Tenses, in English grammar, are structures used to express the time of actions and the relationships between different points in time. English has various tenses to indicate different time frames and aspects of actions. Here are some commonly used tenses:
1- Present Simple Tense: It is used to talk about general truths, habits, and actions happening at the present time. For example: “I go to school every day.”
2- Present Continuous Tense: It is used to describe actions happening at the current moment or actions that are in progress. For example: “She is studying for her exams right now.”
3- Past Simple Tense: It is used to talk about completed actions in the past. For example: “I visited my grandparents last weekend.”
4- Past Continuous Tense: It is used to describe actions that were happening in the past over a specific duration. For example: “She was reading a book when I called her.”
5- Future Simple Tense: It is used to express actions that will happen in the future. For example: “We will have a meeting tomorrow.”
These are just a few examples of the different tenses in English. Each tense has its own rules and usage, and mastering them is important for effective communication in English.
Tenses
Exercise -1
Choose either the simple present or the present progressive form for the verbs in parentheses.
1. Most of the people in Korea ( play ) a sport.
2. He ( understand ) everything the teachers says.
3. When the party ( end ) , we’ll all go home by bus.
4. His sister ( go ) to work by train every day.
5. The boss ( need ) more time to work on project right now.
6. Her father ( wear ) his winter coat today.
7. That old sweater ( look ) new.
8. I’ll wait for you until the movie ( begin ) .
9. Most students ( make ) career plans before they graduate.
10.The students in my class this semester ( make ) a lot of progress in learning English.
Answers :
1.play
2.understands
3.ends
4.goes
5.needs
6.is wearing
7. looks
8. begins
9. make
10. are making
1- Most of the people in Korea play a sport.
Answer: play
2- He understands everything the teacher says.
Answer: understands
3- When the party ends, we’ll all go home by bus.
Answer: ends
4- His sister goes to work by train every day.
Answer: goes
5- The boss needs more time to work on the project right now.
Answer: needs
6- Her father is wearing his winter coat today.
Answer: is wearing
7- That old sweater looks new.
Answer: looks
8- I’ll wait for you until the movie begins.
Answer: begins
9- Most students make career plans before they graduate.
Answer: make
10- The students in my class this semester are making a lot of progress in learning English.
Answer: are making
Tenses
Tenses
Exercise -2
Choose the correct form of the verb from parentheses.
1. This food ( is smelling / smells ) delicious.
2. He ( is going / goes ) to the gym every week.
3. Right now Tony ( is washing / washes ) his car.
4. Laurie always ( goes / is going ) to work at seven.
5. He usually ( phones / is phoning ) in the evening.
6. We ( go / are going ) to the movies at six tonight.
7. It may sound strange but I ( believe / am believing ) his story.
8. I ( remember / am remembering ) my first day at school.
Answers :
1.smells
2.goes
3.is washing
4.goes
5. phones
6.are going
7.believe
8.remember
1- his food smells delicious.
2- He goes to the gym every week.
3- Right now Tony is washing his car.
4- Laurie always goes to work at seven.
4- He usually phones in the evening.
6- We are going to the movies at six tonight.
7- It may sound strange but I believe his story.
8- I remember my first day at school.
Tenses
Exercise 3
Choose the correct form of the verb from parentheses.
1. At three o’clock in the morning Mary ( was reading / read ) .
2. I ( was calling / called ) Linda at ten last night.
3. While I ( watched / was watching ) TV, I heard a strange noise.
4. When Bob ( arrived / was arriving ) everyone was eating.
5. While I was studying, my roommate ( listened / was listening ) to the radio.
6. Jerry ( bought / was buying ) a new car last month.
7. When I heard the knock on the door, I ( opened / was opening ) it.
8. He ( went / was going ) to the library when he suddenly met her pass by.
Answers :
1. was reading 2.
2. called
3. was watching
4. arrived
5. was listening
6. bought
7. opened
8. was going
1- At three o’clock in the morning, Mary was reading.
2- I called Linda at ten last night.
3- While I was watching TV, I heard a strange noise.
4- When Bob arrived, everyone was eating.
5- While I was studying, my roommate was listening to the radio.
6- Jerry bought a new car last month.
7- When I heard the knock on the door, I opened it.
8- He was going to the library when he suddenly met her passing by.
Tenses
Exercise- 4
Most of the sentences contain one mistake. Write True ( T ) or False ( F ) . Correct mistakes.
1. The coffee is smelling wonderful.
2. Last year we visited the States.
3. The ship sank because the engineer wasn’t calling for help until it was already sinking.
4. The reason I get fat is that I’m always tasting things while I’m cooking.
5. How is Jennifer? Does her health improve?
6. You’re quite right. I’m completely agreeing with you.
7. What did you after you left school?
8. Now I understand what you’re trying to say!
9. I can’t imagine why you were believing all those rumors.
10. Martin looked forward to a peaceful weekend, when his brother arrived with all his friends from the football club.
11. Philippa heard the result of the election as she was driving to work, so she called me when she got there.
12. Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve spilt some tea. Where are you keeping the paper towels?
