VERB TENSES
Exercise 1: Supply the correct verb tenses.
1. I (give) _______ Miss Linda an advice when I (see) _______her tomorrow
2. He sometimes (come) _______ to see his friends
3. My mother (cook) ______some food in the kitchen at present. She always (cook) _______in the morning
4. The teacher hopes we (pass) _______the exams
5. Look! A man (run) _______after the train. He (want) _______ to catch it
6. I (see) _______ this film three months ago. My sister (already /see) _______this film, too
7. How long _______you (learn) _______ English?
8. My clothes are not in the room. They (take) _______them away
9. We (live) _______here since I (be) _______a child
10. While I (take) _______ to Mrs. Brown, someone (walk) _______ into my room and (steal) _______my
computer.
11. After he (finish) _______breakfast, he (sit) _______down to write some letters
12. Mary (leave) _______ home before we (get) _______ to the store yesterday
13. He (thank) _______me for what I (do) _______
14. He said he (visit) _______me the following day
15. You must wake her up, she (sleep) _______soundly for 10 hours
16. By this time next year, I (save) _______$2500
17. By the time I (arrive) _______, the football match (already / start) _______
18. Peter (leave) _______before we (come) _______, so we didn’t meet him
19. After we (had) _______dinner, we (go) _______out for 2 walk
20. As I (cross) _______the road I (step) _______ on the banana skin and (fall) _______very heavily
Exercise 2: Choose the one underlined words or phrase that must be changed to make the sentence
correct.
1. Before he retired last month, Mr. Jones is working for Institute of Agricultural Science
2. After to invent dynamite, Alfred Nobel became rich, but when he saw its universal destructive power, he
was very sorry about his invention
3. Until I got enough money, the picture that I wanted is sold
4. Have you finished reading the book which I lend you last week?
5. Up to now, there had been no woman being chosen the US president.

12. It’s two years _______Joe
a. that I don’t see b. that I haven’t seen c. since I didn’t see d. since I saw
13. _______a party next Saturday. We have sent out the invitation
a. we had b. we have c. we’ll have d. we have had
14. The earth _______ on the sun for its heat and light
a. is depended b. depends c. is depending d. has depended
15. I’m very tired _______over four hundred miles to day
a. I drive b. I’ve driven c. I’m driving d. I’ve been driving
16. I’m busy at the moment _______on the computer
a. I work b. I’m worked c. I’m working d. I worked
17. At this time tomorrow _______over the Atlantic
a. we’re flying b. we’ll be flying c. we’ll fly d. we’re to fly
18. Our friends _______next us at the airport tonight
a. are b. are going to c. go to d. will be to
19. I will tell Anna all the news when _______her
a. I’ll see b. I’m going to see c. I see d. I’m seeing
20. Don’t worry, I _______ here to help you
a. be b. will be c. am going to be d. won’t be
21. When I entered the room, everyone _____________.
a. has been dancing b. was dancing c. had danced d. danced
22. Before the invention of the steamboat there ______ no way to cross the ocean.
a. has been b. could have been c. had been d. would be
23. He said that he _________ his homework since 7 o’clock.
a. had done b. did c. has done d. was doing
24. Tom said everything _______________ ready when the match _______________.
a. will be/starts b. would be/started c. is/started d. will be/started
25. Don’t worry! By the time you arrive tomorrow, we ______________ the work.
a. has completed b. had completed c. will have completed d.would have completed
26. How long __________ able to drive? - Since 1990.
a. could you b. have you been c. were you d. are you

________________ it. He ( fall ) _____________ asleep and (snore ) ________________ loudly. I ( turn )
________________ the television off and just the he ( wake ) _______________.
5. Last night I ( just / go ) ________________ to bed and ( read ) ______________ a book when suddenly I
( hear ) ______________ a noise. I ( get )_______________ up to see what it was but I ( not / see )
________________ anything, so I ( go ) _______________ back to bed.
6. Last night, I ( go ) _______________ to a party. When I ( get ) _____________ there, the room was full
of people. Some of them ( dance ) ________________, and others ( talk ) _______________ One young
woman ( stand ) ______________ by herself. I ( never / meet ) _____________ her, so I ( introduce )
_______________ myself to her.
Exercise3: Choose the suitable tenses in these passages
Mary had to go to New York last week, but she almost ____1___ the plane. She ____2___ in the queue at
the check-in desk when she suddenly _____3____ that she _____4________ her passport at home.
Fortunately,she ___5_____ very far from the airport, so she ____6___ time to take a taxi at home to get it.
1. a. missed b. was missing c. had missed d. had been missing
2. a. stood b. had stood c. was standing d. had been standing
3. a. was realizing b. realized c. had realizedd. would realize
4. a. was leaving b. left c. had left d. would leave
5. a. hadn’t lived b. doesn’t live c. didn’t live d. hasn’t lived
6. a. had b. had had c. has d. has had
A few days ago, I _______1_______ that some one plans to knock the White House Inn. This pub
______2______ the centre of the village life for centuries. It ______3________ at our crossroads for 500
years. It _______4________ famous in the old days, and Shakespeare once______5______ there, they say. I
________6_______ in Brickfields all my life. The villager _______7_______ about the plans for less than a
week and already there 's a " Save Our Pub" campaign. Last week we _____8_________ happy, but this week
we _______9_______ angry. We ________10_______ them, you will see.
1. a. had learned b. learned c. has learned d. learn
2. a. has been b. had been c. was d. is
3. a. stood b. is standing c. stands d. has stood
4. a. has been b. is c. was d. had been
5. a. had stayed b. stayed c. has stayed d. stays

20. The news on the radio and TV stations ( corm firms / corm firm ) that the serious storm is approaching
our city.
21. I don't like the hot weather. Thirty degree ( is / are ) too warm for me.
22. Not all policemen ( is / are ) allowed to carry guns.
23. One of our jobs ( is / are ) to prevent crime happening in the first place.
24. A lot of crime ( is / are ) caused by people being careless.
25. Each of my friends ( has / have ) a present.
26. The number of desks in that classroom ( is / are ) thirty five.
27. The remains of the meal ( was / were ) thrown in the bin.
28. Three - fourths of the pizzas ( has / have ) been already eaten.
29. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine ( isn't / aren't ) sharp enough.
30. Five times five ( is / are ) twenty - five.
Exercise2 : Supply the correct form ( singular or plural ) of the verb in brackets.
1. The Philippines ( have ) ______________ signed the new human rights agreement.
2. ( Be ) _____________ bacon and eggs what you usually eat?
3. The police ( think ) _____________ that more than one person ( be ) _____________ in the stolen car.
4. The majority of children's parents ( be ) ______________ unemployed.
5. Every one ( be ) _______________ pleased with her answer.
6. None of my brothers ( remember ) ________________ my mother's birthday.
7. Both of these shirts ( be ) ______________ dirty.
8. Fifty minutes ( be ) ________________ the maximum length of time allowed for the exam.
9. Some of my friends ( live ) ________________ abroad.
10. Ann, along with her friends ( be ) _______________ playing volleyball.
11. I wonder if either of those alternatives ( be ) _______________ a good ideas.
12. A lot of the students in the class ( be ) ________________ from Southwest Asia.
13. Alex, as well as his two older brothers, ( have ) _______________ a good full - time job.
14. Two - thirds of the money ( be ) _______________ mine.
15. The Chinese ( have ) _______________ an interesting history.
Exercise3 :Most of the sentences are wrong. Put a tick if the sentence is correct. If it is incorrect, cross the
unnecessary or wrong word and write or correct it in the spaces.