Complete the sentences using the Past Perfect Progressive (had been + verb + -ing). Make sure to use the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Exercise B
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets: Simple Past, Past Perfect, or Past Perfect Progressive. Only one option is grammatically correct in each case.
Exercise C
Complete the text with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Use Simple Past, Past Perfect, Past Progressive or Past Perfect Progressive.
David Bowie – A Musical Chameleon David Bowie was a British singer, songwriter, and actor who became one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Born David Robert Jones in 1947 in London, he developed an interest in music at a young age. By the late 1960s, he ______ (to begin) crafting a unique artistic identity.
Before releasing Space Oddity in 1969, Bowie ______ (to perform) in various small bands and ______ (to experiment) with different musical styles for years. The success of Space Oddity marked a turning point in his career. He ______ (to write) the song shortly after watching Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and its release coincided with the Apollo 11 moon landing.
In the early 1970s, Bowie introduced his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. He ______ (to push) the boundaries of gender and identity in music, something few artists ______ (to do) before him. By the time he retired the Ziggy persona, he ______ (to tour) extensively and ______ (to live) a chaotic, fame-fueled lifestyle.
Bowie ______ (to continue) to reinvent himself throughout his career. He ______ (to release) groundbreaking albums like Heroes, Low, and Let's Dance. Before collaborating with Queen on Under Pressure, he ______ (to work) with artists like Iggy Pop and Brian Eno, solidifying his status as a creative visionary.
He ______ (to act) in several films, including The Man Who Fell to Earth, and ______ (to become) a respected figure in both music and cinema. Bowie’s influence spread across genres and generations.
In 2016, just two days after his 69th birthday, Bowie ______ (to die) of cancer. He ______ (to keep) his illness private and ______ (to work) on his final album, Blackstar, until the very end.