PRACTICE

MIXED TENSES
I Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets Present Simple / Continuous, Past Simple / Continuous, Will
Future, Going to future

1. We often (spend) ……………….....……………. our summer holiday abroad. Last year we (go) …………….........…………..
to Spain but this year we (go) ……………………….......... to Greece. My mother (book) ……..………...........………….. a hotel
on Crete last week. We (leave) …………………........…… on 5 July. The plane (take off) ……………….........……… at 11 a.m.
2. A: Why (you, cry) ………………………………............……?
B: Because this morning someone (steal) ……......…………………… all my money while I (shop) ………….........……………. .
Now I can't pay the bills.
A: Don't worry. I (lend) ……………………………. you as much as you need.
3. Peter (work) …………………………….............. for a big company making furniture. He (begin) ………..................……..
working there 3 years ago. He (not earn) …………....…………………….. much so he (look) …………….……………………… for
another job as soon as possible.
4. My mother (fall) ……………………………. ill last week and I (make) …………….....…………….. all the meals instead of her.
She still (not feel) ……………………………….. well so she (see) …………..……………………. a doctor tomorrow. I hope she
(get) ….........…………………….. better soon.
5. When I (get up) …………….............…………….. this morning it (rain) …………………...........…….. Now the sun (shine)
…………….................……. so I (go) …………….............………… for a walk. I (be) ……………………..........… back in an hour.
6. Jenny (invite) ……………….......… me to her birthday party. It's on Saturday. I (buy) ……………………………. her a book.
7. I (meet) …………………….........… Brenda 5 years ago while I (work) …………….....……………. as a waitress. We soon
(become) ……………………….....… friends and now we (think) ……….......……....………… of moving in together. We (rent)
……………………………........ a flat somewhere in the centre of London.
8. A: Your room is in a mess! When (you, last tidy) ……………...……………………….. it?
B: I don't know…. But I (tidy) ……………………......………… it this afternoon, I promise!
9. We (buy) ……………………….....….. this car 20 years ago. It's so old now that it (break) ……………................….. down
very often. We (save) …………………....……… money because we (buy) …………………...........………. a new one.
10. Brad (fly) ………………….......……….. to London next week. He (meet) ………………….....……….. his brother there.
They (not see) ………………………...…….. each other very often, maybe once or twice a year. They last (meet)
……………………….............… for their mother's birthday five months ago.
11. While she (cross) ………………………...............… the road on Monday morning a car (knock) …..................……………
her down. Someone (call) ………….................…………….. the ambulance and they (take) …….................................……
her to hospital. Doctor says she (stay) ……….....………………….. there for at least a week. I think I (visit)
……………………………… her tomorrow.
12. My mum is very good at sewing. She (make) ………….......…………….. all my clothes. At the moment she (make)
……………………...............… a beautiful silk dress. I (wear) …………...........……………… it for my brother's wedding.
13. Father (lose) ……………….............…..…. his job when the factory (close) ………..…...................…… down. Now he
(look) ……………………….................… for a new job but if he doesn't find one soon, he (start)…………………………….. his
own business.
14. A: Why (you, lie) ………………............…………….. in bed?
B: I (not feel) …………………..........…. well. I think I (catch) …………....……...……. a cold when I (play) ……………….……………
football yesterday afternoon.
A: I (make) …………………………......... you a cup of tea.

II Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets (mixed tenses):

