Reading and Use of English Part 1 - B2 - Grammar Focus - Past Tenses

For questions 1–8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

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0 A spent B made C took D went

When Jimmy Yates was a small boy, his family (0) spent their holidays on his grandfather's farm. This was in a valley (1) _____ by mountains. It was during one of these visits that Jimmy's (2) _____ to remember a tune led to the suggestion that the boy should (3 _____ up a musical instrument. One evening a discussion (4) _____ among the adults about the differences between two hit songs. His father tried to prove the (5) _____ of the two tunes by playing them, not very well, on his guitar. No one thought that Jimmy, who was only five, was listening, but suddenly he made his (6) _____ to the ancient piano which stood in the corner and played first one of the tunes and then the other. The family was amazed (7) _____ no one had heard him play any music before. In this way, Jimmy's musical (8) _____ began.

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Example: 0 A spent B made C took D went

1. A surrounded B closed C held D circled

2. A talent B gift C ability D skill

3. A take up B start up C pick up D join up

4. A happened B came C entered D arose

5. A comparison B closeness C likeness D similarity

6. A path B way C route D line

7. A so B although C when D as

8. A work B living C career D study

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Exam tip

If you are unsure, try to work out which answers are wrong.

See what is left, and if you are still unsure, make a guess!

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Log in to your Learnclick account below to do the rest of the exam practice and check your answers.

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GRAMMAR FOCUS

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In the exam task there are some irregular past simple verbs. Without looking back at the text, write the past simple form of these verbs.

1. arise -

2. begin -

3. come -

4. go -

5. hear -

6. hold -

7. lead -

8. make -

9. spend -

10. stand -

11. take -

12. think -