Past tenses 1
Before bedtime, I _____ (already/to do) all my house chores.
Before bedtime, I had already done all my house chores.
A few years ago, I _____ (not/to like)* eating vegetables.
*Habit/Past state
A few years ago, I didn't use to like eating vegetables.
I've been trying _____ (to talk) to you all day long, but it seems you've left your mobile at home.
I've been trying to talk to you all day long, but it seems you've left your mobile at home.
After many dismal failures, my parents told me I couldn't do it, but I refused _____ (to give) up.
After many dismal failures, my parents told me I couldn't do it, but I refused to give up.
I've been trying to eat more _____, but it's hard to give up on pizza and burgers.
HEALTH
I've been trying to eat more healthily, but it's hard to give up on pizza and burgers.
noun → adverb
I _____ (to wonder) if you _____ (to want) to watch a movie with me tonight.
I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me tonight.
When I _____ (to be) a child, my dad _____ (always/to take)* me fishing on weekends.
*Habit/Past state
When I was a child, my dad would always take me fishing on weekends.
I really want _____ (to play) Pokémon right now, but my room desperately needs _____ (to clean).
I really want to play Pokémon right now, but my room desperately needs cleaning.
I woke up early on Friday and cleaned the whole house to make my parents happy only _____ (to find) out they had hired someone _____ (to do) it!
I woke up early on Friday and cleaned the whole house to make my parents happy only to find out they had hired someone to do it!
Everyone seemed _____ tired, so I cracked a joke to _____ up the mood.
AWFUL/LIGHT
Everyone seemed awfully tired, so I cracked a joke to lighten up the mood.
adjective → adverb
noun → verb
I _____ (to be)* a fairly nice student, but I _____ (to misbehave)* every once in a while – especially when I _____ (to get) bored.
*Habit/Past state
I used to be a fairly nice student, but I would misbehave every once in a while – especially when I got bored.
When my teacher _____ (to catch) me cheating, I _____ (to swear) I _____ (never/do)* it again.
*Future from a past perspective
When my teacher caught me cheating, I swore I would never do it again.
_____ (to drink) tea before bedtime hasn't really helped me _____ (to fall) asleep any faster. Should I try _____ (to take) a hot shower instead?
Drinking tea before bedtime hasn't really helped me (to) fall asleep any faster. Should I try taking a hot shower instead?
Now I can clearly recall my friend _____ (to ask) me _____ (to defrost) some chicken for him, but unfortunately I forgot _____ (to do) so.
Now I can clearly recall my friend asking me to defrost some chicken for him, but unfortunately I forgot to do so.
I simply don't have the _____ required to play certain sports. I'm really _____ for _____.
ABLE/FIT/COMPETE
I simply don't have the ability required to play certain sports. I'm really unfit for competition.
adjective → noun
verb → adjective
verb → noun
When my mom _____ (to call) me to eat, I _____ (to realize) that I _____ (to play) on my computer for 6h straight and _____ (not/to eat) anything all day long!
When my mom called me to eat, I realized that I had been playing on my computer for 6 hours straight and hadn't eaten anything all day long!
I _____ (to see) the most adorable cat ever while I _____ (to run) to the bus stop. Unfortunately, when I _____ (to approach) that cute ball of fluff, it _____ (to run) away.
I saw the most adorable cat ever while I was running to the bus stop. Unfortunately, when I approached that cute ball of fluff, it ran away.
My friends have always liked _____ (to go) out on weekends, so I urged them _____ (to tell) me why they'd been refusing ____ (to accept) my invitations lately. I know they've been partying without me, but they denied _____ (to have) done so.
My friends have always liked to go/going out on weekends, so I urged them to tell me why they'd been refusing to accept my invitations lately. I know they've been partying without me, but they denied having done so.
I'd never been into _____ (to watch) scary movies, but a good friend of mine helped me _____ (to overcome) my fear by _____ (to tell) me _____ (to check) out a brilliant psychological thriller that wasn't all about jumpscares.
I'd never been into watching scary movies, but a good friend of mine helped me (to) overcome my fear by telling me to check out a brilliant psychological thriller that wasn't all about jumpscares.
I used to arrive late or even miss many classes at college, so one of the _____ things that's ever happened to me was getting up _____ than usual to go there because I needed to _____ a test I'd failed only to realize later that it was a holiday – and the place was _____ closed.
FUNNY/EARLY/TAKE/CONSEQUENCE
I used to arrive late or even miss many classes at college, so one of the funniest things that's ever happened to me was getting up earlier than usual to go there because I needed to retake a test I'd failed only to realize later that it was a holiday – and the place was consequently closed.
adjective → superlative adjective
adverb → comparative adverb
verb → verb
noun → adverb
I _____ (never/to practice) any sports before I _____ (to take) up hockey. I _____ (to play) it for 4 years when I _____ (to have) a serious injury and _____ (to need) to quit.
I had never practiced any sports before I took up hockey. I had been playing it for 4 years when I had a serious injury and needed to quit.
Yesterday I _____ (to get) late for class because I _____ (not/to set) my alarm the night before. When I _____ (to arrive) in the classroom, everybody _____ (to write). In fact, they _____ (to do) it for over 20 minutes.
Yesterday I got late for class because I hadn't set my alarm the night before. When I arrived in the classroom, everybody was writing. In fact, they had been doing it for over 20 minutes.
I know I promised (to give) him my favorite plushie, but (to do) so means (to let) go of something really important to me. I saw him (to smile) when I said that, but I didn't actually mean (to part) with it.
I know I promised to give him my favorite plushie, but doing so means letting go of something really important to me. I saw him smile/smiling when I said that, but I didn't actually mean to part with it.
I normally avoid _____ (to talk) about controversial topics during family barbecues, but sometimes it's hard _____ (to put) up with certain comments that make me _____ (to lose) my cool, so I end up _____ (to say) harsh things and then regret _____ (to break) that golden rule of mine.
I normally avoid talking about controversial topics during family barbecues, but sometimes it's hard to put up with certain comments that make me lose my cool, so I end up saying harsh things and then regret breaking that golden rule of mine.
The unlikelihood of our victory made me quickly realize that it would be pointless to put in any additional energy.
LIKELY/QUICK/POINT/ADD/STRONG
The unlikelihood of our victory made me quickly realize that it would be pointless to put in any additional energy and waste my strenght.
adverb → noun
adjective → adverb
noun → adjective
verb → adjective
adjective → noun