Answers :
1.F, smells
4.F, I always taste
7.F, did you do forward
10.F, was looking
2.T
5.F, Is … improving?
8. T
11.T
3.F, didn’t call
6. F, I… agree
9.F, you believed
12. F, do you keep
1- The coffee smells wonderful. (Correction: True)
2- Last year we visited the States. (True)
3- The ship sank because the engineer didn’t call for help until it was already sinking. (Correction: True)
4- The reason I get fat is that I always taste things while I’m cooking. (Correction: True)
5- How is Jennifer? Does her health improve? (Correction: False. Should be “Is her health improving?”)
6- You’re quite right. I completely agree with you. (Correction: True)
7- What did you do after you left school? (Correction: True)
8- Now I understand what you’re trying to say! (True)
9- I can’t imagine why you believed all those rumors. (Correction: True)
10- Martin looked forward to a peaceful weekend when his brother arrived with all his friends from the football club. (Correction: False. Should be “Martin was looking forward to a peaceful weekend when his brother arrived with all his friends from the football club.”)
11- Philippa heard the result of the election as she was driving to work, so she called me when she got there. (True)
12- Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve spilt some tea. Where do you keep the paper towels? (Correction: True)
Tenses
Exercise 5
Select either the past simple or the past perfect form for the verbs in parentheses.
1. She ( feel ) sick after she ( eat ) a whole box of chocolates.
2. After the doctor ( examine ) the child he ( have ) a talk with the mother.
3. When I ( call ) on my friend, he ( go ) out.
4. Mary ( finish ) her homework when her father ( come ) home from his office.
5. I ( throw ) away the newspaper after I ( read ) it.
6. After she ( spend ) all her money she ( ask ) her father to help her.
7. The teacher ( give ) back the exercise books after he ( correct ) them.
8. The sun ( rise ) when the farmer ( start ) work.
Answers:
1. felt, had eaten
5. threw, had read
2. had examined, had
6. had spent, asked
3. called, had gone
7. gave, had corrected
4. finished, had come
8. rose, had started
1- She felt sick after she had eaten a whole box of chocolates.
2- After the doctor had examined the child, he had a talk with the mother.
3- When I called on my friend, he had gone out.
4- Mary finished her homework when her father came home from his office.
5- I threw away the newspaper after I had read it.
6- After she had spent all her money, she asked her father to help her.
7- The teacher gave back the exercise books after he had corrected them.
8- The sun rose when the farmer had started working.
Tenses
Exercise 6
Use the present perfect, present perfect continuous, past perfect or the past perfect continuous tense of the verbs given in the parentheses.
1. She ( study ) since six o’clock this morning.
2. Helen ( leave ) by the time we arrived.
3. John ( be ) to Italy.
4. The teacher returned the papers we ( prepare ) for her.
5. I ( know ) him for many years.
6. He ( work ) there for six years when he decided to quit.
7. She ( make ) ten long-distance telephone calls this morning.
8. David ( write ) letters all morning.
Answers :
1. has been studying
5. have know
2. had left
6. had been working
3. has been
7. has made
4. had prepared
8. has been writing
1- She has been studying since six o’clock this morning.
2- Helen had left by the time we arrived.
3- John has been to Italy.
4- The teacher returned the papers we had prepared for her.
5- I have known him for many years.
6- He had been working there for six years when he decided to quit.
7- She has made ten long-distance telephone calls this morning.
8- David has been writing letters all morning.
Tenses
Exercise 7
Write the form of the verb specified in parentheses.
1. Before Mr. Kaufman’s fourth child was born he ( buy / past perfect ) a heavy-duty clothes washer.
2. Unfortunately, Adam ( forget/ past perfect ) to attend his memory skills seminar.
3. By this time tomorrow, Tim ( drive / future perfect ) across four states.
4. Ira showed me the rubber snake he ( win / past perfect ) at the state fair.
5. Scientists ( measure / present perfect ) winds of more than 150 miles an hour during severe thunderstorms.
6. Over the summer Ronnie ( leam / past perfect ) to dance the rumba, the tango, and the lambada.
7. By Tuesday I ( spend / future perfect ) my whole pay check.
8. Arthur ( take / present perfect ) four days off this week in order to participate in a croquet tournament.
9. By next year Eloise and Isaac ( build / future perfect ) their own log cabin.
10. Carmel’s mathematics professor ( inspire / present perfect ) her to become a math major.
Answers :
1. had bought
6. had learned
2. had forgotten
7. will have spent
3. will have driven
8. has taken
4. had won
9. will have built
5. have measured
10. has inspired
1- Before Mr. Kaufman’s fourth child was born, he had bought a heavy-duty clothes washer.
2- Unfortunately, Adam had forgotten to attend his memory skills seminar.
3- By this time tomorrow, Tim will have driven across four states.
4- Ira showed me the rubber snake he had won at the state fair.
5- Scientists have measured winds of more than 150 miles an hour during severe thunderstorms.
6- Over the summer, Ronnie had learned to dance the rumba, the tango, and the lambada.
7- By Tuesday, I will have spent my whole paycheck.
