verb tense

They had kissed their mother before they___________ leave home for school.. My teacher wasn’t at home.. She always cook ……… in the morning.. In fact, he work ……… there this summer.. He c

I Write the correct tenses of the verbs in brackets.

1 We (finish)……… our dinner half an hour ago

2 The farmers (work)……… in the field now

3. Mrs Green (always /go)……… to work by bus

4 My parents (live)……… in London They (be)……… there for 20 years

5 She paid for her ticket and (leave)………

6 She (sit)……… under a tree when it (begin)……… to rain

7 How many times……… you (see) ……… him since he went to Edinburgh?

8 Mr Davy (work) ……….in the same place for thirty five years and he is not planning to retire yet

9 Rivers usually (flow)……… to the sea

10. Do you know the man who (smoke)………over there?

11 She (sometimes/cut) her husband’s hair

12 They _ (rarely /remember) his address

13 She (sometimes / wear) uniform

14 She doesn’t work, she _ (swim) now

15 She _ (enjoy) reading picture-books

16 Our teacher _ (teach) English at the moment

17 He (usually /believe) you

18 She _ (usually/speak) so quickly that we can’t understand what she says

19 They (rarely /play) cards or watch TV when they are free

20 I _ (usually/ go) by bus but tomorrow I (take) a taxi

21 The neighbors (often /complain) about the noise of this machine

22 The Earth (go) round the Sun

23 The Sun (rise) in the East

24 She (always / ring) up and asks questions

25 Ann _ (usually /do) the shopping at the weekend but today I _ (do) it

26 You can’t see Tom now, he _ (have) a bath

27 He usually drinks tea but now he (drink) coffee

28 Ann (make) a new dress for her mother at the moment

29 Water (boil) at 100 centigrade degree

30 I _ (wear) the sunglasses today because the sun is very strong

31 She always buys lottery tickets but she _ (never /win) anything

32. He _ (always/say) that he will mend the curtain but he (never/do) it

33 What you (usually/have) for breakfast?

34 I (usually /have) bread and milk

35 She (always /carry) an umbrella

36 They _ (sometimes /miss) the train

37 What you _ (do) now?

38 Busses (pass) my house every day

39 We (live) here since 1990.

40 He (always / help) his father to plant the trees in the garden

41 They (ride) home from school now

42 She _(fly) to New York tomorrow

43 By the time next year, they (buy) a new house

44 They had kissed their mother before they _ (leave) home for school

45 I (go) to Dalat last week and I have stayed there for five days

46. The boys (play) football in the field when I arrived

47 We _ (give) her 100 thousand dong last night

48 We _ (swim) in the sea by this time tomorrow

49 She (wash) the dirty plates in the kitchen with her mother

50. When you phoned him, he (wash) my car

51 I (meet) them last night

52 She (see) him at the supermarket yesterday

53 We (eat) dinner before we came here

54 They _(spend) all the money last Monday

55 I (go) to Ho Chi Minh city with my parents last week

56 The police _(catch) two thieves in Bien Hoa last night

57 We (move) to Long Khanh in 1996

58 Ann _ (draw) ten pictures for me last year

59 The children were frightened because it _ (get) dark

60 The road was crowded because many people _(rush) to Vung Tau beach

61 I (wait) for you at the hotel at midday tomorrow

62 She (find) her bag in the office yesterday

63 When I last saw him, he _ (live) in Dong Nai

64. The manager didn’t allow the actors to travel by air while they _ (work) on film

65 While we (plant) trees, the principal came and talked to us

66 They were playing football in the field when it suddenly (rain)

67 I usually go by bus but tomorrow I _ (go) in Tom’s car

68 I (not / tell) the secret if you don’t promise

69 The milk smells sour _ you (keep) it for a long time?

70 We (hurry) because we had to meet my parents at the airport

71 _ you _ (ever /see) him before?

