Past Tenses EXERCISES
I. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect simple or the past perfect continuous.
1. A: Where 1) ...were... (be) you last night? B: I 2) ............................. (be) at the cinema. I 3) ......................... (watch) a great film when a fire 4) .......................... (break out). A: Oh gosh! How 5) ............................... (it/happen)? B: Someone 6) ............................ (drop) a match into a waste-paper basket. 2. A: 1) ............................ (you/go) to the beach on Saturday? B: No. I 2) .............................. (go) on Sunday instead. A: 3) ........................................ (you/have) a good time? B: No. I didn't. I 4) ................................. (sunbathe) when it 5) .................. (start)raining, so I 6) ........................... (leave) in a hurry. 3. A: I 1) .......................... (lose) my keys yesterday. B: Where 2) ................................ (you/lose) them? A: I don't know. I 3) ................................ (go) shopping and when I got back. I 4) ..................... (realise) that I 5) ............................ (leave) my keys somewhere. |
II. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect simple or the past perfect continuous.
1. A: Are you alright? You look tired. B: Yes. I am. I didn't sleep very well. I 1) ...had Just gone... (just/go) to sleep last night when a lot of noise outside woke me up. I got up and went to the window. I 2) ..................... (stand) there for a few minutes when two police cars stopped outside my house. I went downstairs and a policeman told me that two prisoners 3) ......................... escape) from prison and were hiding in the area. A: Did they catch them again? B: Yes. but I didn't sleep very well after that. 2. A: Did you do anything exciting at the weekend? B: Not really. By the time I 1) ............................ (do) my shopping and cleaned the house. Saturday was nearly over. What about you? A: Well. I 2) ......................... (plan) to go out with my friend but she was late and I 3) .................... (wait) for nearly two hours before she phoned me to say she couldn't come after all. B: That's a shame. Next weekend, we should go somewhere nice together. |
III. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect
simple or the past simple.
A) Bert and Willy 1) ...went... (go) fishing on Sunday. They 2)....................... (take) some sandwiches and some coffee with them. They 3) ........................... (sit) on the river bank all day. but by the time they 4) ....................... (leave), they 5) ............................. (not/catch) anything. B) James 1)................................ (be) late for work this morning. He 2) .......................... (forget) to set his alarm clock and then, when he 3) .............................. (get) to work, his boss 4)................................. (be) very angry. C) Barry 1) .............................. (have) lots of work to do yesterday. He 2) ....................... (get up) very early and by six o'clock, he 3) .............................. (finish). Then, he 4) .............................. (have) time to relax. D) Yesterday. Liz 1) ............................. (go) to a party. She 2) ............................ (have) a great time, but when she 3) .................................... (get) home, she 4) ........................... (realise) she 5) ................................ (forget) her jacket. So. she 6) .................................... (go) back to the party to get it. |
IV. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect
simple or the past perfect continuous.
Yesterday was a bad day for Andrew. He 1) ...hadn't slept... (not/sleep) well because there was a terrible storm in the night. After he 2) ............................. (have) a shower, he made breakfast. After he 3) .............................. (eat), he got into his car and drove to work. He 4) .................................... (only/drive) for five minutes when he remembered that he 5) ............................... (leave) his briefcase at home. He turned the car around and went home again. Then, he realised that he 6) ................................ (lock) himself out. The keys were still inside the house! Andrew was already late for work, so he decided to leave the briefcase and go to work. When he arrived, his secretary told him that his boss 7) ........................... (try) to call him at home. Andrew went to find his boss. When he asked his boss why he 8) .......................... (call), he told him that it hadn't been necessary for him to come to work that day after all! Poor Andrew drove all the way home again. |
Present Tenses EXERCISES
I. Put the verbs in
brackets into the present simple or the present continuous.
