Choose the correct word to fill in the gap

1. If she ___________ about his financial situation, she would have helped him out.A) knew
B) had been knowing C) had known D) have known

2. I'll ______________ their cat while they are away on holiday.A) be looking into B) be
looking at C) be looking after D) be looking over

3. He made his children ______ their homework every afternoon.A) do B) to do C) studied D)

to study

4. The test was ____ difficult she had problems finishing it on time.A) such B) a C) as D) so

5. By the time she arrives, we ________________ our homework.A) finish B) will have
finished C) will finish D) were finished

6. She _________________ lunch by the time we arrived.A) had finished B) finished C) have
finished D) finishing

7. The sun ______ at 9 last night.A) sat B) setted C) set D) was setting

8. When I stopped __________ to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden.A)
speaking B) speak C) to speak D) spoke

9. Despite ______________ hard, he failed the exam.A) he studied B) he has studied C)

studying D) study

10. That room _______________ for a meeting today.A) is used B) is being used C) used D) is
using

11. We ____________ tennis every day when we were young.A) use to play B) would play C)
were playing D) were used to play

12. If I __________ you, I would wait a while to begin investing.A) was B) am C) were D) would
be

13. He'll give you a call as soon as he __________.A) will arrive B) arrives C) is arriving D) is
going to arrive.
ANSWERS

1. If she had known about his financial situation, she would have helped him out. Use the past
perfect (had + past participle) in the "if" clause of the third conditional to talk about unreal
past situations.
2. I'll be looking after their cat while they are away on holiday. The phrasal verb "to look after"
means "to take care of".
3. He made his children do their homework every afternoon. The verbs "make, let and help (in
British English)" combine with an object plus the base form (without "to") of the verb. Other
verbs use the infinitive form of the verb (with "to). For example: He asked her to help him.
4. The test was so difficult she had problems finishing it on time. Use "so" with an adjective and
"such" with a noun phrase. For example: It was such a difficult test....
5. By the time she arrives, we will have finished our homework. With the time clause "by the
time..." use the future perfect to describe something that will have happened up to that point
in time.
6. She had finished lunch by the time we arrived. Use the past perfect - had + participle - to
express an action finished before another action in the past.
7. The sun set at 9 last night. The verb "to set" is irregular: set - set - set.
8. When I stopped to speak to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden. When using the
verb "to stop" use the infinitive form to express an action which you stopped in order to do.
Use the gerund to express an action which you have stopped doing (and doesn't continue).
9. Despite studying hard, he failed the exam. Use the gerund or "having + past participle"
following "despite". Use a verb clause when following "although". For example: Although he
had studied hard ...study
10. That room is being used for a meeting today. "Is being used" is the present continuous form of
the passive voice which is required by this sentence.
11. We would play tennis every day when we were young. "Would do something" and "used to do
something" both express a habitual action in the past. "Used to do something" also
expresses the idea that you do not do that action anymore.
12. If I were you, I would wait a while to begin investing. Use "were" in the second conditional if
clause for all subjects.
13. He'll give you a call as soon as he arrives. In a future time clause use the present simple - the
construction is the same as for the first conditional.