56 English Grammar Demystifi ed
As the baseball hero walked into the stadium, the ecstatic fans cheered.Two actions happened at the same time: (1) The baseball hero walked and (2) the
ecstatic fans cheered. When two actions occur simultaneously, neither action word
is accompanied by had.
Written Practice 3-4
Choose the correct verb for each of the following sentences.
- When the singer appeared to sing the National Anthem, everyone (rose/had
risen). - I (will have commuted/commuted) one million miles by air by the time I
retire. - The music (swelled/has swelled) and the movie began.
- As I lifted the Sunday newspaper, I (saw/had seen) my missing pen.
- By the time I leave the house, my bus (will have left/left).
- The court (decided/had decided) that the driver was wrong.
- As we (fi led/had fi led) out of the room, the lights went out.
- I (picked/had picked) up my personal mail before I arrived at work.
- When the electric lines fell, our lights (went out/had gone out).
- Before she goes up to the platform, she (will have prepared/prepared) her
talking points.
Written Practice 3-5
This practice reviews all the types of verbs taught in Chapter 3. Find an incorrect
verb form in each of the following sentences. Write your correction on the line
provided.
- Even busy children loves to read a good book.
- My son read for at least a year before he went to school.