Denny opened the door, thinking the pizza __________. It hadn’t. (to arrive)
Denny opened the door, thinking the pizza had arrived. It hadn’t. (past event complete before he “opened” the door)
Hilary and Erin are not coming to the party because they __________ two nights in a haunted house for charity. (to spend)
Hilary and Erin are not coming to the party because they are spending two nights in a haunted house for charity. (ongoing present action)
Can you close the curtains? The moonlight __________ an unnerving shadow on the wall. (to cast)
Can you close the curtains? The moonlight is casting an unnerving shadow on the wall. (ongoing present action)
The police __________ the otherworldly goo tomorrow morning. (to investigate)
The police will investigate / are going to investigate the otherworldly goo tomorrow morning. (future determined action)
Tony __________ a poltergeist has been moving his furniture every night. (to suspect)
Tony suspects a poltergeist has been moving his furniture every night. (a current feeling)
Rupert shrieked when the clock __________ on the floor. (to fall)
Rupert shrieked when the clock fell on the floor. (simple complete past)
Wendy keeps waking me up; she __________ nightmares about fairies again. (to have)
Wendy keeps waking me up; she is having nightmares about fairies again. (ongoing current action)
We __________ a pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern next week. (to carve)
We are going to carve / will carve a pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern next week. (a future determination; “are carving” could also work as a scheduled plan)
She said she __________ afraid of spiders, but she gave a bloodcurdling scream when the tarantula appeared. (to be / not)
She said she wasn’t / was not afraid of spiders, but she gave a bloodcurdling scream when the tarantula appeared. (reported past speech)
I __________ in vampires, but that man looks like one. (to believe / not)
I don’t / do not believe in vampires, but that man looks like one. (simple present belief)
My biggest fear is that zombies __________ my home. (to attack)
My biggest fear is that zombies will attack my home. (future/imagined fear)
Many bizarre things __________ at the lake recently. (to happen)
Many bizarre things have happened / have been happening at the lake recently. (ongoing current events which started in the past)
Please take this box outside. Whatever you do, __________ inside. (to look / not)
Please take this box outside. Whatever you do, do not look (present rule)
Sandy always __________ that there is a bogeyman under her bed. (to worry)
Sandy always worries that there is a bogeyman under her bed. (a general rule)
I did not sleep well because a wolf __________ at the moon. (to howl)
I did not sleep well because a wolf was howling at the moon. (continuously)
The children found a grisly corpse while they __________ in the park. (to play)
The children found a grisly corpse while they were playing in the park. (interrupted continuous past action)
I don’t remember inviting that creepy tall man. __________ him before? (to see / you)
I don’t remember inviting that creepy tall man. Have you seen him before? (past experience with present impact)
When she saw her own name on a gravestone, Janice __________. (to faint)
When she saw her own name on a gravestone, Janice fainted. (simple past action)
She had a dreadful feeling that she __________ to lock the cellar door. (to forget)
She had a dreadful feeling that she had forgotten to lock the cellar door. (a past action that happened before the feeling)
Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.