BÀI TẬP VERB TENSES- HSG

EXERCISE 1:
1. Not until John (receive) _____the offer of promotion in writing he (celebrate) ______.
2. I appreciate (tell) ________ the news.
3.Our car broke down. But for that, we………………. (to be) in time
4. It is imperative that the letter ……………(send) at once
5. I can't believe it, Inspector. You mean that Smith (steal) _____ money from the till all this time!
6. They (play) _______ football for half an hour when it suddenly began to rain.
7. I don’t mind her ………………(appoint) above me
8. When I see my brother again, he ……………(finish) all his exams
9. My father would rather that we ………………..(not leave) yesterday
10. Jane’s train ……………….(arrive) tomorrow morning at 7.00 so we will meet him at the station
1.has receive/ celebrated 6.have played
2.to tell 7.appointing
3.would be 8.finished
4.has sent 9.didn’t leave
5.steals 10.will be being arrived
EXERCISE 2:
1.”Where’s Tom?” – “He (go) ___________-to the travel agent’s, and he hasn’t come back.”
2. Jane is a wonderful singer. Her mother tells me that she (sing)_______professionally since he was four.
3. Teaching English is a great example of a volunteer job that often (turn)________ into a career.
4. Our History teacher said that she (use)_________ the tablet to quickly get material for the lessons.
5. He apologized for the inconvenience he (cause)_________.
6. This is one of the best documentary films (show)________the lives of working people.
7. Had we known your new address, we (come)__would have come_________to see you.
8. Nobel preferred (not/ remember)_________ as the inventor of dynamite so in 1895.
9. The boy denied (steal) ____________ her money.
10. Wangari Maathai was the first American woman (receive)________ the Nobel Prize in 2004.
Is going shows
Had sung Would have come
turns Not to remember
used stealing
caused Was received
EXERCISE 3:
1. When I looked at my suitcase , I could see that somebody (try) ......... to open it
2. This is the first time I (read)........ a novel written by an America novelist
3. The new student hope ( include) ......... in many of the school's social activities
4. He wore a false bear to avoid ................. (recognize )
5. He wishes that he (work)………………harder but it’s too late now.
6.I could tell at a glance that the pile of the letters on my desk (disturb)......while I was out.
7. By the time you come here again, this palace (build)…………..
8. It is expected that tax increases (announce)…………… in tomorrow’s budget.
9. There's someone behind us. I think we (follow) ……………
10. You (should/ revise) …………… your lesson carefully before the last exam.
KEY
Was trying Was disturbed
Have read Had built
To include Will be annouced
recognizing Are being followed
worked Should revise
EXERCISE 4:
The British Empire – the countries ruled by Britain – started in the late 15th century until a peak around
1920 when the British Empire (1. include)……….around a quarter of the world’s population. British colonies
included parts of North America, islands in the West Indies, India, Australia, New Zealand and several
countries in Africa. Many of them (2. become) ………. colonies at a time when several European countries,
including Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands, (3.compete) ………… for trade around the world and for

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new sources of raw materials. Most of these countries became independent during the 20th century, when it
generally
(4. recognize)………………..that it was not morally acceptable (5.take over) ……………...other countries and
exploit them, and many colonies(6. have)…………growing nationalist movements for independence. Many of
the countries still (7. have)………..political and economic links with Britain through the Commonwealth and
perhaps the most important and lasting cultural influence of the British Empire (8. be) ………..the spread of the
English language which (9. be) still either an official language or (10.teach) as a second language in many
countries.

included

EXERCISE 5: Use the active or passive form to complete this passage. (20 points)
Conservation, sustainable use and protection of natural resources (1- include) ___ plants, animals, mineral
deposits, soils, clean water, clean air, and fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Natural resources
(2- group) __ into two categories, renewable and nonrenewable. A renewable resource (3- be) __ one that (4-
may/ replace) _ over time by natural processes, such as fish populations or natural vegetation, or (5- be) __
inexhaustible, such as solar energy. The goal of renewable resource conservation (6- be/ ensure) __ that such
resources (7- not consume) __ faster than they (8- replace) ___. Nonrenewable resources (9- be) __ those in
limited supply that (10- cannot replace) ___ only over extremely long periods of time. Nonrenewable resources
include fossil fuels and mineral deposits, such as iron ore and gold ore. Conservation activities for
nonrenewable resources focus on maintaining an adequate supply of these resources well into the future.

