CBSE Class 8 English Grammar The Past Tenses Worksheet Set 09

Answer: 1. They packed when we came. = We came and then they packed.
2. They were packing when we came. = They were in the middle of packing when we came.
3. They had packed when we came. = They packed before we came.

Teacher's Note: Use the key term in your answer.

Answer: Once a missionary in Africa was going to a village. Suddenly he heard a roar and shook with fear. In a moment there was a lion in front of him. The missionary feared that the lion was going to kill him. He knelt down and began to pray. When he opened his eyes he saw a miracle. He found that the lion was praying too. Now he thought that there was nothing to fear. He said to the lion, "I am praying to be saved. But what are you praying for?" "I always pray before eating," replied the lion.

Teacher's Note: Give an example if the question allows.

Answer: 1. I had finished my work before you came.
2. I had reached the school before the bell rang.
3. I had done my homework before I went to bed.
4. The show had started when we came late.
5. My grandfather had died before I was born.
6. I had learned driving before I bought the car.

Teacher's Note: The past perfect shows the action that happened first.

Answer: 1. Samira needed a break because she had been studying all day.
2. I could not sleep last night because I had been sleeping all day.
3. You had been driving in the wrong direction for an hour before you noticed your mistake.
4. Rick had been watching TV for two hours when I arrived.
5. She had been playing the keyboard for three years before she joined a band.
6. They took the baby to the doctor because she had been crying all night.

Teacher's Note: Remember this for your exam.

Answer: 1. He bit his tongue while he was eating puris.
2. I fell off the chair while I was hanging the picture.
3. We were watching a video when he came.
4. I hurt my thumb while I was hitting the nail.
5. Gopal was having a nice dream when the alarm went off.

Teacher's Note: Learn this point and write it in your own words.

Answer: 1. When I had finished my exam, I checked my answers for mistakes.
2. It was a good story, but I had heard it before.
3. They had eaten everything when I arrived at the party.
4. When we had completed the forms we handed them in.
5. By the time we got to the theatre we had missed the start of the movie.

Teacher's Note: Use the key term in your answer.

Answer: 1. opens; 2. belongs; 3. saw; 4. is coming; 5. hasn't arrived; 6. has been raining; 7. wants; 8. have known; 9. were sleeping; 10. has gone; 11. has been ringing; 12. has; 13. had forgotten; 14. had had; 15. have injured; 16. have been waiting; 17. was having; 18. had done; 19. has changed; 20. was watching.

Teacher's Note: Verbs of state such as belong, want and know are not used in continuous tenses.

Answer: The word square is a picture and is not in the text. Common irregular simple past forms to look for are: went, came, saw, took, gave, ate, drank, wrote, rode, ran, sang, swam, began, knew, threw, grew, flew, broke, spoke, chose, fell, forgot, bought, caught and taught.

Teacher's Note: Teachers can use this list as a check against the square.