Question

Put the verbs into the Past Simple, Past Progressive or Past Perfect Tenses. 1. After Dickens's family ... Chatham and ... down in London, things went from bad to worse (to leave, to settle). 2. While Charles ... at a blacking factory, he had to live in miserable lodgings, for he ... only six shillings a week. (to work, to earn) 3. Dickens's father in prison for two years before he ... into some money (to be, to come). 4. Dickens ... just... his Sketches by Boz when a firm of publishers... him to write some short articles. (to publish, to ask) 5. By 1836 Dickens... already ... popu- lar with the English readers (to become). 6. Dickens ... shorthand before he could do some reporting in the House of Commons (to study). 7. After he school he clerk in a lawyer's office (to finish, to become). 8. Dickens... already ... world-vode fame when he ... to write Oliver Twist (to earn, to begin). 9. Dickens ... to read an early age and... many books in his childhood, (to learn, to read) 10. After Dickens much he ... a writer and ... his childhood and youth in some of his famous novels (to suffer, to become, to describe)​

Answer 1

After Dickens's family had left Chatham and settled down in London, things went from bad to worse.
While Charles was working at a blacking factory, he had to live in miserable lodgings, for he was earning only six shillings a week.
Dickens's father was in prison for two years before he came into some money.
Dickens had just published his Sketches by Boz when a firm of publishers asked him to write some short articles.
By 1836 Dickens had already become popular with the English readers.
Dickens studied shorthand before he could do some reporting in the House of Commons.
After he finished school he became a clerk in a lawyer's office.
Dickens had already earned world-wide fame when he began to write Oliver Twist.
Dickens learned to read at an early age and read many books in his childhood.
After suffering much, he became a writer and described his childhood and youth in some of his famous novels.

Answer 2

1. After Dickens's family had left Chatham and settled down in London, things went from bad to worse. 2. While Charles was working at a blacking factory, he had to live in miserable lodgings, for he was only earning six shillings a week. 3. Dickens's father had been in prison for two years before he came into some money. 4. Dickens had just published his Sketches by Boz when a firm of publishers asked him to write some short articles. 5. By 1836 Dickens had already become popular with the English readers. 6. Dickens had studied shorthand before he could do some reporting in the House of Commons. 7. After he finished school he became a clerk in a lawyer's office. 8. Dickens had already earned world-wide fame when he began to write Oliver Twist. 9. Dickens learned to read at an early age and read many books in his childhood. 10. After Dickens suffered much, he became a writer and described his childhood and youth in some of his famous novels.