REWRITING: VERB TENSES

Use the words in brackets to rewrite the sentences so that they have the same
meaning as the original. Make any necessary changes.
1. I was at the bus stop and there was an accident. (waiting)
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2. She had a bath. Later, she phoned her friend. (before)
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3. My date of birth is April 3rd, 1993. (I)
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4. That letter arrived only a few minutes ago. (just)
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5. While I was having dinner, Jim arrived. (when)
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6. It's a long time since I last visited Tom. (for)
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7. When did you get your new bike? (How long?)
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8. Dogs frighten me. (I)
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9. The doorbell rang in the middle of her phone conversation. (while)
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10. I finished most of my homework. I went out later. (after)
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11. Dave only sometimes writes me an email. (not often)
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12. Is this your first visit to a film set? (ever)
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13. My car broke down on Tuesday. I took it to the garage on Wednesday.
(because)
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14. I visited many interesting places on my tour of China. (while)
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15. First, I drank a hot chocolate. An hour later, I went to bed. (before)
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16. I’ve had this computer for ten years. (ago)
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17. The area is completely deserted. (There)
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18. I bought this car in 2000. (for)
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19. The last time I saw Tom was ten years ago. (seen)
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20. She’s leaving school before June ends. (by the end)
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21. Dad arrived at the restaurant. We arrived an hour after him. (after)
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22. The children got ill on Monday. (since)
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23. I didn’t see Ann for three years. Then I met her in a concert last weekend.
(when)
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24. It’s a long time since I last went to a football match. (gone)
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25. I am on the tenth slide of the project I am preparing. (so far)
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26. This bridge will take us less than three years to complete. (in three years)
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27. We’ll have to leave immediately at the end of the film. (as soon as)
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28. Harry left before we reached the hotel. (by the time)
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29. My work won’t be finished by the end of the month. (have)
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30. My brother bought a motorbike last week. Now he finds it easy to drive.
(found)
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Key:
1. There was an accident while I was waiting for the bus / While I …
2. She had had a bath before she phoned her friend / Before she …
3. I was born on April 3rd, 1993.
4. That letter has just arrived.
5. I was having dinner when Jim arrived / When Jim …
6. I haven’t visited Tom for a long time.
7. How long have you had your new bike?
8. I am afraid of dogs.
9. The doorbell rang while she was talking on the phone / While she …
10. I went out after I had finished most of my homework / After I …
11. Dave doesn’t often write me an email.
12. Have you ever been to a film set before?
13. I took my car to the garage because it had broken down on Tuesday.
14. I visited many interesting places while I was touring China / travelling in China
/ While I ...
15. I had drunk a hot chocolate before I went to bed an hour later / Before I ...
16. I bought/got this computer ten years ago.
17. There is no one / There isn’t anyone in the area.
18. I have had this car for 17 years.
19. I haven’t seen Tom for ten years.
20. She will have left school by the end of June / By the end …
21. We arrived at the restaurant an hour after Dan (had arrived).
22. The children have been ill since Monday.
23. I hadn’t seen Ann for three years when I met her in a concert last weekend /
When I met Ann …
24. I haven’t gone to a football match for a long time.
25. I have prepared ten slides of my project so far. / So far, …
26. We will have completed this bridge in three years / In three years …
27. We’ll have to leave as soon as the film finishes / As soon as the film …
28. By the time we reached the hotel, Harry had left / Harry had left …
29. I won’t have finished my work by the end of the month / By the end of the
month, …
30. My brother has found his new motorbike / the motorbike he bought last week
easy to ride.