Grammar Practice

Ex.1. Supply Past Progressive and comment on the use.

1. When Ann turned on the television, the weatherman (give) the weekend forecast for Europe. 2. At ten o’clock it (rain) heavily. 3. She (cook) in the kitchen at the moment. 4. I was busy the whole day yesterday. I (write) an article. 5. We were at the library from 3 to 7 p.m. We (prepare) for the credit. 6. He was in the country at the weekend. He (fish). 7. On Friday morning I was at work. I (make) an experiment. 8. The child (lie) as I entered. 9. You couldn’t see well for it (grow) dark. 10. He still (think) over the problem when the telephone rang. 11. While Jane (look) for the key we (stand) in front of the closed door. 12. While the parents (have) dinner we (play) games in the yard. 13. When he came back to the office, the secretary still (type) the document. 14. You didn’t believe I (tell) the truth just now. 15. It (snow) all night. 16. She (leave) yesterday but suddenly fell ill. 17. I (not, listen), so I missed what he said. 18. We stayed because we (enjoy) ourselves. 19. He (garden) all weekend. 20. It was a nice party. All the guests (enjoy) themselves. Ben (sing) a song, Kate and Fred (dance), Sam (eat) and we (play) cards.

Ex.2. Make the sentences negative.

1. I (cook) dinner when the telephone rang. 2. Diana (play) the piano when her brother entered. 3. We (read) the text when Tom came in. 4. They (study) in the library when suddenly it started to rain. 5. Pete (make) noise when he was at the lesson. 6. When I woke up this morning it (snow) hard. 7. The managers (carry) on negotiations from 4 to 6 o’clock yesterday. 8. You (go) on a business trip to Italy this time last year. 9. At that time they (sit) at supper. 10. I (think) about my project the whole day.

Ex.3. Make the sentences general questions. Give short answers.

1. We (have) a meeting at 6 o’clock yesterday. 2. Henry (repair) the watch from 4 to 5 o’clock. 3. You still (work) when I left. 4. Betsy (read) when I rang her. 5. It (rain) hard all day yesterday. 6. I (clean) the flat all Saturday. 7. Dick (wait) for you when we saw him. 8. Mark (drive) home when the car broke down. 9. Henry (eat) a snack at midday yesterday. 10. George (watch) television when his brother called on. 11. You (not, listen) my explanation. 12. He (not, wait) for you after classes. 13. They (not, look) through the magazine when she came.

Ex.4. Ask alternative questions.

1. John (run) to class / home when he lost his pen? 2. The children (play) volleyball / basketball the whole day yesterday? 3. Miss Elliot (type) a contract / the letters when you returned? 4. Mike (do) his homework / (listen) to music at 8 o’clock? 5. You (speak) over the phone with David / Fred all evening yesterday? 6. They (live) in Spain / Portugal at that time? 7. The boss / his assistant (give) an interview when you turned on the radio? 8. The students (talk) / (laugh) when the teacher came in? 9. Mary (paint) a portrait / a landscape all Sunday? 10. She (set) the table at 6 / 7 o’clock yesterday?

Ex.5. Put questions to the underlined words.

1. Kate (discuss) the essay with the tutor from 3 to 4 p.m. yesterday. 2. Father (look) through the papers when I arrived. 3. Ann (hurry) to work when we met her. 4. They (stay) at home all day yesterday because of the rainy weather. 5. Jane (wait) for Tom when you saw her. 6. She (prepare) an important account at that time. 7. Mr. Black (tell) about his journey when we entered. 8. The Simons (talk) to their neighbours very noisily. 9. I (play) the computer game all day long yesterday. 10. She (suffer) from toothache terribly all evening. 11. We (sit) in the lounge when they called out our flight. 12. She (sell) newspapers when we met her. 13. Robert (make) a report on Economics when the bell rang. 14. They (learn) new English words from 5 to 6 o’clock yesterday. 15. Helen (study) Math all day because she passed her entrance exam. 16. Frank’s group-mates (do) practical work all last week. 17. I (have) an interview with the employer at that time. 18. He (wonder) if he could take my mobile telephone.

Ex.6. Put disjunctive questions.

1. When he entered the room she (stand) in front of the mirror, … ? 2. You (not, listen) when I explained, … ? 3. The police (investigate) the crime at the time, … ? 4. Henry (not, do) his homework when I called him, … ? 5. The Greens (not, have) supper from 6 to 7 o’clock yesterday, … ? 6. The day (break) when you landed, … ? 7. At that time Clare (give) a briefing, … ? 8. I (not, play) on the computer at 5 o’clock, … ? 9. Diana and I (work) in the library on Saturday morning, … ? 10. Tom (make) his decision the whole week, … ? 11. Sally (not, clean) her room when you entered, … ? 12. John constantly (tell) nonsense, … ? 13. Nancy (not, cry) at that time, … ? 14. It (get) dark when you left, … ?

Ex.7. Put the verbs in brackets into Past Progressive.

1. I saw a man who (to try) to climb through the window. 2. We were frightened because it (to get) dark. 3. What he (to wear) when you last saw him? 4. They (to redecorate) the house, so it was all in a mess. 5. The nurse was alone with the baby at that time because Mr Spencer (to work) in the garden and Mrs Spencer (to do) shopping. 6. I wanted to speak to the captain of the ship which (to leave) for Dover. 7. When I first met her she (not, to work) yet. She (to study) music. 8. I watched the children for some time. Some of them (to bathe), others (to play) ball, the rest (to run) about. 9. We met quite by chance. I saw Victor at a bus stop. He (to wait) for a bus. 10. He always (to whisper) something. It was impossible to hear a word. 11. Just as I (to think) what to do next, there was a knock at the door.

Ex.8. Make up the complex sentences.

Model: play / talk to somebody

While you were playing your mother was talking to her neighbour.

1. have a bath / wash the dishes; 2. make tea / clean the car; 3. listen to the news / read the papers; 4. have a holiday / work hard; 5. write an article / do one’s homework; 6. repair the radio / clean the house; 7. look through the papers / type the documents; 8. to drive the car / walk to the office; 9. play the guitar / knit the socks; 10. tell stories / set the table.

Ex.9. Translate into English.

1. Мы занимались в библиотеке вчера с 4 до 7. 2. В поезде было много людей. Некоторые читали, другие спали, а дети играли. 3. Они долго наблюдали закат солнца вчера. 4. Ник делал уроки в 8 часов вчера. 5. Соседи спорили весь день позавчера. 6. Пока она гладила брюки мужа, он слушал новости по радио. 7. Когда мы расстались, шел сильный дождь. 8. Она сказала, что возвращается на следующей неделе. 9. Роберт все еще переводил предложения, когда мы выходили из комнаты. 10. Майк не работал над проектом весь месяц, не так ли? – Да, вы правы. Он готовился к экзамену по вождению вместо этого. 11. С кем ты беседовал вчера, когда мы встретились?

12. Где они останавливались в Москве: у родственников или в гостинице? 13. Почему вы смеялись во время лекции вчера? 14. Она писала сочинение или учила стихотворение все это время вчера? 15. В какое время вы шли мимо магазина?