MORFOSINTAXIS INGLESA

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES

1. The Present Simple or Continuous

Use the verbs in brackets to fill the gaps.

1. Don't bother me now. I ____________ (work).

2. She ____________ (want) to play chess now.
3. Billy: Where's Jim?
Sally: He ____________ (stay) with friends.
4. Sally: What ____________ (do) tomorrow?
Billy: Nothing.
5. Billy: I've won the lottery!
Sally: I ____________ (not believe) you.
6. This year I ____________ (study) French and German.
7. This summer we ____________ (go) to Portugal.
8. Take an umbrella. It ____________ (rain).
9. It never ____________ (rain) in Valencia.
10. Billy: Hi. Is Alison there?
Mum: Yes, but can you ring back in 10 minutes? She ____________(have) a
shower.

2. The Present Perfect or the Past Simple

Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using either the present perfect or the
past simple tenses.

1. A: I ____________ (not see) Anna for a long time.

B: Really? I____________ (see) her yesterday.
2. They ____________ (go) to Venice three years ago.
3. David lost his wallet yesterday but he ____________ (find) it this morning in his
jacket pocket.
4. ____________ (be with you) to Paris?
5. We ____________ (live) in this house for five years and we're very happy here.
6. I know Manchester quite well. I ____________ (live) there for three years when I
was a student

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 1

 7. He ____________ (meet) Sally in the supermarket last week.
8. She feels great. She ____________ (lose) three kilos since Christmas.
9. It's cold in here because someone ____________ (open) the window.
10. Before they bought the car, they ____________ (think) about it very carefully.
11. ____________ (feed with you) the cat yet?
12. The last time I ____________ (play) tennis was four years ago.

3. Present Perfect Simple or Continuous

Fill the gaps with either the present perfect simple or the present perfect
continuous tenses using the verb in brackets. Remember that we use the
present perfect simple when the result of the action is important and the
present perfect continuous to describe how somebody or something has been
occupying his/her or its time, and also for actions of a continuous nature.

1. I'm exhausted. I ____________ (work) in the garden all day.

2. That old house now looks fantastic. The owners ______ completely _______
(restore) it.
3. My garden's a jungle. I ____________ (not, do) any gardening for months.
4. I think Maggie and Max are dating. They____________ (see) a lot of each other
recently.
5. We've discovered this great pub and we ____________ (go) there a lot.
6. How's Maggie? I ____________ (not, see) her for ages.
7. You're covered in hay, Max. What __________ you _________ (do)?
8. Maggie's gone to the doctor's. She ____________ (not, feel) too well lately.
9. Where have you been? I ____________ (wait) for ages.
10. I have to write a 300 word essay. I ____________ (write) about half so far.

4. The Past Perfect or the Past Simple

Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using either the past perfect or the past
simple tenses.

1. By the time we got to the cinema the film ____________ (start), so we missed the
first five minutes.
2. When I rang the bell there was no answer. The neighbour told me that they
____________ (go out) about half an hour ago.
3. I saw Casablanca for the first time last night. I ____________ (not, see) it before.
4. I feel fat. I ____________ (have) a huge lunch.

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 2

 5. I spent a week in Miami recently. I ____________ (be) there before.
6. There was so much to see in Toledo. I wanted to see everything but I ____________
(not, have) enough time.
7. If I ____________ (know) about the concert, I would have gone.
8. If you ____________ (take) my advice, it wouldn't have happened.
9. We would have had an argument, if she ____________ (mention) politics.
10. If you ____________ (not, park) there, you wouldn't have got a parking fine.
11. They found the body on a building site. It ____________ (mutilate, passive voice).
12. She told me she ____________ (buy) a new car.
13. When he arrived, Eve wasn't there. She ____________ (leave) about five minutes
before.
14. When we arrived back in Spain, they ____________ (lose) our luggage. We only
had to wait to two days to get it back though, and they delivered it to the house.
15. When I ____________ (get back), nobody had done the washing up. I was furious.

5. Going to or Will?

Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using either the going to or will form of
the future tense.
Going to will
- plans - immediate decisions
- when you can see what's going to happen - scientific predictions

1. Sally: There's no milk left!

Betty: Oh. I ____________ (get) some from the shop.
2. The population of Valencia ____________ (reach) 2 million by the year 2010.
3. Mum: I told you to tidy up your room.
Son: Sorry, Mum, I forgot. I ____________ (do) it after lunch.
4. Sally: Why don't we meet for coffee on Friday morning?
Willy: Sorry. I can't. I ____________ (see) the doctor then.
5. "Tomorrow ____________ (be) a bright and sunny day everywhere in Spain, except
in La Coruña," said the weatherwoman.
6. Look at that big black cloud. I think it ____________ (rain).
7. Sally: What are your plans for the week-end?
Betty: Brad Pitt phoned. We ____________ (go) on a picnic.
8. Betty: Have you booked the flights yet?
Sally: Don't worry. It's all organized. I _____________ (go) to the travel agent's
tomorrow morning.