8- Arthur has taken four days off this week in order to participate in a croquet tournament.
9- By next year, Eloise and Isaac will have built their own log cabin.
10- Carmel’s mathematics professor has inspired her to become a math major.
Tenses
Exercise 8
Choose the right variant.
1. Everything is going well. We didn’t have / haven’t had any problems so far.
2. Margaret didn’t go / hasn’t gone to work yesterday.
3. Look! That man over there wears / is wearing the same sweater as you.
4. Your son is much taller than when I last saw him. He grew / has grown a lot.
5. I still don’t know what to do. I didn’t decide / haven’t decided yet.
6. I wonder why Jim is / is being so nice to me today. He isn’t usually like that.
7. Jane had a book open in front of her but she didn’t read / wasn’t reading it.
8. I wasn’t very busy. I didn’t have / wasn’t having much to do.
9. Mary wasn’t happy in her new job at first but she begins / is beginning to enjoy it now.
10. After leaving school, Tim found / has found it very difficult to get a job.
11. When Sue heard the news, she wasn’t / hasn’t been very pleased.
12. This is a nice restaurant, isn’t it? Is this the first time you are / you’ve been here?
13. I need a new job. I’m doing / I’ve been doing the same job for too long.
14. Ann has gone out. — Oh, has she? What time did she go / has she gone?
15. You look tired. — Yes, I’ve played /I’ve been playing basketball.
16. Where are you coming / do you come from? Are you American?
17. I’d like to see Tina again. It’s a long time since I saw her / that I didn’t see her.
18. Bob and Alice have been married since 20 years / for 20 years.
Answers :
1. haven’t had
7. wasn’t reading
13. I’ve been doing
2. didn’t go
8. didn’t have
14. did she go
3. is wearing
9. is beginning
15. I’ve been playing
4. has grown
10. found
16. do you come
5. haven’t decided
11. wasn’t
17. since I saw her
6. is being
12. you’ve been
18.for 20 years
1- Everything is going well. We haven’t had any problems so far.
2- Margaret didn’t go to work yesterday.
3- Look! That man over there is wearing the same sweater as you.
4- Your son is much taller than when I last saw him. He has grown a lot.
5- I still don’t know what to do. I haven’t decided yet.
6- I wonder why Jim is being so nice to me today. He isn’t usually like that.
7- Jane had a book open in front of her but she wasn’t reading it.
8- I wasn’t very busy. I didn’t have much to do.
9- Mary wasn’t happy in her new job at first but she is beginning to enjoy it now.
10- After leaving school, Tim found it very difficult to get a job.
11- When Sue heard the news, she wasn’t very pleased.
12- This is a nice restaurant, isn’t it? Is this the first time you’ve been here?
13- I need a new job. I’ve been doing the same job for too long.
14- Ann has gone out. Oh, has she? What time did she go?
15- You look tired. Yes, I’ve been playing basketball.
16- Where do you come from? Are you American?
17- I’d like to see Tina again. It’s a long time since I saw her.
18- Bob and Alice have been married for 20 years.
Tenses
Exercise 9
Use correct future tense of the verbs in parentheses.
1. I ( finish ) my homework by the time I go out.
2. When my brother ( arrive ) we will have a party.
3. At this time next year he ( live ) in Hawaii.
4. As soon as it stops raining we ( leave ) .
5. By the time you come, he ( study ) for two hours.
6. John ( buy ) a house next year.
7. He ( come ) late.
8. They ( play ) for three hours by the time we have dinner.
Answers :
1. will have finished
6. will buy / is going to buy
2. arrives
7. will come
3. will be living
8. will have been playing / will have
4. will leave played
5. will have studied / will have been studying
1- I will have finished my homework by the time I go out.
2- When my brother arrives, we will have a party.
3- At this time next year, he will be living in Hawaii.
4- As soon as it stops raining, we will leave.
5- By the time you come, he will have studied for two hours.
6- John will buy a house next year.
7- He will come late.
8- They will have been playing for three hours by the time we have dinner.
Tenses
Exercise-10
Choose the simple or progressive form of the verb.
1. Mary always ( buys / is buying ) a lot of clothes.
2. He ( looked / was looking ) at the picture when we saw him.
3. Somebody ( was breaking / broke ) two windows last night.
4. He ( thought / was thinking ) about his mother when the door opened.
5. The President ( thought / was thinking ) that the war should stop.
6. How long is it since you ( were buying / bought ) that coat?
7. Shut up, John! You ( are / are being ) very noisy today!
8. I can’t remember all the film, but I’m sure I must ( have seen / have been seen ) it before.
9. I’ll give you a ring when I’m in Paris. Where ( will you stay / will you be staying ) ?
10. I don’t know where Henry is. He should ( have arrived / have been arriving ) long before this.
Answers :
1. buys
2. was looking
3. broke
4. was thinking
5. thought
6. bought
7. are / are being
8. have seen
9. will you be staying
10. have arrived
1- Mary always buys a lot of clothes.
2- He was looking at the picture when we saw him.
3- Somebody broke two windows last night.