includes

EXERCISE 6:
1. Goddard developed the first rocket (fly) ……..... faster than sound. 1flight…………………
…
2. The first work (do) ……… is decorating the hall. 2…….……
3. But for your help, I (not/be) ……….. here. 3wouldn’t
be……………..……
4. At that time not only the child, but also the grandparents (join) ………… 4…are
the competition. joining…………………
5. When I crossed, beside the road a horse(stand) ……………. 5is
standing………………
……
6. Never geese ( give) ………. permission to enter this hotel, Madam. 6…has been geese
given…………………
7. Nine of every ten people in the world (live) ……….. in the country in 7…live………….……
which they were born.
8. Up (the balloon /go) ……….., and the people cheered. 8…went the
balloon………………
…
9. Measles (be) ………… quite dangerous to people if they are not careful. 9……………………
10. What a stupid thing to do! Can you imagine anybody (be)…………. so 10…be………………
stupid?
EXERCISE 7:
1. What _has _Helen done for the last two hours ?
- She _has prepared_(prepare) for next week’s meeting; she _is dusting___ (dust) the furniture now.
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2. What shall we do ? - The people __(get) very impatient.
3. When I came___ home they _was sitting_ around a fire. Jack __was doing_ a crossword puzzle, Judy
was knitting_ and the others _were reading_______ . Mother ____smiled at me and said : “ Come and sit
down” (come, sit, do, knit, read, smile)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
EXERCISE 8:
a. It’s essential that he (do) _does____ well in the interview in order to offer the job.
b. I felt as if I (2. betray)betrayed__a confidence.
c. The accused denied (3.be)_being_in the vicinity of the murder scene.
d. It’s time we (4. do)do__ something to stop road accidents.
e. He resented (5.ask)_to ask__ (6. wait)to wait___ . He had expected the minister to see him at once.
f. Hardly had he taken (7. take)___ up the book when the phone (8. ring)__ .
g. It has been suggested that income tax (9. Abolish)_should abolish__.
h. Should I find your passport, I (10. telephone)have telephone___ you at once.

EXERCISE 9:
1. When Linda said that she (come) to see me the next day, I wondered what flowers she (bring).
2. The police were stopping all the cars that day. They (look) for a criminal who (escape) from jail 4 days
earlier.
3. By the end of last year, they (build) two bridges, and by this time next year another (complete).
4. When it (start) to rain, we (work) in the field.
5. We have decided (have) this old house (rebuild) next year.
6. I’d rather you (start) doing your homework now; you (watch) TV for too long.
7. It’s no use (ask) Jim for help. He (never give) his hand to anyone.
8. I’d like you (tell) me what you (do) at this time tomorrow please.
9. He (catch) the last bus home if he (leave) the office five minutes earlier.
10. (Not have) anything more to do, he (walk) to the nearby bar for a drink.

EXERCISE 10:
91. You already (give) the job when you got married?
92. Were I (have) a ship, I would travel around the oceans on earth.
93. It is the first time I (take) an exam like this.
94. The film already (show) by the time we got to the cinema last night.
95 Does that road really need (resurface)?
96. I’d rather you (keep) your mouth shut.
97. The laundry has a nice fresh smell from (dry) in the sun.
98.. I wouldn’t waste time (read) that book if I were you.
99. The teacher had no difficult getting the students (understand).
100. Had you taken the doctor’s advice, your illness (not/ become) so serious. EXERCISE 11:
a. I (1. not use) _will not use__________ the car this evening, so you can have it.
b. I walked along the street when suddenly I heard footsteps (2. follow) __were following_______ behind me.
c. The house where the dead man (3. find) _was found_____ is being guarded by the police to prevent it from
(4. enter) ______.
d. This is only one of his poems that is worth (5. read)______.
e. I wish John (6. be) _______would be____________ by my side.
f. By eight o'clock this evening, the spaceship (7. travel) _______________ for five hours round the earth.
g. Minh (8. know)____known___________ the answer because she smiled very happily.
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h. It (9. be)__________________ my birthday tomorrow.
i. He behaved as though he (10. be) ___was_____________ a prince.

EXERCISE 12:
a. Joe said that he (1 - look) ……….for a job since the previous month.
b. Ms. Lana was badly hurt in a car accident. she (2 - wear) …. her seat belt, she (3 - not hurt) ……. so badly.
c. We (4 - make) ………… to work hard in order to pass the next entrance exam.
d. Listen to those kids! What language they (5 - speak) ………….?
e. When I met Nam yesterday, it was the first time I (6 - see) ………. him since we left school.
f. We watched the young bird ( 7. fly) ……………… out of its net.
j. I (8 - be)………. afraid the children (9 - wake) ……… up my uncle Tom, who
( 10 - sleep) ………. in the next room for the last two hours.
1. Looked
2. worn
3. didn’t hurt
4.

