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TENSES

I. Choose the best answer A, B, C, or D.


1. I ............Louisiana state University.
A. am attending
B. attend
C. was attending
D. attended
2. He has been selling motorcycles.................
A. ten years ago
B. since ten years C. for ten years ago
D. for ten years
3. Columbus............America more than 400 years ago.
A. discovered
B. has discovered C. had discovered
D. he has gone
4. He fell down when he ............towards the church.
A. run
B. runs
C. was running
D. had run
5. We ............there when our father died.
A. still lived
B. lived still
C. was still living
D. were still living
6. They ............pingpong when their father comes back home.
A. will play
B. will be playing C. play
D. would play
7. I............in the room now.
A. am being
B. was being
C. have been being
D. am
8. I.............to New York three times this year.
A. have been
B. was
C. were
D. had been
9. I will come and see you before I.............for America.
A. leave
B. will leave
C. have left
D. shall leave
10. The little girl asked what.............to her friend.
A. has happened
B. happened
C. had happened
D. would have been happened
11. John ............a book when I saw him.
A. is reading
B. read
C. was reading
D. reading
12. He said he............return later.
A. will
B. would
C. can
D. would be
13. Jack.............the door.
A. has just opened B. open
C. will have opened
D. opening
14. I have been waiting for you............
A. since early morning
B. since 9 a.m
C. for two hours
D. all are correct
15. My sister............for you since yesterday.
A. is looking
B. was looking
C. has been looking
D. looked
16. Jack............the door.
A. has just painted B. paint
C. will have painted
D. painting
18. The train............half an hour.
A. has been leaving B. left
C. has left
D. had left
19. We............Doris since last Sunday.
A. dont see
B. havent seen
C. didnt see
D. hadnt seen
20. When I last saw him, he............in London.
A. has lived
B. is living
C. was living
D. has been living
21. After I............lunch, I looked for my bag.
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A. had
B. had had
C. have has
D. have had
22. I think the weather............nice later.
A. will be
B. be
C. had
D. has been
23. The man got out the car ,............round to the back and opened the boot.
A. walking
B. walked
C. walks
D. walk
24. For several years his ambition............to be a pilot.
A. is
B. has been
C. was
D. had been
25. Henry............into the restaurant when the writer was having dinner.
A. was going
B. went
C. has gone
D. did go
26. He will take the dog out for a walk as soon as he ............dinner.
A. finish
B. finishes
C. will finish
D. shall have finished
27. Before you asked, the letter............
A. was written
B. had been written C. had written
D. has been
written
28. Ask her to come and see me when she............her work.
A. finish
B. has finished
C. finished
D. finishing
29. Oil ............if you pour it on water.
A. floated
B. floats
C. will be floated
D. float
30. The dancing club.............north of the city.
A. lays
B. lies
C. located
D. lain
31. Almost everyone............for home by the time we arrived.
A. leave
B. left
C. leaves
D. had left
32. By the age of 25, he ............two famous novels.
A. wrote
B. writes
C. has written
D. had written
33. While her husband was in the army, Janet ............ to him twice a week.
A. was writing
B. wrote
C. was written
D. had written
34. I couldnt cut the grass because the machine............. a few days previously.
A. broke down
B. has been broken C. had broken down
D. breaks down
35. According to this newspaper, John is said............a new record for the long jump.
A. to have established
B. establishing
C. to establish
D. established
36. I have never played badminton before. This is the first time I.............to play.
A. try
B. tried
C. have tried
D. am trying
37. Since............,I have heard nothing from him.
A. he had left
B. he left
C. he has left
D. he was left
38. She .............very angry when she knows this.
A. shall be
B. has been
C. will have been
D. will be
39. I dont understand this sentence. What..................................... ...........?
A. does mean this word
B. have this word mean
C. means this word
D. does this word mean
40. John.............tennis once or twice a week.
A. usually play
B. is usually playing
C. usually plays
D. have usually played
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41. It was noisy next door. Our neighbors.............a party.