4- He was thinking about his mother when the door opened.
5- The President thought that the war should stop.
6- How long is it since you bought that coat?
7- Shut up, John! You are / are being very noisy today! (Both forms are correct)
8- I can’t remember all the film, but I’m sure I must have seen it before.
9- I’ll give you a ring when I’m in Paris. Where will you be staying?
10- I don’t know where Henry is. He should have arrived long before this.
Exercise-11
Correct any mistakes in the verb tenses.
1. He is working for Sony since he came to the United States.
2. Most of the children in my country are wearing a uniform to school.
3. A teacher doesn’t want to have students in her class who had caused a lot of trouble.
4. In kindergarten, teachers usually are teaching students the alphabet and the spelling of simple words.
5. In the picture, the woman who sits in the middle looks like the most powerful member of the family.
6. We see a lot of changes in China because right now a lot of people trying hard to educate themselves.
7. This is the first time that my brother was in the hospital.
8. They are sitting in the restaurant for the last three hours.
9. They will start building a new house as soon as they will get a mortgage.
10. Most people are doing exercises after work.
Answers :
1. has been working
2. wear
3. cause
4. teach
5. is sitting
6. are trying
7. has been
8. have been sitting
9. get
10. do
1- He has been working for Sony since he came to the United States.
2- Most of the children in my country wear a uniform to school.
3- A teacher doesn’t want to have students in her class who have caused a lot of trouble.
4- In kindergarten, teachers usually teach students the alphabet and the spelling of simple words.
5- In the picture, the woman who is sitting in the middle looks like the most powerful member of the family.
6- We see a lot of changes in China because right now a lot of people are trying hard to educate themselves.
7- This is the first time that my brother has been in the hospital.
8- They have been sitting in the restaurant for the last three hours.
9- They will start building a new house as soon as they get a mortgage.
10- Most people do exercises after work.
Exercise-12
Define whether the following sentences are True ( T ) or False ( F ) . Correct mistakes.
1. I have been in Mexico during the summer of 1970.
2. Mary had prepared dinner when I arrived, so we were able to eat immediately.
3. Three years ago he had been a student at a university in California.
4. We have collected stamps for many years.
5. We took the bus downtown, did a few errands, and had gone to lunch.
6. Since he bought a new car, he has been driving to work every day.
7. Last night they have recognized us from the party we went to earlier in the week.
8. Since Ted graduated, he has been working with his father.
9. The doctor had seen ten patients since eight o’clock this morning.
10. He is studying English for the last five years.
Answers :
1- F, I was in Mexico during the summer of 1970.
2- T
3- F, Three years ago he was a student at a university in California.
4- T
5- F, We took the bus downtown, did a few errands, and went to lunch.
6- T
7- F, Last night they recognized us from the party we went to earlier in the week.
8- T
9- T
10- F, He has been studying English for the last five years.
Tenses
Exercise-13
TEST. Find the correct form of the verb.
1. Who speaks French in your family?
— I ………
A ) have
B ) do
C ) am
2. When …….. you buy the new TV set?
A ) did
B ) were
C ) are
3. We …….. never been to London.
A ) had
B ) were
C ) have
4. Where …….. you going when I met you last night?
A ) did
B ) were
C ) are
5. …….. your friend like to watch TV in the evening?
A ) do
B ) does
C ) is
6. What are you doing?
— I …….. reading a book.
A ) was
B ) am
C ) is
7. We thought they …….. be late.
A ) would
B ) shall
C ) will
8. Many new buildings …….. built in our town last year.
A ) had
B ) are
C ) were
9. The letter …….. sent tomorrow.
A ) will be
B ) has
C ) will
10. I …….. Dick today.
A ) haven’t seen
B ) hadn’t seen
C ) didn’t see
11. Were you tired after skiing yesterday?
— Yes, I ………
A ) were
B ) did
C ) was
12. When we came into the hall they …….. this problem.
A ) were discussing
B ) discussed
C ) have discussed
13. We …….. from the institute in five years.
A ) have graduated
B ) graduated
C ) shall graduate
14. Don’t go out. It…….. hard.
A ) is raining
B ) was raining
C ) rains
15. They …….. the institute five years ago.
A ) have entered
B ) entered
C ) had entered
16. Does the professor …….. a lot of experience?
A ) has
B ) have
C ) had
17. Did he …….. the weekend in the country?
A ) spent
B ) spend
C ) spends
18. I shall call you as soon as I …….. home.
A ) came
B ) shall come
C ) come
Tenses
19. The report …….. ready by 6 o’clock yesterday.
A ) was
B ) has been
C ) had been
20. She usually …….. to bed very early.
A ) goes
B ) has gone
C ) going
What auxiliary verbs will be used to put a question to the following sentences: A ) do B ) did C ) does D ) had
21. Mary goes in for skating.
A ) do
B ) did
C ) does
D ) had
22. I like skiing in the forest.
A ) do
B ) did
C ) does
D ) had
23. First spring flowers appeared in the fields.
A ) do
B ) did
C ) does
D ) had
24. She had to miss the last lecture. Choose the English equivalents for the words given in brackets:
25.The meeting ( ? ) at 5 o’clock.
