Exercise: Grammar: Past forms of verbs

Complete each of the following sentences by writing the past tense or past participle of the verb listed in parentheses. Example:

They had already _______ (eat) the entrée; later they ______ (eat) the dessert.

Answers: eaten, ate

  1. The babysitter ________ (let) the children play with my schoolbooks, and before I ________ (come) home, they had ________ (tear) out several pages.

    The babysitter ________ (let) the children play with my schoolbooks, and before I ________ (come) home, they had ________ (tear) out several pages.
    The babysitter ________ (let) the children play with my schoolbooks, and before I ________ (come) home, they had ________ (tear) out several pages.
  2. After they had ________ (review) the evidence, the jury ________ (find) the defendant not guilty.

    After they had ________ (review) the evidence, the jury ________ (find) the defendant not guilty.
    After they had ________ (review) the evidence, the jury ________ (find) the defendant not guilty.
  3. Hypnosis ________ (work) only on willing participants.

    Hypnosis ________ (work) only on willing participants.
    Hypnosis ________ (work) only on willing participants.
  4. My parents ________ (plant) a tree for me in the town where I was born, but I have never ________ (go) back to see it.

    My parents ________ (plant) a tree for me in the town where I was born, but I have never ________ (go) back to see it.
    My parents ________ (plant) a tree for me in the town where I was born, but I have never ________ (go) back to see it.
  5. Some residents ________ (know) that the levee was leaking long before the storms, but authorities ________ (ignore) the complaints.

    Some residents ________ (know) that the levee was leaking long before the storms, but authorities ________ (ignore) the complaints.
    Some residents ________ (know) that the levee was leaking long before the storms, but authorities ________ (ignore) the complaints.
  6. I ________ (paint) a picture from a photograph my sister had ________ (take) at the beach.

    I ________ (paint) a picture from a photograph my sister had ________ (take) at the beach.
    I ________ (paint) a picture from a photograph my sister had ________ (take) at the beach.
  7. When the buzzer sounded, the racers ________ (spring) into the water and ________ (swim) toward the far end of the pool.

    When the buzzer sounded, the racers ________ (spring) into the water and ________ (swim) toward the far end of the pool.
    When the buzzer sounded, the racers ________ (spring) into the water and ________ (swim) toward the far end of the pool.
  8. We had ________ (assume) for some time that surgery was a possibility, and we had ________ (find) an excellent facility.

    We had ________ (assume) for some time that surgery was a possibility, and we had ________ (find) an excellent facility.
    We had ________ (assume) for some time that surgery was a possibility, and we had ________ (find) an excellent facility.
  9. Once the storm had ________ (pass), we could see that the old oak tree had ________ (fall).

    Once the storm had ________ (pass), we could see that the old oak tree had ________ (fall).
    Once the storm had ________ (pass), we could see that the old oak tree had ________ (fall).
  10. Some high-level employees ________ (decide) to speak publicly about the cover-up before the company’s official story had ________ (be) released to the media.

    Some high-level employees ________ (decide) to speak publicly about the cover-up before the company’s official story had ________ (be) released to the media.
    Some high-level employees ________ (decide) to speak publicly about the cover-up before the company’s official story had ________ (be) released to ...