Tenses - summary

Time words
• I work in this office all this year / all
the time.
• Are you studying French for long / at
the moment?
• I am not making much money these
days / so far this year.
• The food tastes worse now / usually.
You’ve put too much salt.
• We normally / forever get in touch
with customers by post.
7. Pete was ill but he’s getting over his
illness currently / now.
8. I am feeling ratjer run down lately
/ at present, doctor.
9. I always stay on duty since / until
six o’clock.
10. People continually /
traditionally have Christmas trees
at Christmas.
11. Fortunately the baby now /
recently sleeps all night.
12. I’ll be back after a few minutes
/ in a few minutes.
13. I’m sure everything will be all right
at the end / in the end.
14. Please call me the moment /
exactly when you hear any news.
15. I should be back by the time / at
the time the film begins.
16. I’m sure Fiona will be here before
long / after a while.
17. I can’t leave on Tuesday. I won’t
be ready until then / by then.
18. By twenty four hours / this
sime tomorrow I’ll be in Malta.
19. Diana will be retiring soon /
already.
20. There will be no official
announcements forthwith / from
now on.
21. Bye for now. I’ll see you in two
weeks’ time / two weeks later.
22. Once / Afterwards I’d read the manual,
I found I could use the computer quite well.
23. It was more than a month before / until
I realised what had happened.
24. I managed to talk to CArol just as /
while she was leaving.
25. It wasn’t until / up to 1983 that Nigel
could afford to take holidays abroad.
26. George always let me know by the time
/ whenever he was going to be late.
27. I was having a bath at the time / that
time, so I didn’t hear the doorbell.
28. We bought our tickets and five
minutes after / later the train
arrived.
29. According to Grandpa, people used
to dress formally those days / in
his day.
30. Everyone was talking but stopped
at the time / the moment Mr
Smith entered the room.
31. The letter still hadn’t arrived by /
until the end of the week.
Decide whether the tense highlited is
suitable or not in the context given
The train ground to a halt at a small
station miles from London, and it
became apparent that the engine
had broken down. Everyone was
getting their cases down form the
luggage racks, and we were waiting
on the platform in the freezing wind
for hours until the next train had
turned up.
The other strange thing about our
neighbour Mrs Black was that she
would never go out if it was raining.
She used to look up at the sky
whenever it was getting cloudy, and
as soon as even the smallest drop of
rain was falling she had scuttled back
into her house and was locking
herself in the bedroom.
Inspector Gorse was in touch with Thames
Valley Police six months before Professor
Dowson was disappearing, because the
Professor’s wife Jean would write to him,
accusing her husband of plotting to murder
her. And now it was the Professor who
disappeared. Gorse considered what his
next step should be when the phone rang.
It was Sergeant Adams from Thames
Valley. A fisherman discovered a body in
the Thames near Reading, and it fitted the
description of the Professor.
 Rewrite each sentence, beginning
as shown.
1. It’s a long time since I last went to a
football match. I haven’t …
2. This is my second visit to Hungary. This
is the second time …
3. I paid this bill earlier, actually. Actually, I
have …
4. We haven’t been swimming for ages. It’s
ages …
5. Mary started French five years ago. Mary
has …
6. I am on the tenth page of the letter I am
writing. So far I …
7. After I arrived here, I started to feel
better. Since arriving here, …
8. It’s over twenty years since we got
married. We have …
9. The last time I saw Dick was in 2001. I
haven’t …
10. There is a definite improvement in your
work. Lately your work …
11. This matter is none of your business.
This matter does …
12. This bridge will take us three years to
complete. In three years time we …
13. Patsy wasn’t always so unfriendly. Patsy
didn’t …
14. We’ll at your house soon. It won’t …
15. I haven’t seen Anne for years. It’s years
…
16. The dog keeps stealing my socks! The
dog is …
17. After taking the pills, I began to feel
much better. Since taking …
18. We’ll have to leave immediately at the
end of the film. The moment …
19. Harry left before we reached the hotel. By
the time …
20. Is there such a place as Eldorado? Does …
21. The last time I was in Paris was in 2003. I
haven’t …
22. This will be the team’s first match outside
England. This will be the first time …
23. Terry will get over his illness. Then his
work will improve. Once …
24. There will be someone to meet you on
arrival. When …
25. The number of people who attended the
fair exceeded our expectations. More
people …
26. I didn’t receive the results of my tests
for a month. It was …
27. My work won’t be finished by the end of
the month. I …
28. Go to the international ticket desk
immediately on arrival. As …
29. I didn’t know about John’s departure. I
didn’t know that …
30. Quite a few books are missing from the
class library. Severel members of the class
have not …
31. There’s a party at Mary’s house next
week. Next week …
32. I started working here three years ago. I
have …
33. Our meeting is tomorrow. We …
34. I haven’t had a Chinese meal for ages …
35. David went home before we arrived.
When we …
 Rewrite the sentences using the
word given.
1. You have missed the beginning of the
film. HAS
2. I can’t seem to stop sneezing lately.
BEEN
3. Paul is different from what he used to be.
HAS
4. This has been my home for 30 years.
HAVE
5. Eating Chinese food is new to me.
BEFORE
6. Is there any news? HAPPENED
7. I bought my car in 1999 and I am
still driving it. BEEN
8. I don’t know where my keys are.
HAVE
9. Sue doesn’t have her dictionary
with her, it’s at home. HAS
10. Tony hasn’t been to Paris before.
FIRST
11. When is the train due to arrive?
GET
12. I sholudn’t think Paul knows the
answer. DOUBT
13. I’ve had to wait all afternoon.
BEEN
14. To get to work on time I have to
get up at 6.00. MEANS
15. Today is Liz and John’s 30th
wedding anniversary. FOR
16. BY the end of the week, Harry was
well again. GOT
17. Whose watch it this? BELONG
18. Cathy hasn’t been on holiday with her
sister before. FIRST
19. My dentist’s appointment is for next
Wednesday. TO
20. Brenda has no idea of her next move.
WHAT
21. Jack left the office before I arrived
there. ALREADY
22. Do you know how to drive this kind of
car? EVER?
23. This is my first visit to Scotland. I
24. During dinner, the phone rang. I
25. Do you have any plans for Saturday
evening? DOING
26. Is this car yours? YOU
27. Look at these black clouds! The rain is
on the way. TO
28. Our 25th wedding anniversaty is at the
end of next year. FOR
29. I haven’t been to the cinema for two
month’s. TIME
30. Charles and his father are exactly alike.
LOOKS