[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":436},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-game-narrative-tenses-game":3},{"slug":4,"type":5,"mechanic":6,"topic":7,"published":8,"updated_at":9,"related_exercise":10,"levels":11,"seo":13,"settings":18,"questions":22,"content":341,"related_games":397,"available_locales":398,"course":400},"narrative-tenses-game","grammar-game","speed-round","narrative-tenses",true,"2026-10-10","\u002Fgrammar\u002Fnarrative-tenses-exercises",[12],"B1",{"title":14,"meta_description":15,"h1":16,"subtitle":17},"Narrative Tenses Game | FluencyRoad","Play a free narrative tenses game. Practise past simple, past continuous and past perfect in short stories.","Narrative Tenses Game","Put each story event in the right place on the timeline.",{"questions_per_round":19,"lives":20,"seconds_per_question":21},12,3,15,[23,35,43,48,58,64,71,80,85,90,98,104,109,118,124,128,133,143,149,153,162,168,174,183,189,193,202,208,212,221,226,231,236,246,252,256,265,274,278,287,293,298,307,313,317,325,331,336],{"id":24,"difficulty":25,"format":26,"prompt":27,"options":28,"answer":29,"rule":33,"tag":34},"nt-001","easy","multiple-choice","I ___ dinner when the phone rang. Dinner was still cooking.",[29,30,31,32],"was making","were making","had make","made","A past action in progress uses was + -ing with I.","background",{"id":36,"difficulty":25,"format":37,"prompt":38,"answer":39,"rule":41,"tag":42},"nt-002","gap-fill","The bell rang, so I ___ the door. (open)",[40],"opened","The next completed event takes the past simple.","main-event",{"id":44,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":46,"answer":8,"rule":47,"tag":34},"nt-003","right-or-wrong","It was raining when we left the house.","The rain was already in progress at the moment we left.",{"id":49,"difficulty":25,"format":26,"prompt":50,"options":51,"answer":52,"rule":56,"tag":57},"nt-004","The film ___ before we arrived, so we missed the beginning.",[52,53,54,55],"had started","was starting","has started","had start","The film started before the later past event of our arrival.","earlier-event",{"id":59,"difficulty":25,"format":37,"prompt":60,"answer":61,"rule":63,"tag":34},"nt-005","She ___ a book when the lights went out. She had not finished it. (read)",[62],"was reading","Reading was in progress when the lights went out.",{"id":65,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":66,"answer":67,"correction":68,"rule":69,"tag":70},"nt-006","I was cook when the phone rang.",false,"I was cooking when the phone rang.","Past continuous needs was + -ing.","form",{"id":72,"difficulty":25,"format":26,"prompt":73,"options":74,"answer":75,"rule":79,"tag":42},"nt-007","He picked up his bag and ___ the room.",[75,76,77,78],"left","was leaving","had left","was leave","The next completed story event takes the past simple.",{"id":81,"difficulty":25,"format":37,"prompt":82,"answer":83,"rule":84,"tag":57},"nt-008","By the time I reached the station, the train ___ . (leave; use past perfect)",[77],"The train left before I reached the station.",{"id":86,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":87,"answer":8,"rule":88,"tag":89},"nt-009","They were playing outside when it began to rain.","Playing was ongoing when the shorter event began.","interruption",{"id":91,"difficulty":25,"format":26,"prompt":92,"options":93,"answer":40,"rule":97,"tag":42},"nt-010","The doorbell rang. Maya ___ the door and welcomed her friend.",[40,94,95,96],"was opening","had opened","had open","Opening follows the ring as the next main event.",{"id":99,"difficulty":25,"format":37,"prompt":100,"answer":101,"rule":103,"tag":34},"nt-011","The children ___ outside when the teacher called them in. (play; use past continuous)",[102],"were playing","The plural subject takes were + -ing.",{"id":105,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":106,"answer":67,"correction":107,"rule":108,"tag":70},"nt-012","By the time we arrived, the show had start.","By the time we arrived, the show had started.","Past perfect needs had + past participle.",{"id":110,"difficulty":25,"format":26,"prompt":111,"options":112,"answer":113,"rule":117,"tag":42},"nt-013","I ___ my keys and opened the door. Both actions move the story forward.",[113,114,115,116],"found","was finding","had find","were finding","Use the past simple for the first completed main event.",{"id":119,"difficulty":25,"format":37,"prompt":120,"answer":121,"rule":123,"tag":34},"nt-014","The wind ___ when we left home. It continued all afternoon. (blow)",[122],"was blowing","The wind was ongoing background