Circle the correct words to complete the sentences. 1 The hospital staff have bought a new X-ray machine with the money they have raised / raised /
had raised last year.
2 When she left university she studied / had studied / had been studying for four years.
3 Back at work, Bill couldn’t believe that the week before he was lying / had been lying / lay on a
beach.
4 The school penalized / had penalized / had been penalizing Joe after he damaged one of the
classrooms.
5 Zahara overcame / was overcoming / had been overcoming many obstacles to get to
England.
6 His sister’s mobile has rung / rang / had been ringing all morning, so he switched it off.
7 I never saw / have never seen / have never been seeing anyone with such a striking
resemblance to my mother before.
8 Ari’s life has been / had been / had been being difficult before his family left the country.

1. The correct word is "raised." The money was raised last year, indicating a completed action in the past.
2. The correct word is "studied." When she left university, she studied for four years. This indicates a completed action in the past.
3. The correct word is "had been lying." Bill couldn't believe that the week before, he had been lying on a beach. This indicates an action that was happening before a specific point in the past.
4. The correct word is "penalized." The school penalized Joe after he damaged one of the classrooms. This indicates a completed action in the past.
5. The correct word is "overcame." Zahara overcame many obstacles to get to England. This indicates a completed action in the past.
6. The correct word is "has rung." His sister's mobile has rung all morning, indicating an ongoing action in the present.
7. The correct word is "have never seen." I have never seen anyone with such a striking resemblance to my mother before. This indicates a general statement about past experiences.
8. The correct word is "had been." Ari's life had been difficult before his family left the country. This indicates an ongoing action in the past that was happening before another past event.