The simple past and the past perfect, simple and continuous
7. I (look) out before I (go) to bed and (see) a man standing on the opposite pavement
watching the house. When I (get up) the following morning he (be) still there, and
I (wonder) whether he (stay) there all night or if he (go) away and (come) back. When I (open) the door I (see) a man on his knees. He clearly (listen) to our conversation and I (wonder) how much he (hear). When I (ask) him what he (do),
he (say) that he (drop) a 50p piece outside the door and (look) for it. I (not see) any sign of the money, but I (find) a small notebook and pencil which he probably (drop) when the door (open) suddenly. So he (take) notes of our conversation! The notes (be) written in a foreign language, so I (turn) to the stranger and (ask) him to translate. But he (pull) my hat over my eyes and (run) off down the corridor. By the time I (recover) from the shock he (disappear) round the corner. Curiously enough, when I (move) my foot I (find) that I (stand) on a 50p piece. Perhaps he (tell) the truth after all!
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Verified answer
7. I (looked) out before I (went) to bed and (saw) a man standing on the opposite pavement watching the house. When I (got up) the following morning he (was) still there, and I (wondered) whether he (had been staying) there all night or if he (had gone) away and (come) back. When I (opened) the door I (saw) a man on his knees. He was clearly (listening) to our conversation and I (wondered) how much he (had heard). When I (asked) him what he (was doing), he (said) that he (had dropped) a 50p piece outside the door and (was looking) for it. I (di not see) any sign of the money, but I (found) a small notebook and pencil which he probably (dropped) when the door (was opened) suddenly. So he (had been taking) notes of our conversation! The notes (were) written in a foreign language, so I (turned) to the stranger and (asked) him to translate. But he (pulled) my hat over my eyes and (ran) off down the corridor. By the time I (recovered) from the shock he (had disappeared) round the corner. Curiously enough, when I (moved) my foot I (found) that I (was standing) on a 50p piece. Perhaps he (had told) the truth after all!