Writing Skills

Complete the opening of this detective story using Past Simple and Past continuous verbs in the numbered gaps
(1-27) and while or when in the lettered gaps (a-h). Follow the examples. Then write an ending of
about 50-70. words.

I 1)___was sleeping_____________ (sleep) deeply a)____when___ the

alarm clock 2)______________________ (ring). It 3)________________

(be) only 6 a.m., so I 4)______________________ (go back) to sleep.

b)
___________ I 5)________________________ (wake up) again, it was

9.15. I 6)_______________________ (jump) quickly out of bed.

The phone 7)_________________________ (ring) c)___________ I 8)_________________________ (have) a shower. I

9) 10)
_________________________ (let) it ring. Eventually it __________________________ (stop). Then it rang again
d) 11)
___________ I ________________________ (make) a cup of coffee. e)___________ I 12)
_______________________
13)
(answer) it, a woman’s voice _____________________ (say), “You’ve got to help me. Come to 12, Sutton Place

as soon as you can. I’ll pay you anything”.

14)
I _____________________ (jump) into the car. f)__________ I 15)
______________________ (arrive) at Sutton
16) 17)
Place, I _______________________ (have) a feeling that somebody ________________________ (watch) me. I
18)
_________________________ (get) out of the car and 19)_______________________ (go) towards Number 12.
g) 20) 21)
__________ I _______________________ (walk) to the door, I __________________ (can) hear voices in an

upstairs room. But h)_________ I 22)

_______________________ (knock) at the door, they 23)
_____________________
24) 25)
(stop). The door _____________________ (be) open so I ______________________ (decide) to go in. The door
26) 27)
_______________________ (close) suddenly. Somebody _________________________ (stand) behind me…