A ) has begun
B ) began
C ) was beginning
26.At 5 o’clock yesterday I ( ? ) to the station.
A ) was going
B ) was gone
C ) went
27. I ( ? ? ) this text yet.
A ) didn’t translate
B ) haven’t translated
C ) hadn’t translated
Answers:
1. C
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. B
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. A
10. A
11. C
12. A
13. B
14. A
15. B
16. B
17. B
18. C
19. C
20. A
21. C
22. C
23. B
24. ?
25. B
26. C
27. B
1- Who speaks French in your family? — I ……… (C) am.
2- When …….. you buy the new TV set? — When ……… (A) did.
3- We …….. never been to London. — We …….. (C) have.
4- Where …….. you going when I met you last night? — Where ……… (A) did.
.5- ……. your friend like to watch TV in the evening? — …….. (B) Does.
6- What are you doing? — I …….. (B) am reading a book.
7- We thought they …….. be late. — We thought they …….. (A) would.
8- Many new buildings …….. built in our town last year. — Many new buildings …….. (C) were.
9- The letter …….. sent tomorrow. — The letter …….. (A) will be.
10- I …….. Dick today. — I …….. (A) haven’t seen.
11- Were you tired after skiing yesterday? — Yes, I …….. (C) was.
12- When we came into the hall they …….. this problem. — When we came into the hall they …….. (A) were discussing.
13- We …….. from the institute in five years. — We …….. (B) graduated.
14- Don’t go out. It…….. hard. — Don’t go out. It…….. (A) is raining.
15- They …….. the institute five years ago. — They …….. (B) entered.
16- Does the professor …….. a lot of experience? — Does the professor …….. (B) have.
17- Did he …….. the weekend in the country? — Did he …….. (B) spend.
18- I shall call you as soon as I …….. home. — I shall call you as soon as I …….. (C) come home.
19- The report …….. ready by 6 o’clock yesterday. — The report …….. (C) had been ready.
20- She usually …….. to bed very early. — She usually …….. (A) goes.
21- Mary goes in for skating. — …….. (C) Does.
22- I like skiing in the forest. — I …….. (C) do.
23- First spring flowers appeared in the fields. — First spring flowers …….. (B) did.
24- She had to miss the last lecture. – had to – miss – last – son
25- The meeting ( ? ) at 5 o’clock. — The meeting …….. (B) began.
26- At 5 o’clock yesterday I ( ? ) to the station. — At 5 o’clock yesterday I …….. (C) went to the station.
27- I ( ? ? ) this text yet. — I …….. (B) haven’t translated this text yet
Tenses
Exercise-14
TEST. Find the correct form of the verb.
1. How long …….. you …….. English?
A ) do …….. learn
B ) have …….. been learning
C ) are …….. learning
2. She …….. tennis since she was eight.
A ) has been playing
B ) plays
C ) is playing
3. Bob has a black eye and Bill has a cut lip. Bob and Bill ………
A ) were fighting
B ) fought
C ) have been fighting
4. You have just arrived to meet your friend who is waiting for you. …….. he …….. long?
A ) has …….. been waiting
B ) has …….. waited
C ) does …….. wait
5. George smokes. He …….. for five years.
A ) is smoking
B ) has been smoking
C ) has smoked
6. We …….. with my model railway since early morning, — said Jim.
A ) are playing
B ) play
C ) have been playing
7. Linda is from Australia. Mow she is travelling round Europe. She began her tour three months ago. She …….. six countries so far.
A ) has visited
B ) has been visiting
C ) visited
8. There is a strange smell in the kitchen. …….. you …….. something?
A ) Did …….. cook
B ) Have …….. cooked
C ) Have …….. been cooking
9. Tom’s hands are very dirty. He …….. his car for the whole morning.
A ) has repaired
B ) was repairing
C ) has been repairing
10. Jim …….. tennis three times this week.
A ) has been playing
B ) has played
C ) is playing
11. Somebody …….. all my porridge. The plate is empty.
A ) has eaten
B ) has been eaten
C ) is eating
12. He …….. our family since we came to London.
A ) has been knowing
B ) knew
C ) has known
13. I …….. Ann for a long time.
A ) haven’t seen
B ) didn’t see
C ) has known
Tenses
14. I was very tired when I arrived home. I …….. hard all day.
A ) was working
B ) had worked
C ) had been working
15.Tom was watching TV. He was feeling very tired. He …….. all day.
A ) was studying
B ) had been studying
C ) studying
16.I tried to call Jack but I couldn’t. He …….. very fast.
A ) had been running
B ) ran
C ) was running
17. We …….. along the road for about 20 minutes when a car stopped and the driver offered us a lift.
A ) were walking
B ) had been walking
C ) walked
18. When I arrived, Ann …….. for me.
A ) was waiting
B ) had been waiting
C ) had waited.
19. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins …….. in the south of France for six months when Mr. Jenkins died.
