🇨🇴 ICFES SaberSemana 2 · 12 preguntas

Past Stories

Bundle W02 de Inglés para Grado 8 en Colombia (DBA MEN Colombia): 12 preguntas con explicación pedagógica.

Alineación: DBA MEN Colombia

CO-ING-8-2026-W02-past-stories-001-MASTERY-bundle

Pregunta 1

Bloom: Remember

Identifying a completed action in the past.

Last year, my family ________ to San Andrés for our vacation.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) went

  • A) wentCorrect! "Went" is the irregular past of "go".
  • B) goIncorrect. We need the past form for "last year".
  • C) goesIncorrect. This is present tense.
  • D) was goingIncorrect. We use Past Simple for completed actions at a specific time.

💡 Explicación

El Pasado Simple se utiliza para acciones que comenzaron y terminaron en un momento específico del pasado (como "last year").

Pregunta 2

Bloom: Remember

Forming a negative sentence in the past.

I ________ my homework yesterday because I was feeling sick.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) didn't do

  • A) not didIncorrect. Negative past needs "didn't" + base form.
  • B) didn't didIncorrect. After "didn't", we use the base form, not the past form.
  • C) don't doIncorrect. This is present tense, but the context is "yesterday".
  • D) didn't doCorrect! "Didn't" + base form is the correct negative structure.

💡 Explicación

Para formar oraciones negativas en el Pasado Simple, usamos el auxiliar "didn't" (did not) seguido del verbo en su forma base.

Pregunta 3

Bloom: Understand

Describing an action in progress in the past.

At 8:00 PM last night, I ________ a movie on TV.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) was watching

  • A) was watchingCorrect! Past Continuous describes an action in progress at a specific past moment.
  • B) watchedIncorrect. This would be a completed action, but the specific time implies progress.
  • C) am watchingIncorrect. This is present tense.
  • D) were watchingIncorrect. "I" takes "was", not "were".

💡 Explicación

El Pasado Continuo (was/were + -ing) se usa para describir acciones que estaban ocurriendo en un momento específico del pasado.

Pregunta 4

Bloom: Understand

Interrupted actions in the past.

We ________ soccer in the park when it suddenly started to rain.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) were playing

  • A) were playingCorrect! The action in progress (playing) is interrupted by another action (raining).
  • B) playedIncorrect. "Played" implies a completed action, but the context shows an interruption.
  • C) are playingIncorrect. This is present, but the context is past.
  • D) was playingIncorrect. "We" is plural and requires "were".

💡 Explicación

Cuando una acción prolongada en el pasado (Pasado Continuo) es interrumpida por otra acción corta (Pasado Simple), usamos "when" para conectarlas.

Pregunta 5

Bloom: Understand

Asking questions about past activities.

________ you ________ to the concert in Bogotá last weekend?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: B) Did / go

  • A) Were / goIncorrect. "Were" is not used with base verbs in questions.
  • B) Did / goCorrect! "Did" + base form is the correct structure for past questions.
  • C) Did / wentIncorrect. After "did", we must use the base form "go".
  • D) Do / goIncorrect. This is present, but the context is "last weekend".

💡 Explicación

Las preguntas en el Pasado Simple comienzan con el auxiliar "Did", seguido del sujeto y el verbo en su forma base.

Pregunta 6

Bloom: Apply

Historical facts about Colombia.

In 1819, the Battle of Boyacá ________ a turning point for Colombia's independence.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) was

  • A) isIncorrect. This is a historical event in the past.
  • B) wereIncorrect. "The Battle" is singular.
  • C) beenIncorrect. "Been" is a past participle and needs an auxiliary.
  • D) wasCorrect! "Was" is the past of "is" for singular subjects.

💡 Explicación

Para hechos históricos o biografías, usamos el Pasado Simple. "Was" y "were" son las formas pasadas del verbo "to be".

Pregunta 7

Bloom: Analyze

Simultaneous actions in the past.

While my mother ________ dinner, my father ________ the table.

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) was cooking / was setting

  • A) cooked / setIncorrect. Usually, "while" suggests two continuous actions.
  • B) cooks / setsIncorrect. This is present, but the context is past.
  • C) is cooking / is settingIncorrect. Present Continuous in a past context.
  • D) was cooking / was settingCorrect! Both actions were happening at the same time.

