EXERCISE ON VERB TENSES

Use the verbs in brackets to complete the sentences. Use the correct tense.

1. When I __walked__________ (walk, past tense) out of the door,

I _______seen______ (see, past tense) Jamilah.

2. _have_________ (Have) you ever ____played___________ (play, present

perfect) football since the incident?

3. I ________didnt see__________ (not see, present perfect) John for two years.

4. When Jenny ____tried______ (try, past tense) to open her car,

she _____dropped_______ (drop, past tense) her key into the ditch.

5. The Family ___________living________________ (live, present perfect

continuous) in this house since 1987.

6. My father _______reading________________ (read, present continuous) his

paper while my mother and I ________preparing_____________ (prepare, present
continuous) breakfast in the kitchen.

7. ____has______________ you ______meet_________ (meet, simple past tense)

the coach this morning?

8. Jenny ____been__________ (be, simple future) in Penang for three days.

9. The teacher __enters____________ (enter, simple past) the classroom when the

girls ________are writing______________ (write, past continuous) their exams.

10. She ____bought_________________ (buy, simple past) a new bicycle

yesterday.
EXERCISE ON VERB TENSES

11. Last Week they ______played______________ (play, simple past) monopoly

after they ____did______________ (do, past perfect) their chores.

12. We can’t leave now. I __am waiting___________ (wait, present continuous) for
the postman to bring the mail.

13. What does Joanna do? She ____works__________ (work, simple present) as a
curator in the local museum.

14. Susan must be starving. She __havent eat____________________ (eat, present

perfect) in three days.

15. First Ali ______worked________ (work, simple past) as a teacher, then a football
coach, and after that he quit his job and became a politician.

16. We usually ___go____________ (go, simple present, go) to work by bus. It takes
us about 40 minutes to reach the office.

17. Yesterday Ghazali flew in a helicopter for the first time in his life. He _____had
never flown_______________(never fly, past perfect) in a helicopter before.

18. Is Ali going to Susan’s party? No, he _is staying________________ (stay

present continuous) home tonight.

19. When will the rain stop? It _____has rained____________________ (rain,

present perfect continuous) all day.
EXERCISE ON VERB TENSES

20. I think I will ____finish__________________ (finish, simple future) in an hour or

so.

Complete the sentences using the correct tenses.

21. What _did Jamilah do___________________  (Jamilah, do) for the last two
hours? She ___PREPARED_____________ (prepare) for tomorrow’s meeting;
she _IS CLEANING_____________ (clean) the windows now.

22. Her mother _HAS BEEN________ (be) in Canada six times and she __ HAS

BEEN____________  (be) there twice.

23. We __HAVE LIVED__________________ (live) in Penang since 1987 and so far we

__NEVER INTENDED__________________ (never, intend) to leave the city, but the
situation ___TURNED_________________ (turn) so bad that
we ____DECIDE____________ (decide) to move to JB.

24. someone please wake Alina. She ___SLEPT_______________ (sleep) for almost

6 hours.

25. How many clients ___DID SALLY CONTACTED______________ (sally, contact)

yesterday?

26. Last week Joanne ____ASKED_____________ (ask) me to lend her some flour.

27. The farmers ___BLOCKED________________ (block) the road for 2 days.

EXERCISE ON VERB TENSES

28. I was not able to open the door because I __HAVING_____________ (have) a
shower.

29. No, I __HADN’T BEEN_____ (not be) here before.

30. Presently we _____HAVE___________ (have) no jobs.

31. The two old friends ___CHATTING_____________ (chat) in the middle of the

street when suddenly a van ____TURNS____________ (turn) round the bend.
Luckily, the driver ___BRAKED________ (brake) in time.

32. The hedge __LOOK___________ (look) awful. I’m sure Ali __HAS

CUT____________  (cut) it since last year.

33. We ___WENT___________ (go) to the funfair last night. we___spent_______

(spend) a great time there. ali  __likes__________ (like) the cmerry-go-round best.

34. Can I ask for your help please? I ______look________________ (look) for a
place to stay.

35. Your cat looks very nice. How long ____DO YOU HAVE____________ (you have)
it?