It’s October, which means it’s time for another Halloween-themed article!

This year, I’ve gone with a tenses/reading exercise again; you can enjoy this just for the reading practice, to see some Halloween English in use, or you can test yourself on the most appropriate tenses to complete the story.

The Brown House Ghoul – English Tenses Exercise

Complete the story by choosing the most appropriate tenses form for the verbs, in the spaces provided. The answers are given below.

They say that Brown House is haunted. It (1) __________ (to stand) on top of a tall hill at the edge of town. No one (2) __________ (to live) there for forty years. But last week, on Halloween, Timmy decided to go and see for himself.

Before going out, Timmy told his parents he (3) __________ (to go) trick or treating. He used a white sheet to dress up as a ghost. After going down the main street (where he did pick up some treats), he took a side street out of town. He quickly climbed the hill and observed the house.

Brown House (4) __________ (to look) very tall, with lots of broken windows and uneven turrets. The wind was blowing, so the trees nearby swayed against it. They (5) __________ (to make) scratching noises while he watched. Timmy was scared, but pretended not to be.

Timmy climbed over the small fence and found a window that had been boarded up long ago. Now, the boards were partly broken, so he could sneak in. He climbed through and found himself in a dark, dusty room with old furniture covered in cobwebs. There was a terrible smell of something rotten. Timmy (6) __________ (to think) maybe he should leave, as this was a bad idea, but before he could go a loud groan came from somewhere deep in the house. He jumped in fear.

When the groan came again, he paused and listened more carefully. (7) __________ (to be / it) just a pipe? He could not leave without more evidence of the supernatural.

Timmy continued through a chilly hallway to an open cellar doorway. He flinched at the sound of another groan, but continued. In the doorway, he looked down a tall flight of stairs which descended into darkness. Whatever was making the noise, it (8) __________ (to come) from down there.

He waited, to be sure it was quiet again, then trod down the stairs, cringing at the sound of the steps. He saw a flicker of light, deep in the cellar, and (9) __________ (to freeze). There was a figure, hunched over a fire, dark and knobbly. A ghoul!

“Ah!” Timmy cried in fear and the figure turned towards him. He saw a terrible gnarled face, old and warty, and he ran. He tripped over the steps but kept going. He charged through the house and threw himself through the boarded window. Outside, he sprinted towards the fence, and tried to jump it – but was stuck! His ghost outfit was caught and he couldn’t get free. He looked back and shrieked.

The big, creepy figure (10) __________ (to come) out of the house, very tall, very dark!

Timmy tore at his ghost costume, almost free, and fell off the fence with a bump. His knee hurt, so he was slow to get up, and suddenly a shadow swept over him. The ghoul was right there!

“Don’t eat me!” Timmy pleaded and the monster laughed. Not a mean laugh, nor monstrous. Timmy looked up again, uncertainly. The thing standing over him was not a monster but a man, he saw, wrapped in many layers of clothing. The person held out a hand, and in it was Timmy’s trick-or-treat bucket, which he (11) __________ (to drop). Timmy carefully took it back and the man smiled.

He understood then, that this person was merely living in the house, hidden, where no one went because they were scared it was haunted. But Timmy asked, quietly, “Why (12) __________ (you / to groan)? Are you hurt?”

The man shrugged and shook his head. “Just having a groan. (13) __________ (you / to tell) anyone I’m here?”

Timmy considered this. He (14) __________ (to brave) the haunted house and revealed its secret, but this man did not seem to be doing any harm. And it would be a better story if he told everyone there was a ghoul. He shook his head and held up his trick-or-treat bucket again, to offer a sweet. The man smiled and took a treat.

They still say that Brown House is haunted.

The Brown House Ghoul Answers

Below is the complete passage with the verbs in their correct forms. Some of these are flexible, but these are what I considered the most appropriate forms, considering the context and where verbs might be ongoing/interrupted.

They say that Brown House is haunted. It (1) stands on top of a tall hill at the edge of town. No one (2) has lived there for forty years. But last week, on Halloween, Timmy decided to go and see for himself.

Before going out, Timmy told his parents he (3) was going trick or treating. He used a white sheet to dress up as a ghost. After going down the main street (where he did pick up some treats), he took a side street out of town. He quickly climbed the hill and observed the house.

Brown House (4) looked very tall, with lots of broken windows and uneven turrets. The wind was blowing, so the trees nearby swayed against it. They (5) were making scratching noises while he watched. Timmy was scared, but pretended not to be.

Timmy climbed over the small fence and found a window that had been boarded up long ago. Now, the boards were partly broken, so he could sneak in. He climbed through and found himself in a dark, dusty room with old furniture covered in cobwebs. There was a terrible smell of something rotten. Timmy (6) thought maybe he should leave, as this was a bad idea, but before he could go a loud groan came from somewhere deep in the house. He jumped in fear.

When the groan came again, he paused and listened more carefully. (7) Was it just a pipe? He could not leave without more evidence of the supernatural.

Timmy continued through a chilly hallway to an open cellar doorway. He flinched at the sound of another groan, but continued. In the doorway, he looked down a tall flight of stairs which descended into darkness. Whatever was making the noise, it (8) was coming from down there.

He waited, to be sure it was quiet again, then trod down the stairs, cringing at the sound of the steps. He saw a flicker of light, deep in the cellar, and (9) froze. There was a figure, hunched over a fire, dark and knobbly. A ghoul!

“Ah!” Timmy cried in fear and the figure turned towards him. He saw a terrible gnarled face, old and warty, and he ran. He tripped over the steps but kept going. He charged through the house and threw himself through the boarded window. Outside, he sprinted towards the fence, and tried to jump it – but was stuck! His ghost outfit was caught and he couldn’t get free. He looked back and shrieked.

The big, creepy figure (10) was coming out of the house, very tall, very dark!

Timmy tore at his ghost costume, almost free, and fell off the fence with a bump. His knee hurt, so he was slow to get up, and suddenly a shadow swept over him. The ghoul was right there!

“Don’t eat me!” Timmy pleaded and the monster laughed. Not a mean laugh, nor monstrous. Timmy looked up again, uncertainly. The thing standing over him was not a monster but a man, he saw, wrapped in many layers of clothing. The person held out a hand, and in it was Timmy’s trick-or-treat bucket, which he (11) had dropped. Timmy carefully took it back and the man smiled.

He understood then, that this person was merely living in the house, hidden, where no one went because they were scared it was haunted. But Timmy asked, quietly, “Why (12) were you groaning? Are you hurt?”

The man shrugged and shook his head. “Just having a groan. (13) Are you going to tell anyone I’m here?”

Timmy considered this. He (14) had braved the haunted house and revealed its secret, but this man did not seem to be doing any harm. And it would be a better story if he told everyone there was a ghoul. He shook his head and held up his trick-or-treat bucket again, to offer a sweet. The man smiled and took a treat.

They still say that Brown House is haunted.

As always let me know if you have any thoughts or questions!

Want to master the English tenses?

Learn all the rules with The English Tenses Practical Grammar Guide, and practise them with The English Tenses Exercise Book, which contains 160 exercises.