I was reading the letter when the wind ______ it out of my hands.

Explanation

The correct answer is "blew". This is because the past tense form of the verb "blow" is used to indicate that the wind forcefully caused the letter to be taken out of the speaker's hands.

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14. She told me she was flying to Chicago last week. She _____ in her hotel room last night.

Explanation

The correct answer is "must have been". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the speaker is referring to an event that happened in the past. The phrase "must have been" indicates a strong possibility or certainty about something that occurred in the past. Therefore, it suggests that the speaker is certain that the person was in her hotel room last night.

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15. I lit the fire at four and it ______ brightly when Lisa arrived.

Explanation

The correct answer is "was burning" because it indicates that the fire was already in progress when Lisa arrived. The past continuous tense "was burning" suggests an ongoing action in the past, which aligns with the context of the sentence.

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16. If Hank _____ you were going to come, he would have made sure to be there.

Explanation

The correct answer is "had known." This is because the sentence is in the past unreal condition, indicating that Hank did not know about the speaker's arrival in the past. The past perfect tense "had known" is used to express an action that occurred before another action in the past.

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17. When I arrived, they _____.

Explanation

The correct answer is "were stretching their legs." This is the correct answer because it uses the past continuous tense ("were stretching") to indicate an ongoing action that was happening when the speaker arrived. The phrase "their legs" provides additional context and specifies what they were stretching.

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18. He ______ get up so early when he lived in Los Angeles.

Explanation

The correct answer is "didn't use to." This is because the phrase "didn't use to" is the correct negative form of the verb "used to" which is used to talk about past habits or states that are no longer true. In this sentence, it indicates that he did not have the habit of getting up early when he lived in Los Angeles.

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19. She is very intelligent. She _____ that!

Explanation

The phrase "She is very intelligent" suggests that the person in question is highly intelligent. Therefore, it is unlikely that she would have thought or believed something that is incorrect or illogical. The phrase "can't have thought" implies that it is impossible for her to have had such a thought, considering her intelligence.

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If he _____ the window he would repair it.
He said he _____ yesterday.
I found this gold coin while I _____ in the garden!
If I _____ you, I would finish my homework!
They _____ an argument when I arrived to celebrate Pete's...
I _____ the bags before we left on holiday.
_____ the dog before they left on vacation?
If she had visited us last summer, she _____ the hikes in the...
I'm not sure where Jack was yesterday. He ______ visiting Tom.
Jack ______ the report by the time it was due.
There was no food left when I returned. They _____ everything!
By the time the presentation began, they _____ their discussion.
I was reading the letter when the wind ______ it out of my hands.
She told me she was flying to Chicago last week. She _____ in her...
I lit the fire at four and it ______ brightly when Lisa arrived.
If Hank _____ you were going to come, he would have made sure to be...
When I arrived, they _____.
He ______ get up so early when he lived in Los Angeles.
She is very intelligent. She _____ that!
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