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 3

 9. In the future people ____________ (have) bigger heads.
10. If we miss the bus, we ____________ (take) a taxi.
11. Next month I ____________ (buy) a DVD player.
12. When __________ you __________ (have) another party?
13. I've got to go to the dentist this morning. __________ you __________ (come) with
me?
14. Oh no! I think I ____________ (sneeze).
15. Fanny: I can't open this jar.
Leslie: Give it to me. I ____________ (do) it.

6. The Future Continuous

Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets using the future continuous tense.

1. A: I wonder if the kids are enjoying the party.

B: They ____________ (cause) havoc, I'm sure.
2. A: Sara and Marc are in Somerset.
B: They ____________ (have) a great time.
3. Hopefully tomorrow, we ____________ (lie) on the beach all day.
4. If I know my brother, he ____________ (think) hard about what to do next.
5. This time tomorrow, I ____________ (give) class to 20 spotty adolescents.
6. What __________ you __________ (do) in a year from now?
7. Clare's idea proved disastrous. I ____________ (not, take) her advice again.
8. At this rate you ____________ (speak) Spanish fluently in a question of months.
9. Before long, he ____________ (ask) you for more money again.
10. Just you wait. She ____________ (telephone) you every night before you know it.
11. If I know my boss, she ____________ (expect) better sales figures than that.
12. If you go now, you ____________ (wait) around for ages without a doubt.
13. This time tomorrow, we ____________ (sit) on a train to Barcelona.
14. A: Shaun's gone to the sales.
B: Ah. He ____________ (look) for bargains.

7. Which Tense Do I Use?

Select the correct answer.

1. Dad, Ana _________ an ice cream. 6. Next week we _________ snorkelling.

a. wants a. 're going

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 4

 b. want b. went

c. went c. will go

2. I _________ Luis for a long time now. 7. __________ the movie?

a. didn't see a. Do you like

b. don't see b. Like you

c. haven't seen c. Do you

3. In the summer, we __________ and 8. I was listening to music when

go swimming everyday. somebody __________ at the door.

a. sunbathed a. is knocking

b. are sunbathing b. knocked

c. sunbathe c. was knocking

4. Two people are sitting outside in the 9. The house is in a terrible mess. We've
garden."We hope you __________ this got workmen in . The plumber
marvellous weather as much as we __________ a new bath and shower.
are."
a. puts
a. enjoy b. put
b. enjoyed c. is putting in
c. are enjoying

5. I __________ dinner when suddenly I 10. I __________ here now for over
heard a strange noise. thirty-five years.

a. was cooking a. am living

b. cook b. have been living

c. cooked c. live

8. Auxiliary Verb and the Verb to Be in Questions.

Select the correct answer.

1. Where ____ you from? 6. ___ there any cheese left?

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 5

 a. do a. Do

b. are b. Are

c. is c. Is

2. ___ she alright? 7. ____ there many people in the theatre

a. Is last night?

b. Does a. Did

c. Are b. Was

c. Were

3. Where ____ you yesterday? 8. ___ you come here often?

a. are a. Do

b. were b. Does

c. was c. Are

4. Where _____ she born? 9. How long ___ it take to get there?

a. is a. does

b. was b. is

c. were c. do

5. When ___ you last speak to Matthew? 10. Where ____ you this morning?

a. did a. are

b. do b. were

c. were c. is

9. Can, Could and to be able to

Select the correct answer.

1. I ______ remember his name. 6. You'll be able to solve this, ______?

a. am not able to a. can you
b. can't b. won't you
c. can’t to be able to c. will you
2. Diana ______ the piano. 7. Sorry, Teacher. I ______do it yet.
a. can play a. wasn't able to
b. can to play b. couldn't
c. can playing c. haven't been able to

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 6

 3. She ______ come on holiday next 8. He ______pass the exam if he
month if her parents give her studied harder.
permission.
a. can't a. will be able to
b. could b. can
c. will be able to c. would be able to
4. They ______ go. The weather was 9. The fishing boat sank but luckily all the
too bad. crew ______ save themselves.
a. couldn't a. were able to
b. can't b. could
c. wasn't able to c. wasn't able to
5. A: Can you lend me some money? 10. We ______ go to the party. We're
B: Sorry. I ______. I haven't got going to a wedding.
any either. a. couldn't
a. can't b. won't be able to
b. am not able to c. will can't
c. couldn't

10. Can, Could, May and Might

Use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill each gap.