72 This message (just/ arrive)

73 We _ (already/ meet) our friends in the school yard

74 I can’t read because I _ (not/ wear) the glasses

75 Peter (seldom /work) in the garden He often works in the office

76 I (go) to work by bus yesterday

77 We _ (understand) the lesson well after the teacher had explained it slowly

78 He spoke very slowly so that we _ (can) understand that

79 We _ (hear) a terrible noise on the street yesterday.

80 They (drink) all the wine when we came in the living-room

81 _ you _ (forgive) him after he apologized you for that?

82 They _(sell) their house and moved to Ho Chi Minh city

83 The children were frightened because it (get) darker and darker

84 _they _ (go) to Da Lat tomorrow morning?

85 When I last saw him, he _ (wear) boots

86 The children (play) on the sand when the man came and shouted at them

87 We (fish) for 5 hours

88 She _ (play) the piano when our guests (arrive) last night

89 She _ (come) to see him since five o’clock

90 I (come) as soon as I finish my work

91 We (not live) in London for the last two years

92 I (never/ forget) what you _(just/ told) me

93. They _ (prepare) the Christmas dinner at this time

94 When I last stayed in Cairo, I _ (ride) to the Pyramids on a camel

95. John (live) in the same house since he _(leave) school

96 The experience was so terrible that we (never/ forget) it

97 He is saving so that he (take) a long vacation

98 Our teacher _ (tell) us yesterday that he (visit) London in 1990

99. Mr John _ (work) at the university for 45 years before he (retire) last year

100 When he lived in England, he (work) in a bank

101 I (lose) my key Can you help me to look for it?

102 Alice and Peter (know) each other for 6 months

103 My teacher wasn’t at home When I (arrive) he (just/ go) out

104 We went to the airport late By the time we (get) there, Bob’s plane

(already/ arrive)

105 We have been married for a long time By the next anniversary, we (be) married for

43 years

106 She _ (play) the piano when we (arrive) last night

107 He (come) and (see) you in ten minutes

108 I _ (never /forget) what you _ (just/tell) me

109 She (cook) the meal for us now

110. The doctor _ (examine) the patients thoroughly before he _ (prescribe) the medication

111 I _ (sit) here for 2 hours

112. Yesterday Tom (eat) breakfast at 8 o’clock He (already / finish) when he left for class at 8:45 He _(always/ eat)

breakfast before he (go) to class

113 At 10 o’clock tomorrow morning we _ (clean) the floor

114 When Tom arrives at 8 p.m this evening, Jim (already/go) to bed.

115 Before the end of the holiday he (spend) all his money

116. Next month, they _ (be) here for exactly 6 months

117 How long _ they (live) here?

118 He (lose) his wallet last week

119 They _ (often /kiss) their mother when they leave home for school

120 When I arrived, the orator (deliver) the speech

121 Your teacher (wait) for you since 7:30

122 They _ (drink) all the wine last night

123 Why _ you _ (not / finish) this letter yet?

124 He (study) English for 3 years

125 I found this ring while I _ (dig) a hole in the garden

126 He (not / smoke) cigarettes since 1998

127 She (buy) this house 3 years ago

128 We (never /drink) whisky

129 The tourists (come) here yesterday

130 We (meet) my parents at the airport tomorrow afternoon

131 Why you (go) to Vung Tau last week?

132 My family (move) to Nha Trang next month

133 They (be) at home today

134 The woman (wait) for the doctor since 7 o’clock

135 I _ (have) time to help you tomorrow

136 He _ (phone) his girlfriend at the moment

137 I wonder how many people _ (be) here next week?

138 He (take) the bus to Ho Chi Minh city everyday

139 you _ (interview) Miss World tomorrow?