at the time we left.",{"id":125,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":126,"answer":8,"rule":127,"tag":57},"nt-015","She had left before I called her.","Had left places her departure before the past call.",{"id":129,"difficulty":25,"format":45,"prompt":130,"answer":67,"correction":131,"rule":132,"tag":42},"nt-016","He was answered the phone after it rang.","He answered the phone after it rang.","The completed response takes the past simple.",{"id":134,"difficulty":135,"format":26,"prompt":136,"options":137,"answer":138,"rule":142,"tag":57},"nt-017","medium","She recognised the place because she ___ it before.",[138,139,140,141],"had visited","was visiting","has visited","had visit","The visit happened before the later recognition.",{"id":144,"difficulty":135,"format":37,"prompt":145,"answer":146,"rule":148,"tag":89},"nt-018","I ___ along the river when I saw a fox. (walk; action in progress)",[147],"was walking","The walk was in progress at the moment I saw the fox.",{"id":150,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":151,"answer":8,"rule":152,"tag":57},"nt-019","I knew the answer because I had studied that topic.","Studying came before knowing the answer.",{"id":154,"difficulty":135,"format":26,"prompt":155,"options":156,"answer":157,"rule":161,"tag":34},"nt-020","The street was wet, and it ___ as the taxi arrived. The rain continued.",[157,158,159,160],"was raining","were raining","had raining","was rain","The rain was in progress at the taxi's arrival.",{"id":163,"difficulty":135,"format":37,"prompt":164,"answer":165,"rule":167,"tag":42},"nt-021","The phone rang, so I ___ it. (answer; next completed event)",[166],"answered","Answering follows the ring as the next event.",{"id":169,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":170,"answer":67,"correction":171,"rule":172,"tag":173},"nt-022","She was knowing the address because she had been there before.","She knew the address because she had been there before.","Know describes a state and normally takes past simple here.","state",{"id":175,"difficulty":135,"format":26,"prompt":176,"options":177,"answer":178,"rule":182,"tag":57},"nt-023","By the time we got to the café, our friends ___ . They were already inside.",[178,179,180,181],"had arrived","were arriving","have arrived","had arrive","Their arrival happened before ours.",{"id":184,"difficulty":135,"format":37,"prompt":185,"answer":186,"rule":188,"tag":42},"nt-024","We turned off the lights and ___ upstairs. (go; next event)",[187],"went","A sequence of completed main events uses past simple.",{"id":190,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":191,"answer":8,"rule":192,"tag":89},"nt-025","He was cycling when he saw the dog.","Cycling was ongoing when he noticed the dog.",{"id":194,"difficulty":135,"format":26,"prompt":195,"options":196,"answer":197,"rule":201,"tag":57},"nt-026","Choose the sentence that places losing the key before reaching the door.",[197,198,199,200],"I couldn't enter because I had lost my key.","I couldn't enter because I was losing my key.","I couldn't enter because I have lose my key.","I couldn't enter because I had lose my key.","Had lost places the loss before the failed attempt to enter.",{"id":203,"difficulty":135,"format":37,"prompt":204,"answer":205,"rule":207,"tag":89},"nt-027","The lights went out while we ___ dinner. (eat; action in progress)",[206],"were eating","Eating was in progress when the lights went out.",{"id":209,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":210,"answer":8,"rule":211,"tag":57},"nt-028","By the time he called, I had read the message.","Reading happened before his call.",{"id":213,"difficulty":135,"format":26,"prompt":214,"options":215,"answer":216,"rule":220,"tag":42},"nt-029","She got home, ___ her coat and sat down.",[216,217,218,219],"took off","was taking off","had taken off","had take off","These completed main events happen in sequence.",{"id":222,"difficulty":135,"format":37,"prompt":223,"answer":224,"rule":225,"tag":57},"nt-030","They couldn't get in because they ___ the tickets at home. (leave; use past perfect)",[77],"Leaving the tickets happened before trying to enter.",{"id":227,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":228,"answer":67,"correction":229,"rule":230,"tag":57},"nt-031","I was leaving my wallet at home, so I couldn't pay.","I had left my wallet at home, so I couldn't pay.","The wallet was left before the failed attempt to pay.",{"id":232,"difficulty":135,"format":45,"prompt":233,"answer":67,"correction":234,"rule":235,"tag":70},"nt-032","The wind was blow when we