1. They (can/might) __________ be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.
2. You (may/might) __________ leave now if you wish.
3. (Could/May) __________ you open the window a bit, please?

4. He (can/could) __________ be French, judging by his accent.

5. (May/Can) __________ you play the piano?
6. Listen, please. You (may not/might not) __________ speak during this exam.

7. They (can't/may not) __________ still be out!

8. You (couldn't/might not) __________ smoke on the bus.

9. With luck, tomorrow (can/could) __________ be a sunny day.

10. You (can/might) __________ be right but I'm going back to check anyway.

11. The exam (can/might) __________ be easy. You never know.

12. I (can/might) __________ go to the party but I'm not sure yet.

13. Students (may/might) __________ study in the library from five to nine in the
evening.
14. (May/Could) __________ you lend me 40 Euros till Monday?

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 7

15. (Can't/May) _________ I make a call on your mobile?
16. Do you know if Mark (can/may) _________ sing?

17. (Can't/May) _________ I sit here, please?

18. Caroline, your friends (can/could) _________ stay the night if they want to.
They're perfectly welcome.
19. I'm sorry but you (can't/may) _________ use the computer until after I've
finished.

11. Modal Verbs of Deduction

Use one of the modal verbs in brackets to fill the gaps.

1. They (may/must)_________ be away for the weekend but I'm not sure.
2. He (can/could) _________ be French, judging by his accent.

3. They (can't/may) _________ still be out!

4. With luck, tomorrow (can't/could) _________ be a sunny day.
5. You (can/might) _________ be right but I'm going to check anyway.

6. The exam (can't/might) _________ be easy. You never know.

7. It (may/can't) _________ be true about a dinosaur living in Lake Telé in the
Congo. It's impossible.
8. Dave reckons she's from The States but I think she (can't/might) _________ be
from Scandinavia.
9. I (can't/might) _________ go to the party but I'm not sure yet.
10. This (must/could) _________ be the right answer but we'll have to check with
your teacher to make sure.
11. She (can't/could) _________ steal things from shops. She's rich and famous.
12. I really think Real Madrid (can't/could) _________ lose the final of the King's Cup.
13. She's been revising 10 hours a day for 3 weeks. She (could/must) _________ be
exhausted.
14. Nobody's answering. They (can't/must) _________ be out.
15. He (can't/may) _________be from the USA. He doesn't speak English.

12. Don't Have to and Mustn't

Fill the gaps with either don't have to or mustn't in the correct form.

1. Sally! You _________ say rude words like that!

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 8

 2. Tommy! You _________ pick your nose in class. It's really disgusting.
3. You _________ finish the exercise now. You can finish it at home.

4. James _________ go to church if he doesn't want to.

5. You _________ drive so aggressively. You'll end up killing someone.

6. Helen _________ make racist comments. It makes her seem really ignorant.
7. David _________ answer your emails. There's no law about it.

8. It's OK. You _________ pay now. You can pay me at the end of the month.
9. You _________ stay out so late without ringing me. I was worried sick.

10. You _________ let the cats sleep on my clean shirts. Look. They're covered in
hairs.

13. Modal Verbs of Obligation

Fill the gaps with have to, must, should or ought to. When you see
(negative), the modal verb must be in a negative form.

1. If you want to lose weight, you _________ eat pasta, potatoes, white bread or
white rice. (negative)
2. It's alright. You _________ come to Muriel's wedding if you don't want to.
(negative)
3. Stupid boy! You _________ play with matches! (negative)
4. I haven't heard from Eleanor for ages. Maybe I _________ give her a ring.
5. You _________ remember your passport. Otherwise they won't let you on the
plane.
6. The weather forecast says this weekend will be fine. We _________ go on a
picnic.
7. You _________ go there on your own. It's extremely dangerous. (negative)
8. You _________ come if you don't feel like it. (negative)
9. You _________ take life so seriously. Relax a bit. (negative)

10. Orange juice in cartons has no goodness in it at all. You _________ make it
yourself.
11. You _________ drink and drive. (negative)
12. These instructions are difficult to follow. They _________ to explain things better.

UNIT 7. THE VERB. EXERCISES 9