Test to Check Tenses

1. Last Saturday, my father ____ that his dinner suit was too 11. Clean snow ____ as much as 87 percent of the sunlight that
small, so now he ____ a strict diet. ____ on it.
A) has discovered / followed B) discovers / was following A) is reflecting / shone B) has reflected / was shining
C) discovered / is following D) was discovering / has C) reflected / is shining D) was reflected / has shone
followed E) has been discovering / will follow E) reflects / shines

2. Helen ____ her driving test five times so far without success, 12. More than two hundred people ____ the tower when the
but she ____, yet. bomb ____ in one of the dustbins.
A) takes / isn't giving up B) has taken / hasn't given up A) have visited / was exploding B) were visiting / exploded
C) was taking / didn't give up D) is taking / doesn't give up C) visited / has exploded D) are visiting / is exploding
E) took / wasn't giving up E) visit / has exploded

3. Most of the time, John and his friends ____ football matches 13. Because you ____ half of the ingredients as I ____ dinner,
at their local coffee, but this Saturday, they ____ to the you probably aren't hungry at all now.
stadium, and so they're all very excited. A) were eating / have prepared B) have eaten / prepared
A) watch / are going B) have been watching / go C) have been eating / prepare D) ate / was preparing
C) are watching / have gone D) were watching / went E) eat / have been preparing
E) have watched / were going
14. She ____ strictly since Christmas and so far she ____ eight
4. Kate ____ a vegetarian for eleven years now, and she ____ kilos.
meat at all during this time. A) was dieting / was losing B) dieted / loses
A) is / isn't eating B) has been / wasn't eating C) diets / is losing D) is dieting / lost
C) is / doesn't eat D) has been / hasn't eaten E) has been dieting / has lost
E) was / didn't eat
15. Cindy's family ____ chains in this area for over three
5. Last year, Richard ____ his bicycle to work everyday, but he centuries and now her father ____ this traditional craft at the
____ the bus since the accident. county museum twice a day as well.
A) rides / takes B) has ridden / is taking A) are making / is demonstrating
C) rode / has been taking D) was riding / took B) have made / has demonstrated
E) is riding / has taken C) made / was demonstrating
D) were making / demonstrated
6. I ____ glasses when I was younger, but now I ____ contact E) have been making / demonstrates
lenses.
A) was wearing / have had B) have worn / am having 16. He ______ to unlock the door to his flat because the
C) have been wearing / had D) wear / was having telephone ________ .
E) wore / have A) was hurrying / rang B) hurries / has been ringing
C) hurried / was ringing D) is hurrying / rings
7. About a month ago, I ____ a brochure about your hotel, but I E) has hurried / has rung
____ it yet.
A) request / didn't receiv 17. There ____ economies since the dawn of civilisation, but as
B) have requested / am not receiving a field of study, economics ____ only recently.
C) was requesting / wasn't receiving A) were / was developing B) have been / has developed
D) requested / haven't received C) are / has been developing D) were / is developing
E) have been requested / don't receive E) have been / develops

8. The conditions in our office ____ more and more

unbearable, so quite often recently I ____ quitting it and 18. John Deere ____ his farm machinery business, which ____
looking for a new job. tractors today, in the 19th century.
A) have got / was considering A) founds / still produced
B) was getting / am considering B) has founded / is still producing
C) are getting / have considered C) was founding / was still producing
D) have been getting / consider D) founded / still produces
E) get / considere E) is founding / is still produced

9. Because I ____ a long way from my work, I ____ lots of time 19. I ____ my French lately; consequently, I ____ more and
going to and from work. more of it.
A) live / waste B) lived / have wasted A) am not practising / forget
C) have been living / wasted D) am living / have been wasting B) haven't been practising / am forgetting
E) was living / am wasting C) don't practice / have forgotten
D) wasn't practising / forgot
10. In the USA, the twenty largest newspaper chains ____ for E) didn't practice / was forgetting
almost half of the circulation, reflecting a trend that ____ in the
1970s. 20. The old lady's health ____ day by day until she ____
A) account / started B) were accounting / start smoking.
C) has accounted / was starting D) accounted / is starting A) was deteriorating / gave up
E) accounts / has started B) is deteriorating / gives up
C) deteriorated / has given up
D) deteriorates / is giving up
E) has deteriorated / was giving up