Present Simple and Continuous, Present Perfect Simple and

Continuous

1. Which tense is used to express…

a. a scientific fact?
b. an event happening continuously up until now?
c. an arrangement in the future?
d. an event that happened at an unspecified time in the past?

Write a few more uses of these tenses:

a.

b.

c.

d.

2. Circle the correct words.

a. Tell Harry to hurry up! We’ve waited / We’ve been waiting for him since seven and the
film is about to start.
b. You seem / are seeming preoccupied, Joe. Is something worrying you?
c. These athletes have trained / have been training hard since the last Olympics and are
ready to win gold!
d. Jasper works / is working in a bank for now, but he would much rather become a
designer.
e. Has she managed / Has she been managing to get a new sponsorship deal yet?
f. I try / I’m trying my best, but I just can’t solve this complex algebra problem!
g. I still haven’t received / haven’t been receiving the money for the competition I won.
h. According to their website, the BreezyJet flight to Rome departs / is departing every
day at nine o’clock.

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 1

 3. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
a. The sun _____________________________ in the west, of course.
Didn’t you know that?! (set)
b. I _________________________________________ for my glasses all morning. Do you
know where they are? (look)
c. You ____________________ always _____________________________________ !
You’re never satisfied! (complain)
d. Wow! You’re so productive. You ________________________________________
three reports already! (complete)
e. We ____________________________________________ reality TV shows often, but
when we do, we make fun of them. (not watch)
f. You ______________________________________________ here for long, have you?
(not work)
g. Please don’t disturb me while I ____________________________________________;
it’s very annoying. (write)
h. Martha ___________________________________ very well lately – I think she’s
training too hard. (not be)

Past Simple and Continuous, Past Perfect Simple and Continuous

4. Write the correct tense for each description of its uses. We use the…
a. ___________________________________________ to talk about completed actions
in the past, past habits and routines, and past states.
b. ___________________________________________ to talk about actions in progress
at a particular moment in the past, longer actions that were interrupted by another
event, for temporary situations in the past, for annoying past habits, and to provide
background information in a story.
c. ____________________________________________ for an event that happened and
was completed before another past event or for a state that continued up to a point
when something else happened.

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 2

 d. ____________________________________________ to show that an activity or
situation lasted for some time before another past event or to show that an action was
not complete.
5. Circle the correct words.

Used to & Would

6. Remember the rule for used to and would. Then complete the sentences. Which
sentence can have two answers?
a. Darek __________________________________ think Martians lived on Mars.
b. Life __________________________________ be less stressful many years ago.
c. Gary _________________________________ spend all his time at the gym.

Review of tenses: Future forms

7. A. Read the sentences below and underline the future forms.
a. Shall I help you install the new computer programme?
b. I will be talking to my cousins on Skype at three o’clock.
c. They’re opening another Internet café in town next week.
d. I’m not happy with my new laptop; I’m going to return it.
e. On day three, we visit the mobile phone factory.
f. They will have updated the news site by the time you log on.
g. I think you’ll find this website very informative.
h. By the summer, I will have been using social networking sites for five years.

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 3

 8. Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

9. Complete the second sentences so that they have a similar meaning to the first
sentences. Use the words in bold.

a. He started building his website in May and it’s now October. been
By November, he __________________________________________________ his
new website for six months.
b. I’ve booked my flight to California for July 12. am
I _______________________________________________ to California on July 12.
c. You don’t want to get into trouble, so don’t post such stupid comments. will
I think you _______________________________________________ if you post such
stupid comments.
d. I’ll still be uploading my holiday photos when you leave. not

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 4

 By the time you leave, I ________________________________________ uploading my
holiday photos.
e. Have you got any plans for tonight, Jack? doing
What ___________________________________________________ tonight, Jack?

Future in the past

10. Complete the rules with Past Continuous, was / were going to and would.
Future in the past is used to express the idea that in the past you thought something
would happen in the future. It follows the same basic rules as future forms.
(1) ________________________________________ is used to offer or promise.
(2) ________________________________________ is used to talk about predictions
based on evidence.
(3) _____________________________________ is used to refer to fixed arrangements.

11. Complete the sentences with was/were going to or would.

a. I knew you _______________________________________ win because you

were the best competitor there.
b. He decided he ______________________________________ become a web
designer.
c. She said he _________________________________________ help to fix my
computer.
d. We _______________________________________ go to the launch party, but
we lost the address!
e. James promised he _______________________________________ go to the
conference instead of me.
f. Wendy was happy because she ______________________________________
speak to her family on Skype.

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 5

 12. Complete the second sentences so that they have a similar meaning to the first
sentences. Use the words in bold.

a. Danny, you must pack and then we can drive to the airport. once
Danny,__________________________________________ , we will drive to
the airport.

b. I read a bad review about it, so I didn’t buy the printer. going
I ___________________________________________ that printer, but I read a
bad review about it.
c. I didn’t expect John to reply to my email straightaway as he was busy. would
I knew __________________________________ to my email straightaway as
he was busy.
d. She had no intention of staying out so late. planning
She __________________________________________ on staying out so late.
e. We’ll get there and tell them the news. soon
We’ll tell them the news ______________________________________ there.

UNIT 1: TENSES REVIEW 6