A. had
B. were having
C. had had
D. have had
42. It.............dark. Shall I turn on the light?
A. is getting
B. get
C. got
D. has got
43. I ............for Christine. Do you know where she is?
A. look
B. looked
C. am looking
D. looks
44. At 5 oclock yesterday evening, I............my clothes.
A. am ironing
B. have ironed
C. ironed
D. was ironing
45. Are you ready ,Ann? Yes, I........................
A. am coming
B. come
C. came
D. have came
46. Why .............at me like that? Whats the matter?
A. do you look
B. have you looked C. did you look
D. are you looking
47. I.............along the street when I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.
A. was walking
B. am walking
C. walk
D. walked
48. She .............German for two years.
A. has learnt
B. is learning
C. learn
D. learns
49. I usually ............away at weekends.
A. have gone
B. goes
C. am going
D. go
50. The earth............ round the sun.
A. go
B. has gone
C. went
D. goes
51. I come from Canada. Where .............you .............from?
A. do/come
B. did/ come
C. are coming
D. have/come
52. When I last............Jane, she .............to find a job.
A. see/was trying B. saw/was trying C. have seen/tried
D. saw/tried
53. I............at 8 oclock every morning.
A. was getting up B. got up
C. is getting up
D. get up
54. .............you go to the dentist?
A. how often are
B. how often do
C. how often does
D. how are
55. Ann.............tea very often.
A. doesnt drink
B. dont drink
C. didnt drink
D. hasnt drunken
56. The sun............in the East.
A. is rising
B. rose
C. has risen
D. rises
57 It is a nice day. I.............we go out for a walk.
A. suggested
B. suggest
C. is suggesting
D. are suggesting
58. Tim was tired. He.............hard all day.
A. has been studying
B. studies
C. studied
D. had been studying
59. Bad driving often............many accidents.
A. caused
B. had caused
C. causes
D. has cause
60. The Olympic Games............every four years.
A. take place
B. takes place
C. took place
D. is taking place
61. What time..the banks close in Britain?
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A. do
B. did
C. does
D. can
62. Look! That man.............to open the door of your car.
A. try
B. tried
C. is trying
D. has tried
63. When I was young, I............to be a singer.
A. want
B. was wanting
C. wanted
D. had wanted
64. They.............me about it last week.
A. was telling
B. told
C. had told
D. would tell
65. I.............here at the end of the month.
A. will leave
B. would leave
C. would have left
D. is leaving
66. My grandfather............many years ago.
A. had died
B. has died
C. died
D. was dying
67. I.........................my son the money for that last week.
A. gave
B. given
C. have given
D. was given
68. Yesterday I passed by Peters house, but the front door was closed. He ..out.
A. went
B. must have gone C. has gone
D. had had
69. I.............the dishwasher on when heard the shot.
A. am turning
B. was turning
C. was turning
D. turned
70. There was a time when watching TV really............family entertainment.
A. were
B. was
C. had been
D. is
71. Last year, they.............22 million TV sets.
A. were selling
B. had sold
C. has sold
D. sold
72. At last the bus came. We..............for half an hour.
A. waited
B. was waiting
C. have waited
D. had been waiting
73. Daniel............the bus. It doesnt run on Sundays.
A. did not catch
B. have not caught C. had not caught
D. couldnt have caught
74. Im feeling sick. I.............so much chocolate last night.
A. neednt to eat
B. did not eat
C. mustnt eat
D. shouldnt have eaten
75. Im going on holiday on Saturday. This time next week I............on a beach in the sea.
A. will lie
B. am lying
C. will be lying
D. should be lying
76. Ted and Amy............for 24 years.
A. have been married
B. married C. were married
D. has been married
77. Tomorrow I............my grandparents
A. am going to visit B. will have visited C. have visited
D. visit
78. When the first child was born, they.............married for three years.
A. have been married
B. had been married C. will been married
D. will have been married

II. Use the past form of the verbs


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1. Yesterday, I (go)______ to the restaurant with a client.


2. We (drive) ______ around the parking lot for 20 mins to find a parking space.
3. When we (arrive) ______ at the restaurant, the place (be) ______ full.
4. The waitress (ask) ______ us if we (have) reservations.
5. I (say), "No, my secretary forgets to make them."
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6. The waitress (tell)______ us to come back in two hours.


7. My client and I slowly (walk) ______ back to the car.
8. Then we (see) ______ a small grocery store.
9. We (stop) in the grocery store and (buy) ______ some sandwiches.
10. That (be) ______ better than waiting for two hours.
11. I (not go) ______ to school last Sunday.
12. She (get) ______ married last year?
13. What you (do) ______ last night? - I (do) ______ my homework.
14. I (love) ______ him but no more.
15. Yesterday, I (get) ______ up at 6 and (have) ______ breakfast at 6.30.

III. Complete the sentences using the past simple tense.


1. It/ be/ cloudy/ yesterday.
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2. In 1990/ we/ move/ to another city.
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3. When/ you/ get/ the first gift?
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4. She/ not/ go/ to the church/ five days ago.
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5. How/ be/ he/ yesterday?
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6. Mr. and Mrs. James/ come back home/ and/ have/ lunch/ late/ last night?
-->
7. They/ happy/ last holiday?
-->
8. How/ you/ get there?
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9. Tyler/ visit/ his/ grandmother/ last/ month.
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10. My/ father/ not/ at the office/ the day/ before yesterday.
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IV. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.
1. Ann, we (go) to town. (you/come) with us?
2. She (have) coffee for breakfast every morning
3. She sometimes (buy) vegetable at this market
4. I (try) to learn English for year, but I (not succeed) yet
5. Mary (rest) in the garden all day because she (be) ill
6. That book (lie) on the table for weeks. You (not read) it yet.
7. Mary (lose) her hat and she (look) for it until now
8. I (see) that film several times because I like it.
9. That brown suitcase (belong) to Dr. Rice
10. Michael (work) thirty eight hours a week
11. How many times you (see) him since he went to England
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12. Up to the present, we (write) almost every lesson in the book


