Past simple; used to – B1 English Grammar Test

1  Choose a verb. Then complete with the correct form of the past simple.

1   They ……closed…… the windows when it got cold.

2   Jamila ………………… to avoid the storm.

3   ………………… you ………………… in the snow on Sunday?

4   I ………………… the forecast on TV yesterday.

5   Max always ………………… an umbrella when he lived in London.

6   They ………………… late last night because it was raining.

7   Liz ………………… me her gloves because my fingers were cold.

2  Complete the sentences using phrasal verbs in the correct form.

1   During the storm, our neighbour’s fence ……blew away…… .

2   I love it at night when the stars …………………… .

3   In California, a huge forest has …………………… thanks to one cigarette.

4   If the weather …………………… later, we’ll have a picnic.

5   It took them five hours to …………………… the fire.

6   The bridge …………………… and nobody can cross the river.

3  Think about when you were at primary school. Complete the sentences with used to / didn’t use to so that they are true for you, and delete the extra word.

1   It ……didn’t use to…… snow a lot of in winter.

2   I ……………………… enjoy to swimming in summer.

3   I ……………………… watch a lots of films when it rained.

4   My country ……………………… have more extreme weather than at now.

5   I ……………………… be interested of in the weather forecast.

6   I ……………………… be afraid of the lightning and thunder.

4  Put the word in brackets in the correct form.

‘Did you hear the thunderstorm last night? Wow, I 1……woke…… (wake) up at 3 a.m. The rain was hitting my window 2……………… (loud) and the lightning was illuminating the whole sky. I 3……………… (be) completely terrified. I got out of bed and I 4……………… (fall) on my knee. Ouch! I watched the storm for about half an hour, then it 5……………… (become) calmer and the rain stopped. I 6……………… (use to) enjoy storms when I was little, but now they scare me. My baby brother was scared too. He 7……………… (throw) his blanket off and 8……………… (cry).’

5  Complete the sentences with a verb from the box to make a contrast. Put the verb in the correct tense.

1   She didn’t lose it, she ……found…… it.

2   They didn’t buy the house, they ………………… it.

3   You didn’t fix my computer, you ………………… it.

4   Claire didn’t write several songs, she ………………… hundreds.

5   It wasn’t hot last August, it ………………… really cold.

6   The building didn’t fall down, it ………………… .

7   Karlo doesn’t live in Paris, he ………………… in Rome.

6  Complete the email using present simple / continuous or past simple.

Hi, Sarah

I 1……am writing…… from my hotel here in Bermuda. They 2………………. on the news last night there could be a small hurricane. Right now, we 3………………. in any great danger, but the hotel staff 4………………. us to be prepared for it. I 5………………. a special bag at the moment. I 6………………. any clothes for a hurricane, but before breakfast this morning they 7………………. everyone a special poncho. I should go now. It 8………………. windy! See you soon.