Practice
Ten-Minute
Grammar
Worksheet
One
NAME:
Verb PHrases
PERIOD:
PREFECT VERB PHRASE = “Have” + Past Participle (usually –ed or –en)
PROGRESSIVE VERB PHRASE = “Be” + Present Participle (–ing)
Identify and underlined the PROGRESSIVE or PERFECT verb phrase in each sentence; then decide if it
is past, present, or future tense. In the blank, label the verb phrase as…
Past Perfect / Present Perfect / Future Perfect
Past Progressive / Present Progressive / Future Progressive
1. __________________
John has played for the Spartans for three years now.
Present Perfect
2. __________________
My grandparents will be watching me when I perform.
Future Progressive
Present Progressive The squirrels are gathering nuts to store for the winter.
3. __________________
Future Perfect
4. __________________
The astronauts will have completed their mission before the shuttle
completes its orbit.
5. __________________
My date had just arrived when the dance was evacuated.
Past Perfect
6. __________________
Past Progressive
Sam’s older brother was serving in Iraq in 2005.
7. __________________
Present Perfect
Mom and Dad have come to every one of my piano concerts.
Future Progressive
8. __________________
I will be working in the basement all night, so don’t be surprised if I don’t
hear the phone ring.
Present Progressive The police are coming; we need to get out of here!
9. __________________
Past Perfect
10. __________________
Mrs. Wright pounded on my desk to wake me up; apparently I had fallen
asleep during her boring lecture.
Future Perfect
11. __________________
The date went well, but I’m sure she will have forgotten me by tomorrow.
Past Progressive
12. __________________
The music was so loud that I couldn’t hear what she was saying.
13. __________________
Present Perfect
It’s time to put an end to this; we have taken too many risks already.
Past Progressive
14. __________________
When I met my Jennifer, she was wearing a necklace that her ex-boyfriend
gave her; I convinced her to get rid of it._
Practice
Ten-Minute
Grammar
Worksheet
Two
NAME:
Verb Phrases
PERIOD:
PRESENT PERFECT = Have / Has + Past Participle Verb
The “present perfect” is used to describe actions that have happened continuously or
repeatedly from some moment in the past up until the present (sometimes with the
implication that it will continue into the future.)
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
1. My phone (has been / was) dead all weekend; that’s why I (haven’t received / didn’t receive)
any messages yet.
2. Ben (has watched / watched) SpongeBob every day since he (has turned / turned) two.
3. I (have told / told) you a thousand times (not to have called / not to call) me that!
PAST PERFECT = Had + Past Participle Verb
The “past perfect” is used when you want to emphasize the fact that a particular event
in the past was completed before a more recent past event.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
4. When I (had gotten / got) off the bus, I (had realized / realized) that I (had left / left) my
backpack at home.
5. He (had spent / spent) hundreds of dollars upgrading his car just before he (had wrecked /
wrecked) it.
6. We soon (had learned / learned) that the frost (had killed / killed) all of the plants.
FUTURE PERFECT = Will Have + Past Participle Verb
The “future perfect” is used to emphasize a “no-later-than” time limit for when an
action will be completed. When you use the future perfect, you’re saying something will
be finished no later than a certain time or event, even if it may be completed even
earlier than that.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
7. The plane (will have left / will leave) by the time we (will have checked / check) our baggage.
8. I (will have painted / will paint) later tonight, and hopefully it (will have dried / will dry) by
tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.
9. The floodwaters (will have reached / will reach) the house by the time we (will have arrived /
arrive).
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE = Is / Am / Are + Present Participle Verb
The “present progressive” emphasizes that an action is ongoing at the present moment
of time.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
10. We (can discuss / can be discussing) this later—I (eat / am eating) dinner right now.
11. She (waits / is waiting) for his answer, but he (doesn’t know / isn’t knowing) what to say.
12. It (rains / is raining), so we (need / are needing) to close the car windows.
PAST PROGRESSIVE = Was / Were + Present Participle Verb
The “past progressive” emphasizes that an action was ongoing at some past moment of
time.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
13. I (watched / was watching) TV when I (heard / was hearing) the terrible news.
14. Mom (shouted / was shouting) a dirty word at Max because he (barked / was barking) nonstop.
15. I (couldn’t concentrate / couldn’t be concentrating) because my friends (blasted / were blasting)
the music at full volume.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE = Will Be + Present Participle Verb
The “future progressive” emphasizes that an action will be ongoing at some future
moment of time.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
16. I (want to go / want to be going) to the game tonight because Rodriguez (will pitch / will be
pitching).
17. Jenny said she (would call / would be calling) me tonight at midnight; hopefully I (won’t snore
/ won’t be snoring) by then.
18. The weather forecast says it (will snow / will be snowing) all day when we (go / will be going)
skiing tomorrow.
Ten-Minute
Grammar
Extra
Practice
NAME:
Verb Phrases
PERIOD:
Use a “progressive” verb phrases when you want to focus on the fact that an action is in
progress, or is in the middle of happening.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE = Is / Am / Are + Present Participle Verb
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
1. Mrs. Jones (waits / is waiting) for my answer, but I (don’t know / am not knowing) what to
say.
2. It (snows / is snowing) right now, so we (need / are needing) to wear coats and gloves.
3. Now write your own sentence with a PRESENT PROGRESSIVE VERB PHRASE:
Answers will vary.
PAST PROGRESSIVE = Was / Were + Present Participle Verb
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
4. I (listened / was listening) to my iPod when I (heard / was hearing) my favorite song.
5. Dad (yelled / was yelling) at me because I (played / was playing) my guitar too loudly.
6. Now write your own sentence with a PAST PROGRESSIVE VERB PHRASE:
Answers will vary.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE = Will Be + Present Participle Verb
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
7. Jason said he (would text / would be texting) me when he got home; hopefully I (won’t sleep /
won’t be sleeping) by then.
8. The weather reports says it (will rain / will be raining) all day when we (go / will be going)
fishing tomorrow.
9. Now write your own sentence with a FUTURE PROGRESSIVE VERB PHRASE:
Answers will vary.
SECOND PAGE ANSWERS: 10. has watched, bought 11. have told, not to text 13. had spent, ruined 14. learned, had
destroyed 16. will have left, find 17. will work, will have finished
PRESENT PERFECT = Have / Has + Verb usually ending in –ed or -en
The “present perfect” is used to describe actions that have happened over and over
again right up until the present (and maybe on into the future.)
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
10. Eric (has watched / watched) Star Wars about a million times since he (has bought / bought) it
on Blu-ray.
11. I (have told / told) you a thousand times (not to have texted / not to text) me when I’m trying
to sleep!
12. Now write your own sentence with a PRESENT PERFECT VERB PHRASE:
Answers will vary.
PAST PERFECT = Had + Verb usually ending in –ed or -en
The “past perfect” is used when you want to show that a one event in the past
happened before another past event.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
13. Dad (had spent / spent) a lot of money on his lawnmower, and I (had ruined / ruined) it.
14. We soon (had learned / learned) that the wind (had destroyed / destroyed) our roof.
15. Now write your own sentence with a PRESENT PERFECT VERB PHRASE:
Answers will vary.
FUTURE PERFECT = Will Have + Verb usually ending in –ed or -en
The “future perfect” is used to show a “no-later-than” time limit for when an action will
be finished.
Choose the best verb or verb phrase from the options:
16. The bus (will have left / will leave) by the time I (will have found / find) my backpack.
17. I (will have worked / will work) on my essay after school, and hopefully I (will have finished /
will finish) it by first hour tomorrow morning.