Sure, let's fill in the blanks with the appropriate verb forms in the Past Simple, Past Continuous, Present Perfect, and Present Perfect Continuous:
1) When John Mills was eighteen, he left his home in the country and went to study in London. While he was studying at the University there, someone offered him a job as a salesperson. At that time he was trying to finish his degree, so he turned down the job. Since then, he has done many kinds of jobs, including teaching and farming. He has also run a shop, which is the only job he did not like. Since last September, he has been trying to find a job in an art gallery because he wants to learn about paintings, but so far he has not had much luck.
Here's a breakdown of the tenses used:
Past Simple: Used for actions that were completed in the past. Examples include "was," "left," "went," "offered," "turned down," and "did not like."
Past Continuous: Used for actions that were ongoing in the past. Examples include "was studying" and "was trying."
Present Perfect: Used for actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past and have relevance to the present. Examples include "has done," "has also run," and "has not had."
Present Perfect Continuous: Used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present. The example here is "has been trying."
These verb forms help convey the timeline and nature of John's experiences and ongoing efforts.
