Past Tenses and Habits (Now & Then)
Complete: "When I ______ (arrive), they ______ (eat) dinner."
arrived, were eating
Give advice: Your friend is sick but refuses to go to the doctor.
You should / ought to / had better see a doctor.
Guess the situation: “His phone is off. He ______ be on a plane.”
must
Choose: “I enjoy (to play / playing) the piano.”
playing
Complete (First Conditional): “If I study, I _______.”
will pass
What's the difference between: "I had been working" vs. "I worked"?
Create a sentence using Past Perfect Continuous.
"Had been working" emphasizes duration before another past event; "worked" is a finished past action.
(e.g. I had been studying English for five years before I moved to London.)
Which are stronger: "should", "ought to", or "had better"? Why?
"Had better" is strongest; it implies consequences.
True or False: “He mustn’t be at home” means it’s forbidden.
False. It means you’re sure he isn’t at home.
Choose: “She decided (to go / going) home early.”
to go
Create a sentence using the Second Conditional.
(e.g. If I were rich, I’d travel the world.)
Compare Present Perfect and Past Perfect using two related events.
(e.g. I have lost my keys. / I had lost my keys before I left the office.)
Complete: “You _____ smoke in here. It’s not allowed.”
mustn’t
Complete: “He looks really upset. Something bad ______ happened.”
must have
Rewrite with a gerund: “It’s important to exercise.”
Exercising is important.
Rewrite using Third Conditional: “I didn’t go to the party because I was tired.”
If I hadn’t been tired, I would have gone to the party.
Which is correct: “I would live in Paris” or “I used to live in Paris”? Why?
"Used to live" is correct. “Would” is for repeated actions, not states.
Rewrite: “It was necessary to wear a uniform.” (use ‘have to’)
We had to wear a uniform.
Explain the difference: “He can’t have stolen it” vs “He might have stolen it.”
“Can’t” = impossible; “might” = possible but uncertain
Which is correct: “I remembered to lock the door” or “I remembered locking the door”? What’s the difference?
Both are correct. “To lock” = you remembered before the action. “Locking” = you remember the action itself.
Create a mixed conditional sentence (present result of past action).
(e.g. If I had studied harder, I would have a better job now.)
Make a sentence with “Present Continuous for habit” + a negative emotion.
Explain the difference: “used to” vs. “be used to”.
(e.g. He’s always borrowing my stuff without asking! It’s so annoying.)
“Used to” = past habit; “be used to” = accustomed to (can be present).
Complete: “She looks so tired. You _______ made her work so much.”
must have
Create 3 different sentences using “could have”, “may not have”, and “must have”.
(e.g. He could have taken the wrong train. / She may not have heard the alarm. / You must have left your bag at school.)
Make a sentence using a verb that changes meaning with gerund vs. infinitive.
(e.g. He stopped smoking. / He stopped to smoke.)
Use one of these: unless / as long as / supposing / I wish.
(e.g. I wish I had told her the truth. / You can go out as long as you finish your homework.)