left.","The wind was blowing when we left.","Past continuous needs the -ing form after was.",{"id":237,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":239,"options":240,"answer":241,"rule":245,"tag":89},"nt-033","hard","We ___ the lights when we heard a crash. We were still putting them up.",[241,242,243,244],"were hanging","had hung","hung","were hang","The task was in progress when the crash happened.",{"id":247,"difficulty":238,"format":37,"prompt":248,"answer":249,"rule":250,"tag":251},"nt-034","Maya was searching her bag when we arrived. She could not show us the photo because she ___ the folder at home. (leave)",[77],"Leaving the folder happened before the search and our arrival; the search was still in progress.","mixed-timeline",{"id":253,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":254,"answer":8,"rule":255,"tag":42},"nt-035","He opened the window and looked outside. (Two completed events in sequence.)","Past simple advances the story through completed actions.",{"id":257,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":258,"options":259,"answer":260,"rule":264,"tag":89},"nt-036","She ___ a note when the door opened. The note was unfinished.",[260,261,262,263],"was writing","had written","wrote","was wrote","The unfinished action was in progress when the door opened.",{"id":266,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":267,"options":268,"answer":269,"rule":273,"tag":251},"nt-037","The host finished setting the table first. Music was playing when the guests arrived. Choose the complete timeline.",[269,270,271,272],"The host had set the table and music was playing when the guests arrived.","The host was set the table and music had play when the guests arrived.","The host had setting the table and music played when the guests were arrived.","The host has set the table and music was play when the guests arrived.","Past perfect marks the earlier preparation, past continuous the background, and past simple the arrival.",{"id":275,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":276,"answer":8,"rule":277,"tag":251},"nt-038","By the time the taxi arrived, the rain had stopped, but the streets were still wet.","Had stopped puts the end of the rain before the arrival; were describes the state then.",{"id":279,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":280,"options":281,"answer":282,"rule":286,"tag":42},"nt-039","Which line moves the story forward after the alarm rang?",[282,283,284,285],"We ran outside.","We were running outside.","We had run outside.","We were run outside.","The past simple gives the next completed event.",{"id":288,"difficulty":238,"format":37,"prompt":289,"answer":290,"rule":292,"tag":57},"nt-040","When I saw Lee at the reunion, I realised that we ___ before. (meet; use past perfect)",[291],"had met","The first meeting came before the later realisation.",{"id":294,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":295,"answer":67,"correction":296,"rule":297,"tag":251},"nt-041","The guests arrived after the band was setting up. (The setup was complete before the guests arrived.)","The guests arrived after the band had set up.","The completed setup happened before the guests' arrival, so use past perfect.",{"id":299,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":300,"options":301,"answer":302,"rule":306,"tag":57},"nt-042","He knew the street because he ___ there as a child.",[302,303,304,305],"had lived","was living","has lived","had live","Childhood residence happened before he recognised the street.",{"id":308,"difficulty":238,"format":37,"prompt":309,"answer":310,"rule":312,"tag":251},"nt-043","The meeting began at eight. I arrived at nine, while the speaker ___ the new plan. (explain; action in progress)",[311],"was explaining","Explaining was still in progress at my arrival, although the meeting had begun earlier.",{"id":314,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":315,"answer":8,"rule":316,"tag":57},"nt-044","When I arrived, the guests had already left.","Had left marks their departure as earlier than my arrival.",{"id":318,"difficulty":238,"format":26,"prompt":319,"options":320,"answer":311,"rule":324,"tag":89},"nt-045","The guide ___ when someone asked a question. Her explanation was not finished.",[311,321,322,323],"had explained","explained","were explaining","The explanation was in progress when the question interrupted it.",{"id":326,"difficulty":238,"format":37,"prompt":327,"answer":328,"rule":330,"tag":251},"nt-046","The photographer had checked her camera before the ceremony. At noon, she ___ pictures when the rain