EXERCISE 13:
In the past, both men and women (1- expect) to be married at quite young ages. Marriages (2- general/arrange)
by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it (3- not be)
surprising to find that a bride and groom (4- only just meet) on the day of their engagement or marriage.
In modern Vietnam, this (5- change) completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love,
and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover, early marriage is quite illegal.
The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions.
Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practised in a traditional Vietnamese wedding
continue (6- celebrate) by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern
elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which (7- take place) usually
half a year or so before the wedding. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets (8- be)huge, usually
in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests (9- expect) to bring gifts, often money, which the
groom and bride at one point in the banquet (10- go) from table to table collecting.

EXERCISE 14:
A year ago, Laura reached her lowest point. (1.utterly exhaust)_________ after a short walk, she was picked up
off the pavement and driven home by the police. "My feet felt (2. nail)______ to the ground," she recalls.
With permanent flu symptoms panic stricken and confined to a wheelchair, she was eventually diagnosed as (3.
have)___________ chronic fatigue syndrome, the term doctors now use for her illness. Laura, a 30-year-old
marketing manager, (4. since make)__________ a remarkable recovery in her health. She is now able to walk
for an hour, swims twenty lengths three times a week and (5. contemplate)_______ going back to work. She
puts her new-found sense of well-being down to a technique called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT (6.
aim)_______ to help people understand how the beliefs they hold about themselves and others influence mood
and behaviour - and how re-evaluating negative beliefs can help them to feel and behave differently. It (7.
be)_______successful in dealing with problems ranging from depression to chronic, unexplained pain.
Research shows that CBT can also help people like Laura. Yet many sufferers are bitterly opposed to the
treatment, (8. argue) that their condition is physical not psychological. Psychological therapy, they believe,
implies that they are to blame and their disorder is not genuine. Laura says CBT (9. help)______ her change
the way she thought about her problems without implying that they were her fault "I was an “all-or-nothing”
thinker and felt I had to be perfect in everything. The therapy (10. encourage)________ a less perfectionist
approach to life and helped me gradually to build up more physical activity."

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EXERCISE 15:
1.Her father pays her fees, otherwise she (1) ……… (be) here.
2. He (2)………………………….(work) all day yesterday.
3.Oh, you must (3) …………… (drop) it on the way to come here.
4. We’ve got everything. Nothing seems (4)………………………… (forget)
5. Mary was sitting on the ground. She was out of breath. She (5) ……… (run) all the way here for half an
hour.
6. The first man (6)………………..( sit) on the park bench looked at the (7)……….(jog) woman.
7.The car broke down. But for that we (8) ………………… (be) in time.
8. For more than two hundred years, human (9)............................(gradually change) the atmosphere, mainly as a
result of industrial pollution.
9. Fishermen and sailors sometimes claim (10)........................( see) monsters in the sea.

EXERCISE 16:
* His roommate (1. always enter)…………… the room without knocking first, which annoys him a lot.
* By the time you come here again, this palace (2. build)…………..
* We (3. cook)…………all day for the party that evening and by 8 o’clock we still weren’t ready.
* Hardly he (4. take)………… up the book when the phone (5. ring)……….
* It is expected that tax increases (6. announce)…………… in tomorrow’s budget.
* Come to the room, he saw Mary where he (7. leave)………… her.
* The little boy had a lot of trouble (8. convince)………everyone that he (9. see)………a mermaid.
* The girl got into a lot of trouble. She (10. not tell)………… a lie.

EXERCISE 17:
1. I (follow)_________his advice, I wouldn’t be in dangerous now.
2. I don’t know what the matter is with him. He (act)______ funny since you were away.
3. He was the only student (award)_______ the special prize in reciting poetry competition.
4. He is planning (complete)________ all his coursework by next week.
5. If you felt lonely, you ( give)_______ me a ring
6. They (have)_________English from nine to ten in this room. Don’t let anyone disturb them then.
7. Three days ago, Mr Brown ran out of money so he sold his car and one day later he won a lottery ticket. He
(sell)_________ it.
8. Just as I (wonder)_________ what to do next, the phone rang.
9. He (be)………… to the theatre three times this month.
10. Jack (be) ................... ready in a moment. He has just finished his breakfast.

