Mixed Past Tenses - Multiple Choice Practice (50 Questions)

1. She __________ (cook) dinner when I arrived.

A. cooked

B. had cooked

C. was cooking

D. has cooked

2. They __________ (not / finish) the project before the deadline.

A. didn't finish

B. weren't finishing

C. hadn't finished

D. haven't finished

3. __________ he __________ (see) the movie before it started?

A. Did / see

B. Was / seeing

C. Had / seen

D. Has / seen

4. I __________ (break) my phone yesterday.

A. broke

B. had broken

C. was breaking

D. break

5. He __________ (not / hear) the announcement.

A. didn't hear

B. wasn't hearing

C. hadn't heard
 D. hasn't heard

6. We __________ (wait) for hours before they arrived.

A. waited

B. were waiting

C. had waited

D. wait

7. She __________ (walk) home when it began to rain.

A. walked

B. was walking

C. had walked

D. has walked

8. __________ they __________ (leave) before you arrived?

A. Had / left

B. Did / leave

C. Were / leaving

D. Have / left

9. I __________ (already / eat) when he offered me food.

A. ate

B. was eating

C. had eaten

D. have eaten

10. He __________ (drive) when the accident happened.

A. drove

B. was driving

C. had driven
 D. has driven

11. We __________ (not / see) them at the party.

A. didn't see

B. weren't seeing

C. hadn't seen

D. haven't seen

12. __________ you __________ (study) when the lights went out?

A. Were / studying

B. Did / study

C. Had / studied

D. Have / studied

13. The teacher __________ (start) the lesson already.

A. started

B. was starting

C. had started

D. starts

14. She __________ (sleep) when her phone rang.

A. slept

B. was sleeping

C. had slept

D. has slept

15. They __________ (not / call) me until later.

A. didn't call

B. weren't calling

C. hadn't called
 D. haven't called

16. He __________ (arrive) after we had left.

A. arrived

B. was arriving

C. had arrived

D. arrives

17. We __________ (just / finish) when the guests came.

A. finished

B. were finishing

C. had just finished

D. have just finished

18. __________ it __________ (rain) when you left the house?

A. Did / rain

B. Was / raining

C. Had / rained

D. Has / rained

19. She __________ (cry) because she had failed the test.

A. cried

B. was crying

C. had cried

D. cries

20. They __________ (not / be) there when I arrived.

A. weren't

B. didn't be

C. hadn't been
 D. haven't been

21. While I __________ (watch) TV, my sister __________ (do) homework.

A. was watching / did

B. watched / was doing

C. was watching / was doing

D. watched / did

22. He __________ (break) his arm after he __________ (fall) off the bike.

A. broke / fell

B. was breaking / fell

C. broke / had fallen

D. had broken / fell

23. They __________ (eat) lunch when the phone __________ (ring).

A. ate / rang

B. were eating / rang

C. had eaten / rang

D. were eating / had rung

24. We __________ (be) tired because we __________ (walk) all day.

A. were / walked

B. had been / walked

C. were / had walked

D. were / were walking

25. After she __________ (leave), we __________ (start) the meeting.

A. had left / started

B. left / had started

C. left / started
 D. was leaving / started

26. I __________ (not / go) to the party because I __________ (already / be) there.

A. didn't go / was

B. wasn't going / had been

C. didn't go / had been

D. hadn't gone / had been

27. They __________ (have) dinner when we __________ (arrive).

A. were having / arrived

B. had / arrived

C. had had / arrived

D. have / arrived

28. __________ she __________ (do) her homework before she __________ (watch) TV?

A. Did / do / watched

B. Was / doing / watched

C. Had / done / watched

D. Has / done / watched

29. I __________ (meet) them after they __________ (finish) dinner.

A. met / finished

B. had met / finished

C. met / had finished

D. was meeting / finished

30. We __________ (wait) for the bus when it __________ (start) to rain.

A. waited / started

B. had waited / started

C. were waiting / started

31. He __________ (tell) me he __________ (never / be) to Japan before.

A. told / had never been

B. told / was never

C. was telling / had never been

D. told / never was

32. __________ you __________ (eat) before you __________ (arrive)?

A. Did / eat / arrived

B. Had / eaten / arrived

C. Were / eating / arrived

D. Do / eat / arrived

33. I __________ (clean) the room after the kids __________ (make) a mess.

A. cleaned / made

B. was cleaning / made

C. had cleaned / had made

D. cleaned / had made

34. She __________ (just / leave) when he __________ (call).

A. had just left / called

B. just left / was calling

C. left / had called

D. was leaving / called

35. They __________ (not / see) the message because they __________ (turn off) their phones.

A. didn't see / turned off

B. hadn't seen / had turned off

C. hadn't seen / turned off

36. The teacher __________ (explain) everything before the test __________ (begin).

A. explained / began

B. was explaining / began

C. had explained / began

D. explained / had begun

37. __________ you __________ (sleep) when the alarm __________ (go) off?

A. Were / sleeping / went

B. Had / slept / went

C. Did / sleep / went

D. Do / sleep / went

38. He __________ (work) on the project all night before he __________ (go) to bed.

A. worked / went

B. was working / had gone

C. had been working / went

D. had worked / went

39. After the storm __________ (pass), we __________ (go) outside.

A. passed / went

B. was passing / went

C. had passed / went

D. had passed / had gone

40. She __________ (wear) her new dress when I __________ (see) her.

A. wore / saw

B. was wearing / saw

C. had worn / saw

41. They __________ (study) together before they __________ (take) the test.

A. studied / took

B. had studied / took

C. were studying / took

D. had studied / had taken

42. I __________ (not / sleep) because I __________ (drink) coffee.

A. didn't sleep / drank

B. hadn't slept / had drunk

C. didn't sleep / had drunk

D. wasn't sleeping / drank

43. __________ they __________ (arrive) after you __________ (leave)?

A. Did / arrive / left

B. Were / arriving / left

C. Had / arrived / left

D. Had / arrived / had left

44. She __________ (cry) because she __________ (fail) the test.

A. cried / failed

B. was crying / had failed

C. cried / had failed

D. had cried / failed

45. We __________ (already / leave) when they __________ (call).

A. left / called

B. had already left / called

C. were leaving / called

46. The children __________ (play) outside while their mother __________ (cook) dinner.

A. played / cooked

B. were playing / was cooking

C. had played / cooked

D. were playing / had cooked

47. __________ you __________ (finish) the report when the boss __________ (ask) for it?

A. Did / finish / asked

B. Had / finished / asked

C. Were / finishing / asked

D. Do / finish / asked

48. They __________ (wait) for the bus when the driver __________ (arrive).

A. waited / arrived

B. had waited / arrived

C. were waiting / arrived

D. were waiting / had arrived

49. I __________ (read) the book after I __________ (watch) the movie.

A. read / watched

B. was reading / had watched

C. read / had watched

D. had read / watched

50. He __________ (walk) to work after the car __________ (break) down.

A. walked / broke

B. was walking / broke

C. walked / had broken