A ) lived
B ) were living
C ) had been living
20. When I arrived, everyone was sitting around the table with their mouths full. They ………
A ) had been eating
B ) were eating
C ) ate
Answers :
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. B
6. C
7. A
8. C
9. C
10. B
11. A
12. C
13. A
14. C
15. B
16. C
17. B
18. A
19. C
20. B
1- How long …….. you …….. English? — How long …….. (B) have …….. been learning.
2- She …….. tennis since she was eight. — She …….. (A) has been playing.
3- Bob has a black eye and Bill has a cut lip. Bob and Bill ……… — Bob and Bill …….. (C) have been fighting.
4- You have just arrived to meet your friend who is waiting for you. …….. he …….. long? — …….. (A) Has …….. been waiting.
5- George smokes. He …….. for five years. — He …….. (B) has been smoking.
6- We …….. with my model railway since early morning, — said Jim. — We …….. (C) have been playing.
7- Linda is from Australia. Mow she is travelling round Europe. She began her tour three months ago. She …….. six countries so far. — She …….. (A) has visited.
8- There is a strange smell in the kitchen. …….. you …….. something? — …….. (C) Have …….. been cooking.
9- Tom’s hands are very dirty. He …….. his car for the whole morning. — He …….. (C) has been repairing.
10- Jim …….. tennis three times this week. — Jim …….. (B) has played.
11- Somebody …….. all my porridge. The plate is empty. — Somebody …….. (A) has eaten.
12- He …….. our family since we came to London. — He …….. (C) has known.
13- I …….. Ann for a long time. — I …….. (A) haven’t seen.
14- I was very tired when I arrived home. I …….. hard all day. — I …….. (C) had been working.
15.15- Tom was watching TV. He was feeling very tired. He …….. all day. — He …….. (B) had been studying.
16.16- I tried to call Jack but I couldn’t. He …….. very fast. — He …….. (C) was running.
17- We …….. along the road for about 20 minutes when a car stopped and the driver offered us a lift. — We …….. (B) had been walking.
18- When I arrived, Ann …….. for me. — When I arrived, Ann …….. (A) was waiting.
19- Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins …….. in the south of France for six months when Mr. Jenkins died. — Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins …….. (C) had been living.
20- When I arrived, everyone was sitting around the table with their mouths full. They ……… — They …….. (B) were eating.
Tenses
Tenses in English, Statements – Exercise
Wait a minute, I … this box for you.
Answer : Wait a minute, I will carry this box for you.
-spontaneous action → will-future will + infinitive
Since 2011 they … their son every year.
Answer : Since 2011 they have visited their son every year. While the doctor Mr Jones this morning, his son
-action beginning in the past and still continuing → Present Perfect have ( because of they ) + infinitive + -ed
After Larry … the film on TV, he decided to buy the book.
Answer : After Larry had seen the film on TV, he decided to buy the book.
-two past actions are combined – the first action → Past Perfect had + past participle ( irregular verb: see → saw → seen )
There are a lot of clouds! It … soon.
-logical consequence → going to-future is ( because of it ) + going to + infinitive short/contracted form: it’s going to rain
Answer : There are a lot of clouds! It is going to rain soon.
The sun … in the east.
Answer : The sun rises in the east.
-things in general → Simple Present infinitive + s ( because of the sun → it )
I … to visit you yesterday, but you not at home.
Answer : I wanted to visit you yesterday, but you were not at home.
-yesterday → Simple Past infinitive + -ed irregular verb: be → were ( because of you )
outside…
Answer : While the doctor was examining Mr Jones this morning, his son was waiting outside.
-two actions were happening at the same time ( the actions do not influence each other ) → Past Progressive
was ( because of the doctor ) + infinitive + -ing was ( because of his son ) + infinitive + -ing
I … for my girlfriend for two hours.
Answer : I have been waiting for my girlfriend for two hours.
-action beginning in the past and still continuing ( focus is on the action ) → Present Perfect Progressive have ( because of I ) + been + infinitive + -ing short / contracted form: I’ve been waiting
Look! … It , so we can’t to the beach.
Answer : Look! It is raining, so we can’t go to the beach.
-Look! → Present Progressive is ( because of it ) + infinitive + -ing short/contracted form: it’s raining Use the infinitive after the auxiliary can.
We … TV when it started to rain.
Answer : We were watching TV when it started to rain.
-action was in progress at special time in the past → Past Progressive were ( because of we ) + infinitive + -ing
Tenses
English, renowned for its vast array of tenses, can often be a complex language to navigate. Fortunately, with a clear comprehension of the structures and their proper usage, overcoming this challenge becomes much feasible. This insighful article unravels the intricacies of English tenses, beginning with a bird’s-eye view of the past, present, and future tenses. It outlines both regular and irregular verb forms to furnish readers with a fundamental understanding of tenses. Subsequently, a dive into the finer categorizations, namely the simple, continuous, and perfect forms within each tense would be taken. To ensure that this knowledge doesn’t remain restricted to theory, the article will offer numerous examples and illustrate practical applications in everyday contexts, like narration, event reporting, or future planning discussions.
