Tenses Review

1. Choose the correct answer.

1 'What ...A... at the moment?' 'I'm writing a letter to my aunt.'
A are you doing B you are doing C do you dc
2 'Were you at work yesterday?' 'No, I.............I was ill.'
A am not B was C wasn't
3 'It's very hot in this room, isn't it?' 'Yes. I............the window.'
A will you open B open C will open
4 'Where is Christine?'
'I don't know. I............her today.'
A am not seeing B haven't seen C didn't see
5 'What's wrong?'
'My car has broken down..............me, please?'
A Will you help B You will help C Shall you help
6 'Are you new here?'
'No. I.............here for five years.'
A had been living B have been living C am living

2. Make questions and complete the short answers, as in the example.

1 he / leave for Portugal tomorrow
...Is he leaving for Portugal tomorrow?.................
Yes, ...he is................................................................
2 they / spend / £2,000 on their holiday last year
No, ...................................................................................................................................................
3 Jessica Moore / record / a hundred songs so far
Yes,...................................................................................................................................
4 she / give / a big party on her birthday every year
No, ...................................................................................................................................
5 Tom / see / the robbers when they were leaving the bank
Yes, ...................................................................................................................................
6 the train / already / leave
No, ...................................................................................................................................
7 they / get married / twenty years ago
No, ..................................................................................................................................

3. Choose the correct answer.

When Jake (1) ...C... the door, he knew someone (2).............in the house. Things were different. Earlier
that morning, he (3) .............a man standing outside, and now he wondered if this man (4).............for him to leave the
house. Jake went into the kitchen. The window was open. He was sure he (5) ............. it earlier. Next, he went into
the garden. Jake knew something very strange (6) ............. on. He went back into the house. He had just got to the
top of the stairs (7) ............. he heard a noise coming from the bedroom. Slowly, he opened the door and there, lying
in the middle of the bed, was his sister! She (8).............! Jake was very relieved.

1 A has opened B opens C opened

2 A had been B is C has been
3 A was seeing B had seen C has seen
4 A is B waited C had been
waiting
5 A had closed B was closing C had been
closing
6 A was going B went C have been
going
7 A after B when C while
8 A was sleeping B slept C had slept

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple, the present simple, the present continuous or the present
perfect.
A: Hi Charles! I 1) ...haven't seen... (not/see) you for ages. How are you?
B: I'm very well. Actually, I 2) .......................................(just/come back) from my holidays.
A: Really? That's nice. Where 3)..................................(you/go)?
B: I 4) ...............................(go) to Australia to visit my sister. She 5).........................................(live) there.
A: Yes, you 6) ...........................(tell) me that, I think. 7) ......................................(you/have) a good time?
B: Yes, it 8) ..................................(be) wonderful. The flight was very long, though.
A: Yes, you 9) ..................................(look) quite tired.
B: Well, I 10) .....................................(just/come) from the airport.
A: Bye, Charles. Have a good rest. B: Thanks.
5. Underline the correct word(s).
1 George has known Janet for/since two months.
2 How long ago/How long have you had your car?
3 She has yet/just left for America.
4 We are playing in a concert next week/last week.
5 He sometimes/ever plays football with his friends.
6 I since/always go shopping on Fridays.
7 Sam has yet/never won a prize.
8 We went to a party last night/tonight.
9 He has already/ever written seven books.
10 I already/often get up early in the mornings.
11 Have you eaten just/yet?
12 Jack is being very friendly these days/soon.

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.

1 A: Where is Bill?
B: He ...la doing- (do) his homework in his bedroom.
2 A: Is this your purse?
B: Yes! I ...............................................(look) for it all morning. Where was it?
3 A: I.......................................(see) this film before.
B: Well, I haven't. Do you mind watching it again?
4 A: Tom .......................................................(seem) very sad. What's wrong with him?
B: Oh, he got some bad news this morning.
5 A: Jim's performance at the concert was wonderful.
B: Well, he ..........................................(practise) a lot recently.
6 A: How did you break your arm?
B: I broke it when I..........................(ski) in France.
7 A: Did you enjoy your holiday?
B: Well, it didn't go the way I .................................(plan) it, but it was fun.
8 A: Joe is going on holiday next week.
B: Yes, I know. This time next week he......................................................................(fly) to Rome.
9 A: ............................................................................(you/complete) your report by Friday?
B: Yes, I'll give it to you on Thursday evening.
10 A: Do you live in Leeds?
B: No. I work in Leeds, but I....................................(live) in York.