💡 Explicación

Usamos el Pasado Continuo en ambas partes de la oración cuando dos acciones estaban ocurriendo simultáneamente en el pasado, usualmente conectadas por "while".

Pregunta 8

Bloom: Analyze

Distinguishing between background information and main events.

"The sun was shining (1) and the birds were singing (2) when Gabriel decided (3) to go for a walk."

Which verbs represent the background atmosphere?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) 1 and 2

  • A) Only 3Incorrect. Decided is the main action that happened.
  • B) 1 and 3Incorrect. Decided is not part of the background atmosphere.
  • C) All of themIncorrect. There is a clear distinction between background and main action.
  • D) 1 and 2Correct! Past Continuous sets the scene or background.

💡 Explicación

En la narración, el Pasado Continuo se utiliza para "pintar el escenario" (la atmósfera de fondo), mientras que el Pasado Simple se usa para las acciones principales que ocurren.

Pregunta 9

Bloom: Analyze

Identifying the correct sequence of events.

Which sentence describes actions that happened one after another (a sequence)?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) I got up, brushed my teeth, and had breakfast.

  • A) I got up, brushed my teeth, and had breakfast.Correct! These are sequential actions in the past.
  • B) I was eating when the phone rang.Incorrect. This is an interruption, not a sequence.
  • C) While I was studying, she was sleeping.Incorrect. These are simultaneous actions.
  • D) I was having a dream about flying.Incorrect. This is a single continuous state.

💡 Explicación

Para narrar una serie de acciones cortas que ocurrieron una tras otra en el pasado, usamos una lista de verbos en Pasado Simple.

Pregunta 10

Bloom: Evaluate

Correcting errors in a complex narrative paragraph.

Choose the sentence that is grammatically perfect:

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: C) I was reading a book when I suddenly realized I was in the wrong room.

  • A) I was seeing a strange light while I walked home last night.Incorrect. "See" is a stative verb; it should be "I saw".
  • B) When the teacher was arriving, all students were sitting down.Incorrect. The arrival should be a point in time (Past Simple).
  • C) I was reading a book when I suddenly realized I was in the wrong room.Correct! Uses continuous for background and simple for the sudden event.
  • D) She was cryed because she was losing her favorite toy.Incorrect. "Cryed" is misspelled and "was losing" sounds awkward here.

💡 Explicación

Este nivel requiere evaluar el uso correcto de verbos de estado (stative verbs) y la lógica de la interrupción en narrativas complejas.

Pregunta 11

Bloom: Evaluate

Evaluating the tone of a past apology.

Which apology sounds more sincere and professional for a past mistake?

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: D) I sincerely apologize for the delay; I was experiencing some technical issues yesterday.

  • A) I forgot. My bad.Incorrect. Too informal.
  • B) I didn't did it on purpose, so don't be mad.Incorrect. Grammatically wrong and too informal.
  • C) I am sorry I am not doing the work last week.Incorrect. Uses present continuous for a past event.
  • D) I sincerely apologize for the delay; I was experiencing some technical issues yesterday.Correct! Formal, clear, and uses Past Continuous to explain context.

💡 Explicación

En el nivel B1, se espera que el estudiante pueda elegir el tono adecuado (formal/informal) y usar estructuras gramaticales precisas para justificar acciones pasadas.

Pregunta 12

Bloom: Evaluate

Completing a story with the most logical and grammatically correct ending.

"We were hiking through the Cocora Valley when the fog became extremely thick. We couldn't see anything, so we..."

Elige una opción para comprobar tu respuesta.

Ver respuesta

Respuesta correcta: A) decided to stop and wait until it cleared up.

  • A) decided to stop and wait until it cleared up.Correct! Logical decision in Past Simple following a background situation.
  • B) are deciding to run back to the town quickly.Incorrect. Changes to present tense in a past narrative.
  • C) were decided to take some beautiful photos.Incorrect. Grammatically incorrect (were decided).
  • D) will wait for a miracle to happen soon.Incorrect. Future tense doesn't fit the past narrative.

💡 Explicación

Completar una historia requiere mantener la consistencia del tiempo verbal (Pasado Simple para la decisión) y la coherencia lógica con el contexto proporcionado.

¿Listo para practicar?

Resuelve un simulacro de Inglés para Grado 8 con temporizador y seguimiento de tu progreso.

Practicar este tema →Ver más preguntas de Inglés