Understanding the English Tenses
Understanding the English Tenses
The English language comprises of three main tenses: past, present, and future. Each of these tenses further breaks down into four aspects: simple, continuous (also known as progressive), perfect, and perfect continuous, making in total twelve tenses. Understanding these tenses and their correct utilization is fundamental to mastering English.
Past Tense
The past tense denotes an action or a state of being that occurred in the past.
Simple Past Tense
The Simple Past Tense expresses completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, “I read a book yesterday.”
Past Continuous Tense
The Past Continuous Tense refers to an action that was in progress at a certain moment in the past but not necessarily finished. For example, “I was reading when he came.”
Past Perfect Tense
The Past Perfect Tense talks about a completed action that happened before another past action. For instance, “I had left when you arrived.”
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
The Past Perfect Continuous Tense indicates an ongoing action that was completed at some specified point in the past. For example, “I had been reading for two hours before he came.”
Present Tense
The present tense describes actions or conditions that are underway at the moment or that happen on a regular basis.
Simple Present Tense
The Simple Present Tense describes general truths or habitual actions. For instance, “She writes every day.”
Present Continuous Tense
The Present Continuous Tense refers to actions happening at the exact moment of speaking or current, but not necessarily ongoing actions. For example, “I am reading a book.”
Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect Tense indicates a link between the present moment and a past action, usually emphasizing the result of the action. For example, “I have read that book.”
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The Present Perfect Continuous Tense describes actions that were initiated in the past but are still ongoing, or effects of that past action that are still relevant. For instance, “I have been reading this book.”
Introduction to Future Tense in English
The future tense in English showcases actions or conditions that are set to occur in time yet to come.
Details of the simple version of Future Tense
An aspect of this tense, the Simple Future Tense, is used to predict a future event or establish a certainty. A sample sentence is, “I will read a book.”
Using Future Continuous Tense
Coming to the Future Continuous Tense, this aspect relates to an activity that is destined to be in progress at a specified future time. A sentence that uses this tense might read, “I will be reading a book at 7 pm tonight.”
Comprehending Future Perfect Tense
The Future Perfect Tense talks about an action that will conclude by a specific time in the future. It can be used in sentences such as, “I will have finished reading the book by tomorrow.”
The complexity of Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, meanwhile, describes a continuous action that will come to a conclusion at a definite point in the future. For instance, “I will have been reading for two hours before you arrive.”
Exploring Simple, Continuous, and Perfect Tenses
An Overview of Simple Tenses
Simple tenses in English are used to express factual information or regular, habitual activities. There are three divisions: simple past, simple present, and simple future.
The simple past tense serves to describe an event that transpired in the past, typically signposted by time indicators such as ‘yesterday,’ ‘last week’, or ‘a year ago’. An example in use is: “Mary tidied up her room yesterday.”
The simple present tense, meanwhile, represents a fact, repetitive activity, or universally true statement. It is often utilized with adverbs of frequency such as ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘sometimes’, ‘often’. For example: “John typically heads to the gym post-work.”
Lastly, the simple future tense is employed to express a prediction or a spontaneous decision. It is frequently used with terms like ‘will’ or ‘shall’. Sample sentence: “It is likely to rain tomorrow.”
Continuous Tenses
Continuous (also known as progressive) tenses express an ongoing activity that is in progress at a specific time (past, present, or future).
The past continuous indicates an ongoing activity that was happening at a specific moment in the past, often interrupted by another past event. For example: “While I was reading, the phone rang.”
The present continuous conveys an activity currently in progress. An example would be: “Maria is studying for her exams.”
The future continuous represents an ongoing action that will occur in the future, often at a specific time. For example: “They will be eating dinner at 7 PM tonight.”
Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses indicate completed actions. They are created with the auxiliary verb ‘have’ and the past participle of the main verb. Like the simple and continuous tenses, perfect tense also subdivides into past, present, and future.
The past perfect refers to an action that was completed before another action or time in the past. For instance: “He had already left when she called.”
The present perfect communicates an action that happened at an unspecified time before now or an action that started in the past and continues in the present. For example: “They have visited Paris three times.”
The future perfect indicates an action that will be complete before some time in the future. An example would be: “By the time you arrive, we will have finished dinner.”
Summary
To effectively communicate in the English language, learning how to discern and apply simple, continuous, and perfect tenses is crucial. The proper use of these tenses enables you to accurately depict activities or conditions that have happened in the past, are ongoing in the present, or will take place in the future. With enough practice, mastering these tenses becomes second nature.
Using Tenses in Real-Life Contexts
Applying the Present Simple Tense in Everyday Life
One of the most practical applications of tenses is the use of the Present Simple tense in narrating daily routines and consistent actions. This tense is used frequently in daily communication to indicate habitual activities or unchanging circumstances. For example, saying “I drink coffee every morning” or “She works at a bank” reflects the Present Simple tense. In providing general facts or stating personal opinions, we also use this tense, as in “The sun rises in the East” or “I like pizza.”