7. Make the right choice.

1. George is on holiday. He ... to Barbados.
a. is gone b. has gone c. has been
2. Everything is going well. We ... any problems so far.
a. didn't have b. don't have c. haven't had
3. Nelly has lost her passport again. It's the second time this ... .
a. has happened b. happens c. happened
4. You're out of breath. ... ?
a. Are you running b. Have you run c. Have you been running
5. Where's the letter I gave you? What ... with it?
a. have you done b. have you been doing c. are you doing
6. We're good friends. We ... each other for a long time.
a. know b. have known c. knew
7. Sindy has been writing this programme ... .
a. for a month b. since six months c. six months ago
8. "... this week?" "No, he's on holiday."
a. Is Bill working b. Does Bill work c. Does work Bill
9. John ... tennis once or twice a week.
a. is playing usually b. is usually playing c. usually plays
10. How ... now? Better than before?
a. you are feeling b. do you feel c. are you feeling
11. Tracey ... her hand when she was cooking dinner.
a. burnt b. was burning c. has burnt

8. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets.

I. I found Mother at one of the counters in the kitchen. She (slice) the chilled boiled potatoes I (make) earlier. She
(have) a cup of coffee next to her, and a cigarette (dangle) from her mouth. I hated her to smoke around us, and most
especially when she (work) in the kitchen. "Mother, you (mind) not smoking when you (prepare) food?" "I not (drop)
cigarette ash in the salad, if that's what you (get) at," she answered. "I know you're not. I just hate the smoke, Mom.
Please, put it out. If not for your health or mine, at least for your grandchildren's sake. You know what they (say)
about second-hand smoke." "But the kids live in Manhattan. Think of all the polluted air they (breathe) in there." "Only
too true, Mother," I (snap), "but let's not add to the problem of air pollution out here, shall we?"
II. "Why I not (go) into the kitchen and start on the potato salad?" my mother said. "Oh, but Diana's going to make
that." "Good heavens, Mallory, what an Englishwoman (know) about making an ail-American potato salad for an
ail-American celebration like Independence Day? Independence from the British, I (may) add." "You not (have to) give
me a history lesson." "I (make) the salad," she sniffed. "It always (be) one of my specialties, in case you (forget)."

9. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets.

It was gray and overcast as I (leave) the hotel and (head) towards Berkley Square. I glanced up at the sky. It was
leaden and promised rain, which Andrew (predict) before he (go) to the office earlier. Instead of walking to Diana's,
which I usually (like) to do, I (hail) a cab and (get) in. Just in time, too. It (begin) to drizzle as I (slam) the door and
(give) the cabbie the address. English weather, I (think) glumly, staring out the taxi window. It always (rain). But one
not (come) to England for the weather, there (be) other, more important reasons to be here. I always (love) England
and the English, and London (be) my most favourite city in the entire world. I (love) it even more than my hometown,
New York.

10. Use the right term of the verbs in brackets.

I. Harry (wake) early on Saturday morning and (lie) for a while thinking about the coming match. He (be) nervous
since Monday, mainly at the thought of what Wood (say) if the team (lose). He never (want) to beat Slytherin so badly.
He (get) up, (dress), and (go) down to breakfast early, where he (find) the rest of the team. They (sit) at the long,
empty table. Nobody (talk).
II. A week later, Harry, Snape and Ron (walk) across the Entrance Hall when they (see) a small knot of people who
(gather) around the notice-board and (read) a piece of parchment that just (pin up). "They (start) a Duelling Club!",
(say) Ron. "First meeting tonight! I not (mind) duelling lessons, they (may) come in handy one of these days. We
(go)?" Harry and Snape (be) all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they (hurry) back to the Great Hall. "I wonder
who (teach) us? I hope it (be) Frederick," said Snape.