began. (take; ongoing action)",[329],"was taking","Checking was earlier; taking pictures was in progress when the rain began.",{"id":332,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":333,"answer":67,"correction":334,"rule":335,"tag":251},"nt-047","We had checked the platform; then the train was arrived while we were waiting.","We had checked the platform; then the train arrived while we were waiting.","Had checked marks earlier preparation; the train's arrival is the main event during an ongoing wait.",{"id":337,"difficulty":238,"format":45,"prompt":338,"answer":67,"correction":339,"rule":340,"tag":251},"nt-048","I had found the letter when I opened the box. (The letter was inside; I discovered it on opening the box.)","I found the letter when I opened the box.","Finding happened as the box was opened; past perfect would place it earlier.",{"how_to_play":342,"rule_intro":346,"rule_sections":347,"faq":377,"related_exercise_label":396},[343,344,345],"Choose Practice for an untimed round, or Challenge for twelve timed questions and three lives.","Practice lets you choose a difficulty; Challenge mixes all three levels.","Read each correction and continue with the related exercise.","Stories use past simple for main events, past continuous for an action already in progress, and past perfect to look back before another past moment.",[348,358,367],{"heading":349,"body":350,"examples":351},"Main events","Past simple moves the story forward through completed actions.",[352,355],{"sentence":353,"note":354},"I found my keys and opened the door.","Two completed events follow one another.",{"sentence":356,"note":357},"The bell rang, so I answered it.","The response comes after the ring.",{"heading":359,"body":360,"examples":361},"Background and interruption","Past continuous describes something that was happening when a shorter event occurred.",[362,364],{"sentence":68,"note":363},"Cooking was still in progress.",{"sentence":365,"note":366},"It was raining when we left.","The rain gives background to the departure.",{"heading":368,"body":369,"examples":370},"An earlier event","Past perfect uses had + past participle to place an event before another past event.",[371,374],{"sentence":372,"note":373},"The train had left before I arrived.","The train left first.",{"sentence":375,"note":376},"She knew the place because she had visited it.","The visit happened before the recognition.",[378,381,384,387,390,393],{"question":379,"answer":380},"Is this narrative tenses game free?","Yes. Practice and Challenge are free without an account.",{"question":382,"answer":383},"What does past simple do in a story?","It usually gives the main completed events in sequence.",{"question":385,"answer":386},"When do I use past continuous?","Use it for an action in progress at the time of another past event, or to describe the background scene.",{"question":388,"answer":389},"Does every earlier event need past perfect?","No. Use it when looking back from a past point makes the order clearer.",{"question":391,"answer":392},"Can I use this game in class?","Yes. Ask learners to draw a short event timeline before showing each correction.",{"question":394,"answer":395},"Is my score saved?","Your best Challenge score is saved in this browser, not your account.","Narrative Tenses Exercises",[],{"es":399},"\u002Fes\u002Fjuegos\u002Fjuego-de-tiempos-narrativos",{"unit":401,"units_total":405,"hub_url":406,"prev":407,"next":412,"steps":416},{"id":402,"number":403,"title":404},"telling-stories",22,"Telling stories",30,"\u002Fcourse",{"type":408,"slug":409,"title":396,"url":10,"question_count":410,"kind":411},"exercise","narrative-tenses-exercises",18,null,{"type":408,"slug":413,"title":414,"url":415,"question_count":410,"kind":411},"past-perfect-exercises","Past Perfect Exercises","\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpast-perfect-exercises",[417,418,421,422,426,431],{"type":408,"slug":409,"title":396,"url":10,"kind":411},{"type":419,"slug":4,"title":16,"url":420},"game","\u002Fgames\u002Fnarrative-tenses-game",{"type":408,"slug":413,"title":414,"url":415,"kind":411},{"type":419,"slug":423,"title":424,"url":425},"past-perfect-game","Past Perfect Game","\u002Fgames\u002Fpast-perfect-game",{"type":427,"slug":428,"title":429,"url":430,"kind":411},"reading","the-night-the-lights-went-out","The Night the Lights Went Out","\u002Freading\u002Fthe-night-the-lights-went-out",{"type":432,"slug":433,"title":434,"url":435,"kind":411},"listening","the-trip-that-went-wrong","The Trip That Went Wrong","\u002Flistening\u002Fthe-trip-that-went-wrong",1791764847885]