1. She (never, be) ………………................ late for school but this morning she (oversleep) …………...............…… and
she (come) ………………………......... to school too late. Her teacher hopes she (not oversleep) ………………………………..
ever again.
2. The Cats is a famous rock band. They (play)……………........……… all over the world. They (have) …………………………..
their first concert in 2007. Next week they (go) …………………...……..…….. on a tour around Europe. They (play)
…………………………….......... in eight European countries.
3. A: Look! Bob (drink) ………………………................ his sixth glass of wine!
B: Yes, I see him. He always (drink) …………..……………… too much at parties. Last Friday, at his friend's graduation
party, he (get) ………………………...... so drunk that he (throw up) ……………...........…….. .
A: Well, I really hope he (stop) ………………..........………… drinking so much!
4. We usually (eat) ……………………............ dinner at home but tonight we (go) ………..………………… to the restaurant.
We (celebrate) …………............……………….. Andy's 22nd birthday. I (order) ……………………………………. a steak and
mashed potatoes – that's my favourite food!
5. I (spend) ………….......…………….. the evening in a pub with my friends. Everybody (smoke) …………………………………..
and now my hair (smell) ………….........……………… of cigarette smoke! I (wash) ………………...........……….. it as soon as I
get home. I usually (wash) ……………............………… it twice a week.
6. Hurry up! The bus (leave) ……….............………….. at 10 and it's already 9.40! We (miss) ………………………………… it!
7. Yesterday afternoon somebody (rob) …………….......………….. the local bank. They (take) …………….…………………..
almost two million euros. The police (try) ……….......………………… to find the criminals but I doubt they (ever, catch)
………………………………...... them.
8. Fred (finish) ……………………….........….. secondary school two years ago and he (study) ……………..……………..……..
medicine now. He (become) …………..................…………………. a doctor.
9. Greg and Vanessa are very much in love. They (get) ………….........…………….. on very well and they (do)
……………………….............. everything together. Last Sunday Greg (propose) ………….........…...…………. to her and she
(accept) …………………............…. . They (get) …………...........…..………….. married next May. I know they (be)
…………………….................... very happy together.
10. I (take) …….....……………………. my driving licence two years ago but my brother (still, learn) ……………………………..
to drive. I'm sure he (pass) ……………................…………. his driving test with flying colours.
11. On Saturday afternoons I usually (clean) ……………...........……………. the house but this Saturday I (visit)
……………………….....…..... my aunt Laura. She (feels) ………...………………… lonely because her husband (die)
……………………..........….. last month.

III Use the right tense of the verbs in brackets:

1. Mike (live) ...................................... in London with his girlfriend Fiona but he (grow
up) ....................................
in Oxford. He (meet) ................................ Fiona at university while he (study) .....................................
medicine. He (now, look) .......................................... for a job. He hopes he (get) .....................................
a job as a doctor in the local hospital soon. Fiona (find) ...................................... a job in a bank two years
ago and she (work) ............................... as an accountant. Mike and Fiona (get) ....................................
married next month. Soon after the wedding they (buy) .................................. a bigger flat.
2. Pamela is 12 and she (like) ................................. music very much. She (play) ....................................
the piano and the violin. She (start) ..................................... playing the piano at the age of six. She (have)
........................... her first concert when she (be) ......................... nine. She (learn) ..................................
to play the guitar now. She hopes she (play) ....................................... in the London Philharmonic
Orchestra some day.
3. A: Why (you, make) ......................................... a cake?
B: I (have) ...................................... a birthday party tomorrow evening. I (invite) ..................................
all my friends but I doubt everybody (come) ................................. . Anyway, you
(come) ....................................., right?
A: Of course! I wouldn't miss it. I (enjoy) ................................. your last party so much!
4. We (eat) ................................... out last Friday. We (go) .................................... to the new restaurant
in Portobello Road. When the waiter (bring) .................................... us the menu, we
(order) ..................................... . I (have) ...................................... soup, roast potatoes and chicken
because I (like) ................................ meat. My mum (be) .......................... a vegetarian and she (not
eat) ................................... meat so she (choose) ................................ fish instead. While we
(eat) .................................., a gipsy (come) ..................................... to our table, selling roses. My dad
(buy) ................................... one for me and one for my mum. At the end of the meal we
(be) ............................ so full that we (decide) .................................... to walk home instead of taking a
taxi. The meal was delicious and I'm sure we (eat) ....................................... there again. In fact, I
(invite) .......................................... my boyfriend to lunch there next week!
5. Anthony usually never (arrive) ..................................... home after midnight but last night he
(get) ................................... home very late. When he (want) .................................... to unlock the door,
he (realize) ............................... he (not have) ................................... the key. He
(ring) ................................... the bell but his parents (sleep) ................................ and they (not
hear) .................................. . Fortunately, Anthony (find) .................................. an open window through
which he (climb) ................................... into the house.