13. We will go when the rain (stop)
14. I (stay) here until he (answer) me
15. Wait until I (catch) you
16. She (not come) until you (be) ready
17. Miss Helen (help) you as soon as she (finish )that letter tomorrow
18. I (come) and (see) you before you leave
19. If you (find) a wallet in the street, what would you do with it?
20. I (help) you if I could, but I am afraid I can't
21. Should I see him later, I (give) him your message.
22. Were I your age, I (do) things differently
23. I must hurry. My friend (be) annoyed If I (not be) on time
24. If I were you, I (not wait). I (go) now.
25. I (have) coffee for breakfast every morning.
26. We (do) exercise one right at the moment.
27. Up to the present, he (do) good work in this class.
28. This house (stand) for centuries.
29. I (meet) him yesterday.
30.She usually (wear) a blue dress, but today she (wear) a red one.
III. Put the verbs in brackets into the simple present or the present continuous tense.
1. Cuckoos (not build) nests. They (use) the nests of other birds.
2. You can't see Tom now: he (have) a bath.
3. He usually (drink) coffee but today he (drink) tea.
4. What she (do) in the evenings?
- She usually (play) cards or (watch) TV.
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5. I won't go out now as it (rain) and I (not have) an umbrella.


6. The last train (leave) the station at 11.30.
7. He usually (speak) so quickly that I (not understand) him.
8. Ann (make) a dress for herself at the moment. She (make) all her own clothes.
9. Hardly anyone (wear) a hat nowadays.
10. I'm afraid I've broken one of your coffee cups.
- Don't worry. I (not like) that set anyway
11. I (wear) my sunglasses today because the sun is very strong.
12. Tom can't have the newspaper now because his aunt (read) it.
13. I'm busy at the moment. I (redecorate) the sitting room.
14.The kettle (boil) now. Shall I make the tea?
15. You (enjoy) yourself or would you like to leave now?
- I (enjoy) myself very much. I (want) to stay to the end.
16. How you (get) to work as a rule?
- I usually (go) by bus but tomorrow I (go) in Tom's car.
17. Why you (put) on your coat?
- I (go) for a walk. You (come) with me?
- Yes, I'd love to come. You (mind) if I bring my dog?
18. How much you (owe) him?
- I (owe) him 5. You (intend) to pay him?
IV. Complete the sentences with the verbs in present perfect tense.
1.

The bill isnt right. They (make).. a mistake.

2.

Dont you want to see this programme? It .(start).

3.

Itll soon get warm in here. I (turn).. the heating on.

4.

they (pay).. money for your mother?

5.

Someone (take). my bicycle.


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6.

You ever (eat).. Sushi?

7.

She (not/come) here for a long time.

8.

I (work..) here for three years.

9.

You ever ..(be) to New York?

10.

You (not/do) .your project yet, I suppose.

11.

I just (see). Andrew and he says he ..already (do). about half of the plan.

12.

He (be). at his computer for seven hours.

13.

She (not/have) any fun a long time.

14.

My father (not/ play).. any sport since last year.

15.

Id better have a shower. I (not/have). one since Thursday.

16.

I dont live with my family now and we (not/see). each other for five years.

17.

How long.. (you/know). each other?

18.

(She/ eat). at the Royal Hotel yet ?

19.

She (write).. three poems about her fatherland.

20.

We (finish) three English courses.

IV. Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or the simple past tense. In some sentences
the present perfect continuous is also possible.
1. This is my house.
How long you (live) here?
I (live) here since 1970.
2. He (live) in London for two years and then (go) to Edinburgh.
3. You (wear) your hair long when you were at school?
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Yes, my mother (insist) on it.


4. But when I (leave) school I (cut) my hair and (wear) it short ever since.
5. Shakespeare (write) a lot of plays.
6. My brother (write) several plays. He just (finish) his second tragedy.
7. I (fly) over Loch Ness last week
You (see) the Loch Ness monster?
8. I (not see) him for three years. I wonder where he is.
9. He (not smoke) for two weeks. He is trying to give it up.
10. You (lock) the door before you left the house?
V. Complete the sentences using the simple future and near future.
1. A: There's someone at the door.
B: I _________________________ (get) it.
2. Joan thinks the Conservatives ________________________ (win) the next election.
3. A: Im moving house tomorrow.
B: I _________________________ (come) and help you.
4. If she passes the exam, she _________________________ (be) very happy.
5. I _________________________ (be) there at four o'clock, I promise.
6. I love London. I (probably / go) there next year.
7. What (wear / you) at the party tonight?
8. I haven't made up my mind yet. But I think I (find) something nice in my mum's wardrobe.
9. I completely forget about this. Give me a moment, I (do) it now.
10. Tonight, I (stay) home. I've rented a video.
11. I am afraid I (not/ arrive) . on time tomorrow morning.
12. If you have any problem, I (help) you.
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13. The weather forecast says it (not/ rain) tomorrow


14. I promise that I (not/ come) late.
15. Look at those clouds. It (rain) now.

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