1. Jason ...is not coming... (not/come) with us this evening. 2. What ................................... (this sign/mean)? 3. We ..................................... (usually/meet) at the sports centre every Wednesday afternoon. 4. Greg ................................. (train) for the next Olympic Games. 5. Michael Burns is very rich. He .............................. (own) a department store. 6. John and Mary .......................... (play) chess at the moment. 7. Peter .............................. (not/usually/have) eggs for breakfast. 8. My father ............................ (buy) a newspaper every day. 9. Mr and Mrs Dean ....................... (not/go) to Mexico tomorrow. 10. ' ............................... (Pierre/speak) English?' 'No. but he .......................(speak) French.' |
II. Read the following dialogue between a hotel owner
and the receptionist. Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or the
present continuous.
A: Good morning, Catherine. A special guest 1) ...is coming... (come) to our hotel today. B: Really! 2) ................. (I/know) who it is? A: I 3)........................ (think) you do. He 4) ................(star) in the TV series, 'Rooftop', at the moment. B: It 5)...........................(be) Paul Roberts, isn't it? When 6)..............................(he/come)? I can't wait to meet him in person! A: At 3 o'clock this afternoon. But there are a few things you 7)........................... (need) to know. First of all, he 8)..............................(love) flowers. He also 9)..............................(enjoy) having his breakfast in the dining-room, not in his room. B: Why 10) ..................................(he/stay) at our hotel? A: Because he 11).......................... (want) some peace and quiet and he 12)...........................(not/like) to be disturbed by reporters. B: I see. Well, let's hope that everything will be okay while he 13)..................................(stay) here. |
III. Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple
or the present continuous.
Dear Martin, How are you and Sally? I 1) ...hope... (hope) you're well. I 2)............................ (write) to give you some good news. I have got a summer job for the holidays! I 3)..............(repair) telephone lines for a telephone company. I 4) ...................(usually/ride) my bicycle to work because it's only a ten minute ride from home. We 5)..................................(start) work at 8:30. We 6)...........................(finish) at 4:30 on Mondays to Thursdays, but at 2:30 on Fridays, so I 7)............................(have) long weekends. I 8)..............................(work) very hard at the moment. To tell you the truth, I 9)............................(be)a bit nervous because my boss 10)............................(leave) for Scotland on business next week, so I'll be on my own. Lizzie says I 11)..................................(worry) about it too much. She's probably right! Please write with your news. Say hello to Sally for me. Best wishes, Richard |
Future Tenses EXERCISES
I. Fill in the gaps with will/shall or a correct form off be going to and the verb in
brackets.
A: (1) ...Shall we go... (we/go) to the football match on Saturday? B: I can't. I (2) ...................... (help) my sister. A: Oh yes. She is moving house, isn't she? B: That's right. (3) .......................... (you/help) us? A: Yes. I'd like to. What time (4) ............................. (I/come) to your house? B: I'm not sure yet. I (5)..................................(probably/phone) you on Friday to tell you. Is that alright? A: Yes. I think I (6) .......................... (be) in then. B: Okay. (7) ..................................... (we/go) for a walk now? A: I'd rather not. Look at those black clouds. It (8) ...........................(rain). Let's stay in and watch a video. B: Great idea. |
II. Fill in the gaps with shall, will or the correct form of be going to
0. A: The shops are closed tomorrow. B: I ...will... buy bread and milk today then. 1. A: ................ we tell Mr Peck about the accident? B: That's a good idea. Maybe he can help. 2. A: It's too dark in here to read. B: Is it? I ......................... turn on the light. 3. A: Please come and see us. B: We ........................... visit you soon, that's a promise. 4. A: ....................... I wear a jumper or a coat? B: It's very cold. Take your coat. 5. A: Can we go out to play. Mum? B: No. we ....................... have dinner now. |
III. Put the verbs in brackets into the present
continuous present simple.
1. .. Gordon coming.. (Gordon/come) with us tonight?" "No. he ...ien't... (be/not)" 2. My sister ........................ (go) to university in September. 3. What time .................... (the play/start) tomorrow? 4. Natalie.................... (have) a birthday party on Saturday. 5. Megan .....................(sing) in the school concert tomorrow night. 6. The flight to Berlin ........................ (leave) at six o'clock. 7. The Browns ...................... (move) to their new house this weekend. 8. What time ........................ (the ferry/reach) Calais tomorrow afternoon? |