Past tenses (sim, cont, perf sim, perf cont)

______ Thomas Edison and Henry Ford best friends?

• Was

• Were

• Did

• Would

Answer explanation

General truths or facts in the past

Did the ancient Egyptians ____ more advanced technology than other civilizations?

• has

• have

• had

• having

Answer explanation

The helping verb "verb to do" is already used in the sentence; therefore, the main verb should be in the "infinitive form".

I ______ with Matt around midnight last night. Then I went to bed.

• was chatting

• chatted

• had chatted

• had been chatting

Answer explanation

Actions in progress at a particular moment in the past

Before I watched that movie, I ____ the ending on a website a week ago.

• read

• was reading

• had read

• had been reading

Answer explanation

Situations or states before the past

It _____ heavily when I left for work this morning.

• had rained

• was raining

• rained

• is raining

Answer explanation

An action that was in progress at a specific time in the past

I _____ our visit to the Science Museum last summer.

• enjoy

• did enjoy

• were enjoying

• had enjoyed

Answer explanation

To emphasize strong feelings in the past

The ancient Greeks ______ rely on the power of slaves, rather than machines.

• was

• were

• would

• had

Answer explanation

Past habits, particularly for the distant past

It's surprising how quickly people in the nineteenth century _______ travelling by train.

• use to

• were used to

• using to

• had used to

Answer explanation

"Be used to" refers to a situation that is now familiar or no longer strange.

She ________ Taekwondo for over ten years before she finally won a gold medal last month.

• trained

• were training

• had been training

• would train

Answer explanation

Actions and situations continuing up to a moment in the past (or just before a moment in the past)

______ Tiffany last August while you were both backpacking around Europe?

• Did you meet

• Have you met

• Had you met

• Would you meet

Answer explanation

Completed actions in the past