Present Continuous Tense in Current Actions
Looking at real-life scenario usage, the Present Continuous tense expresses actions happening right now. For instance, if you’re having a chat with someone, you might say, “I’m reading a book about English tenses,” or if you see it’s raining, you’d say, “It’s raining right now.”
Past Simple Tense in Narrations
The Past Simple tense is mostly used to talk about completed actions in the past. It’s applicable in storytelling or sharing past events. For example, “Last night, I watched an interesting movie,” or “She visited her uncle last week.”
Past Continuous for Interrupted Past Actions
The Past Continuous tense often contextualizes an action interrupted by another action. It helps in conjunction to the Past Simple tense, setting a scene in a story. For example, “I was making dinner when the phone rang.”
Present Perfect for Experience and Changes
The Present Perfect tense is usually used to talk about experiences and changes that have happened up to now, without specifying when. For instance, “I’ve visited Paris twice,” signifies experience, while “She’s dyed her hair black,” shows change.
Future Simple for Future Plans
The Future Simple tense, expressed through ‘will’ or ‘shall’, is often used to make future predictions or express decisions made at the moment of speaking. Examples include: “It will rain tomorrow” (prediction) or “I will call you when I arrive” (instant decision).
Using would have, could have, should have
These phrases denote unreal or hypothetical scenarios and regrets. The phrase ‘would have’ implies something that didn’t happen, ‘could have’ suggests missed opportunities, and ‘should have’ represents regret, like “I should have studied more for the exam.”
Present Perfect Continuous for Ongoing Actions
The Present Perfect Continuous tense expresses actions that began in the past and continue into the present moment, often linked with ‘for’ or ‘since.’ For instance, “I’ve been working here since 2005” or “She’s been studying for three hours.”
Future Continuous for Predictable Activities
The Future Continuous tense, combining ‘will’ and ‘be’ with a verb+ing, signifies an action will be in progress at a certain future time. For example, “This time next week, I’ll be flying to Hawaii.”
The Intricacies of Future Perfect Tense
In your journey to master English tenses, understanding the Future Perfect tense becomes pivotal. This tense implies that an action will reach its completion before another event or moment in the future. For example, consider the sentence “She will have finished her assignment by the time you arrive.” Understanding the intricacies of tenses such as the Future Perfect helps in using them aptly in various real-world situations.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Avoiding Common Mistakes with Simple Present and Present Continuous Tenses
Moving forward from Future Perfect, there are some common pitfalls when it comes to using the Simple Present and Present Continuous tenses. Many people accidentally interchange these two tenses. For instance, saying “I am understanding you” instead of the correct “I understand you” is a common mistake. In English, ‘understand’ is a stative verb, which are generally used to describe states rather than actions. To avoid these errors, one must remember that the Present Continuous tense is used for actions taking place currently, while the Simple Present tense is used for habitual actions, general truths, and states.
Improper Conjugation in Past Simple Tense
Another mistake pertains to the misuse of irregular verbs in past simple tense. Some people tend to add ‘-ed’ to every verb to indicate past tense, forgetting that this only works for regular verbs. For instance, ‘run’ in its past simple tense is ‘ran’ – not ‘runned’. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the past tense form of irregular verbs to avoid this mistake.
Confusing Past Simple with Present Perfect Tense
It’s also common to confuse the past simple tense with the present perfect tense, which can lead to incorrect sentence structures. For example, it would be a mistake to say “I have seen that movie last week.” The correct form should be “I saw that movie last week,” with past simple tense indicating a completed action in a specified time in the past. The present perfect tense is used when an action happened at an unspecified time before the present, or the action continues till now.
Misusing Future Simple Tense
When indicating future actions, be mindful not to use ‘will’ instead of ‘going to’. The future simple tense with ‘will’ is used for spontaneous decisions, promises, and offers, or when we predict or guess about future events. ‘Going to’ is used when the decision about the future action was made before the moment of speaking.
Incorrect Usage of Past Perfect Tense
People often misuse the past perfect tense by using it to refer to actions completed in the past. An established concept is that the past perfect tense is used to convey an action that happened before another action in the past. Incorrect: “I had seen a movie.” Correct: “I had seen the movie before she asked me about it.”
Future Perfect Continuous Tense Errors
Future perfect continuous tense is often misunderstood and misused. The correct usage is to show an action that will continue up until an event or time in the future. Mistakes occur when these tenses are interchanged. For example, it’s wrong to say “I will have working for five hours by the time he arrives.” The correct version is “I will have been working for five hours by the time he arrives.”
In summary, understanding the correct usage of English tenses requires a lot of practice and patience. Regular practice and consistent exposure to the language in written and spoken forms should considerably reduce the occurrence of these common errors.
As we navigate through the intricacies of the English language, understanding and mastering tenses becomes an integral part. Undoubtedly, learning to use them correctly increases your proficiency and fluency in the language. However, it’s equally important to be aware of common pitfalls in the usage of tenses and to know how to sidestep them. This article serves as a guide not only in breaking down the complexities of English tenses but also in shedding light on common error patterns and techniques to rectify them. We hope the information and practices shared will significantly improve your ability to communicate in English by ensuring correct usage of tenses.
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