EXERCISE 18:
1. If he (1. not drink) too much last night, he (2. not - be) tired now.
2. I’m sure he must (3. be) at home last night because the door was open when I (4. come).
3. At this time next week, they(5. sit) in the train on their way to Paris.
4. It’s raining. I would rather you (6. close) the window.
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5. I don’t know what’s the matter with him. He (7. act) _ funny since you (8. be)away.
6. On the first of next month, he (9. be) in prison for five years.
7. His personal problems seem (10. distract) him from his work lately.

EXERCISE 19:
Twenty-eight people (1. injure)___________________when a train which (2. carry)_______________on a one-day
holiday (3. hit) ________________the buffers of Blackpool Station yesterday.
When (4. interview)______________, Bristish Rail (5. say)___________________: “The train (6.
travel)_____________at only eight kilometres per hour as it (7. enter)____________________the station and for some
reason it (8. fail)_______________to stop. An inquiry (9. hold) as soon as possible”.
Those who were hurt fortunately (10. suffer)_____________________only shock and minor injuries.

EXERCISE 20:
1. He (1)(not catch) ………….cold if he (2) (not walk) ……………in the rain so long.
2. Where do you think Mai is today? - I don't know. She(3)(sleep)…………….late.
3.The envelop (4) (lie)......................... on the table has no stamp on it.
4. I’ll help you translate the letter into English after I (5) (finish)............... my report.
5. On the first of next month, he (6)(be) ................................in prison for five years.
6. I feel as if my head (7) (be) .........................on fire now, doctor.
7. She took a risk investing money with them. I’d rather she (8) (not do ) ..................it.
8. The police caught her (9) (climb) ..............................over the garden wall.
9. The boy's eyes were red because he (10) (cry) ………………………

EXERCISE 21:
1. Alice (take) ________________________to the dentist many times.
2. He (do) _______________________nothing before he saw me.
3. Tom is reading a book. He started two hours ago and he is on page 53. He (read) ________for two hours.
4. What _______ you (do)______________ at this time yesterday?
5. (finish) _____________ reading the book , I went to bed.
6. The lamps (make) _____________ in China are very cheap.
7. He says as if he (come) ____________ back from London.
8. My lawyer advised me (not say) ________ anything further about the accident.
9. He wore dark glasses to avoid (recognize)______________ .
10. We were made _____________ (do) all the cleaning in the house.
1. takes 6. are made
2. had done 7.
3.read 8. not to say
4.was/doing 9. to recognize
5. Finished 10.in doing
EXERCISE 22:
Research ( 1. show) ________ that over half the children in Britain who ( 2. take) ________ their own lunches
to school do not eat properly in the middle of the day. In Britain schools have to provide meals at luchtime.
Children can choose( 3. bring) ________ their own food or have lunch at the school canteen.One shocking
finding of the research is that school meals are much healthier than lunches ( 4. prepare) ________ by parents.
There ( 5. be) ________ strict standards for the preparation of school meals, which have to include one portion
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of fruit and one of vegetables, as well as meat, a dairy item and starchy food like break or pasta. Luchboxes ( 6.
examine) ________ by researchers contained sweet drinks, crisps and chocolate bars. Children ( 7.consume)
________ twice as much sugar as they should at lunchtime.The research ( 8. provide) ________ a better
understanding of why the percentage of overweight in Britain ( 9. increase) ________ in the last decade.
Unfortunately, the government can’t criticise parents, but it can remind them of the nutritional value of milke,
fruit and vegetables. Small changes in their children’s diet can affect their future health. Children can easily
develop bad eating habits at this age, and parents ( 10.be) ________ the only ones who can prevent it.

EXERCISE 23:
One night a man (1)__________(come) home to his 14 –year-old son and sat him down. He said, "The most
incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office and one of the junior executives came in and he told
me that he (2)_______(admire) me and (3)_________(give) me a blue ribbon for being creative genius. The
blue ribbon that says 'Who I am makes a difference'. Then he gave me an extra ribbon and asked me
(4)_______(find) somebody else special to honor. As I (5)__________ (drive) home tonight, I started thinking
about whom I would honor with this ribbon and I thought about you.
My days (6)_______(be) really hectic, and when I come home, I (7)________(not pay) a lot of attention to you.
Sometimes I scream at you for not getting enough good grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess,
but somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you (8)______(know) that you do make a
difference to me. Beside your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You're a great kid and I
love you".
The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he couldn't stop (9)____________(cry). His whole body shook. He
looked up at his father and said, through his broken tears, "I (10)______(plan) on committing suicide tomorrow,
Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now I don't need to do that."
-Helice Bridges
Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.
-Karl Menninger