Present, past, present perfect, past perfect
Simple or continuous
Write the verbs in the correct tense.
1. She _______ (pay) for her ticket and ________ (leave).
2. I _________ (close) the door quietly because he_______________ (try) to sleep.
3. How many times ___________ (he call) since he________ (come) to New York.
4. I _________ (know) about this for some time now.
5. They ____________ (watch) TV at the moment.
6. I __________ (want) to be the first to tell her the news, but I ______ (be) too
late. Someone _____________ (already tell) her.
7. The children are filthy. Where ____________ (they be)?
8. I’m going to bed. I __________ (work) for hours and I’m tired.
9. I __________ (think) she is the nicest person I ___________ (ever meet).
10.Mary _____________ (clean) the window when she _________ (notice) a crack in
the glass.
11.I couldn’t open the office door because someone __________ (lock) it.
12.I agree. I ___________ (not think) you should apologise.
13.When I _____________ (phone) her she _____________ (do) her homework.
14.We ______________ (wait) for three hours when John finally _______ (arrive).
15.When I ____________ (shout) they ___________ (jump off) the roof and
___________ (run) away.
16.Don’t phone her just now. She _____________ (talk) to her boss.
17.Oh! You ____________ (shave).You _________ (look) strange without a beard.
18.I _____________ (do) my military service for eleven months now.
19.We ______________ (travel) for two hours when I ___________ (realise) that
something ___________ (be) wrong with one of the tyres.
20.Mary will be ready soon. She ___________ (have) a bath at the moment.
21.Sorry I _____________ (not understand) .Could you say that again please?
22.We ___________ (stay) in the cafe until the rain ________ (stop), and then we
___________ (go) home.
23. ____________ (you be) here before?
24.There ___________ (be) nobody at the office. Mr. Brown _________ (tell) the
staff to go home.
25.I __________ (sign) the register and __________ (go) upstairs to my room.
26.He _____________ (work) in the garden, but when he ________ (see) us he
_____________ (stop).
27.I couldn’t drive to work because Mary ___________ (use) the car.
28.How many times _____________ (you see) him since he _________ (go) to
Edinburgh?
29.Peter and Mary ____________ (argue). I could hear them from my room.
30.I ____________ (never trust) him since he ___________ (start) working here.
31.I’m worried. Why __________________ (they not arrive) yet?
32.They _______ (be) very angry. They ________ (try) to see you for the last two
hours.
33.I __________ (want) to help with the washing –up but they __________ (already
do) it.
34.It’s the most comfortable car I _________ (ever drive).
35.Peter __________ (clean) the flat and John _________ (make) dinner.
36.I _______ (have) a pleasant surprise when I ______ (get) to my room. Someone
___________ (put) flowers for me there.
Present, past, present perfect, past perfect
Simple or continuous
KEY
Write the verbs in the correct tense.
1. She paid for her ticket and left.
2. I closed the door quietly because he was trying to sleep.
3. How many times has he called since he came to New York?
4. I have known about this for some time now.
5. They are watching TV at the moment.
6. I wanted to be the first to tell her the news, but I was too late. Someone had
already told her.
7. The children are filthy. Where have they been?
8. I’m going to bed. I have been working for hours and I’m tired.
9. I think she is the nicest person I have ever met.
10.Mary was cleaning the window when she noticed a crack in the glass.
11.I couldn’t open the office door because someone had locked it.
12.I agree. I don’t think you should apologise.
13.When I phoned her she was doing her homework.
14.We had been waiting for three hours when John finally arrived.
15.When I shouted they jumped off the roof and ran away.
16.Don’t phone her just now. She is talking to her boss.
17.Oh! You have shaved. You look strange without a beard.
18.I have been doing my military service for eleven months now.
19.We had been travelling for two hours when I realised that something was wrong
with one of the tyres.
20.Mary will be ready soon. She is having a bath at the moment.
21.Sorry I don’t understand .Could you say that again please?
22.We stayed in the cafe until the rain stopped, and then we went home.
23. Have you been here before?
24.There was nobody at the office. Mr. Brown had told the staff to go home.
25.I signed the register and went upstairs to my room.
26.He had been working in the garden, but when he saw us he stopped.
27.I couldn’t drive to work because Mary was using the car.
28.How many times have you seen him since he went to Edinburgh?
29.Peter and Mary were arguing. I could hear them from my room.
30.I have never trusted him since he started working here.
31.I’m worried. Why haven’t they arrived yet?
32.They are very angry. They have been trying to see you for the last two hours.
33.I wanted to help with the washing –up but they had already done it.
34.It’s the most comfortable car I have ever driven.
35.Peter was cleaning the flat and John was making dinner.
36.I had a pleasant surprise when I got to my room. Someone had put flowers for
me there.