11. Identify the tenses, then match them to the correct descriptions.

1 I like these shoes. I'll buy them. a for offers, promises, threats, etc
2 They will have eaten lunch by two o'clock this b action which will definitely happen in the future as a
afternoon. result of a routine or arrangement
3 I'm going to open my own business in the future. c for plans, intentions or ambitions we have for the
future
4 This time tomorrow, I'll be taking my driving test. d predictions about the future
5 By the time Jack finishes the race, he will have been e asking politely about someone's plans for the near
running for two hours. future
6 Everyone believes he will win the competition. f action which will be finished before a stated future time
7 I'll tell Paul about the party. I'll be seeing him at work g to emphasise the duration of an action up to a certain
anyway. time in the future
8 Will you be speaking to Rob later? I've got a h action which will be in progress at a stated future time
message for him.
9 Look at them! They are going to catch the thieves. i on-the-spot decision
10 Since you're tired, I'll cook dinner tonight. j predictions when there is evidence that something will
happen in the near future

12. Choose the correct answer.

1 'I ...A... about buying a new car recently.' 'Really? What sort of car?'
A have been thinking B have thought C thought
2 'I haven't seen Mark for weeks.'
'Well, I ............. him this afternoon. Why don't you come along?'
A have met B am meeting C meet
3 'We'd better take a taxi to the station.' 'Yes. The train.............in fifteen minutes.'
A has left B will have left C leaves
4 'Where is the newspaper?'
'I threw it away. I thought you.............reading it.'
A have finished B finished C had finished
5 'I feel very tired.'
'How can you be tired? You.............a thing all day.'
A haven't been doing B aren't doing
C haven't done
6 'Cathy doesn't study enough.'
'I know. I'm afraid she............. her exam.'
A won't pass B won't be passing
C won't have passed
7 'It's bad news about Janet crashing her new car, isn't it?'
'Yes. She.............for months to buy it.'
A saved B is saving C had been saving
8 There's someone here to see you.' 'Oh, that.............my sister. Send her in.'
A will have been B was C will be
9 'Whose is this earring?'
'I don't know. I found it when I.............the house.'
A was cleaning B had cleaned C am cleaning
10 'I.............to reach Jane on the phone all day.'
'Don't you know? She's gone on holiday.'
A tried B have been trying C have tried
11 'I want to visit Katie.'
'Well, don't visit her before five o'clock. She...........
A is working B will be working
C will have worked
12 That.............like Dad's car.'
'It is. He must have finished work early.'
A sounds B had sounded C has sounded
13 'Is that a new jumper?'
'No. I.............it from Laura yesterday.'
A have borrowed B had borrowed C borrowed
14 '.............to the library today?'
'Yes. Would you like me to return your books?'
A Will you have gone B Will you have been going
C Will you be going
15 'How is your grandfather?'
'His condition.............day by day.'
A improves B has improved C is improving
16 'When did you speak to Sue?'
'I met her as I.............to work.'
A had walked B was walking C am walking
17 'Shall we go shopping?'
'I can't go until the babysitter..............'
A arrives B will arrive C arrived
18 'I've invited Sam to my party.'
'I doubt if he..............He's studying for an exam.'
A comes B will come C is coming
19 'I'm sorry I'm late.'
'I.............here for over an hour.'
A have been waiting B have waited C was waitint
20 'I'm having trouble with the car.'
Tm sure John.............you fix it if you ask him.'
A is going to help B helps C will help
21 'How long.............James?'
'Since we were children.'
A have you known B do you know C did you know
22 'You.............a good teacher one day.'
'Do you really think so?'
A were B will be C are being

13. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense

Kate Teale 1) ..Mae dec\ded... (decide) to open her own restaurant. Yesterday, she 2) ............................. (have)
a meeting with her bank manager and she 3)..........................(ask) him for a loan. He agreed, so Kate
4)................................................ (be able) to start making plans. In fact, she 5).........................................
(already/find) a building for her restaurant and she 6)..................................(look) at tables and chairs next week. By
the end of the month, work on the restaurant 7).............................(begin) and by the summer, everything will be
ready. Kate 8)..........................................(hope) that her business will be a success. At the moment, she
9)............................................ (interview) people to be chefs and waiters.