140 When we come in, the students _ (learn) mathematics

141 After they had finished their work, they (go) home at once

142 He _ (ask) me to do it yesterday

143. I _ (have) to finish my homework last night because I’ll go to the cinema with him

144 They _ (not / can) come last night

145 I (meet) him yesterday

146 They wanted to buy a new house but they _ (not/have) enough money

147 He (not / go) to school because tomorrow is Sunday

148 She (make) the beds as there are some guests staying here

149 Who she (meet) first?

150. How long you _ (be) able to swim?

151 I (drive)a car since 1995

152 She _ (not / speak) French well

153 We _ (already/have) dinner

154 She (learn) English since she was 12 years old

155 He (learn) to play the piano when he was 8 years old.

156 We _ (just / come) back from my uncle’s farm

157 I (expect) some money from the bank now

158 The banks open at 8 o’clock and _ (close) at four thirty

159 Mr and Mrs Brown _ (go) shopping every Saturday

160 After John _ (wash) his clothes, he began to study

161 George (wait) for an hour before the bus came

162 Jane sent a letter to her university after she _ (receive) her scholarship

163 I think he (leave) as soon as he (know) the news

164 I _ (never/ read) a story that interested me so much as the one

I (read) last night

165 He _ (sleep) so he didn’t understand what you said to him

166 I (finish) the book before my next birthday

167 Some animals _(not/ eat) during the Winter

168 Why didn’t you listen while I _( speak) to you?

169 This time next week, we (walk) about in HCM City

170 Will you wait a minute while I (look) through the text?

171 Hurry up! The train _ (come) in

172 He said he (do) his homework since 7 o’clock

173 They _ (build) a new house in this corner of the street right now

174 How many films you (see) this month?

175 When George (come) this afternoon, he _ (bring) his friends

176 I _ (speak) to you about that matter after the meeting tonight

177 Tom was very tired because he (run) for an hour

178 His health has improved since he _ (leave) India

179 Where you _ (be) all this morning? It’s nearly midday now

180 Where are you? - I’m upstairs I _ (have) a bath

181 I _ (not/see) him since last month

182 It (rain) very much in the summer It _(rain) now

183 Be quiet! The baby _ (sleep)

184 Look! A man _ (run) after the train He _(want) _(catch) it

185. I (do) an exercise on the verb tense at this moment and I _ (think) that I _(know) how (use) it now

186 Michael _ (work) thirty eight hours a week

187 At present, that author _(write) a historical novel

188 We (study) almost every lesson in this book so far

189 As we _(cross) the street, the policeman _(shout) at us

190 The light (go) out while we _(have) dinner

191 When the students _(hear) the bell, they (get) up and _(leave)

192 After they _(go), we _(sit) down and _(rest)

193 When I (come) to see them last night, they _(play) cards They

_(say) they (play) cards since six o’clock

194 We’ll go out when the rain (stop)

195 I (stay) here until he (answer) me

196 After the class _(be) over, ask your teacher about that sentence

197. I _(come) and (see) you before I (leave) for England

198 By next month, I (leave) for India

199 I _(give) Mr Brown your letter when I _(see) him tomorrow

200 My wife and I (travel) by air many times in the past We _ (travel) to Mexico by air last summer

201. We (wait)……… for you right here when you (return)………

202. They had sold all the books when we (get)……… there

203. I think he (leave)……… as soon as he (know)……… the news

204. Mother (cook)……… some food in the kitchen at present She always (cook) ……… in the morning

205. We (live)……… here for the last six months, and (just /decide) ………to move

206. I (wait) ……… here nearly half an hour for my girlfriend Joanna Do you think she (forget)……… to come?

207. The children (do)……… their homework when their father (come) ……… back from the office

208. My friend (not, see)……… me for many years when I (meet)……… him last week

209. While Mrs Emerson (read) ……… …the little boy a story, he (fall)……… asleep,

so she (close)……… the book and quietly (walk)……… out of the room

210. Wilson (move)……… to New York five years ago He (teach)………

mathematics at a junior school since then He says that he (retire)……… in 2010 By that time

he (be)……… a teacher for 16 years

211. My father (use)……… to smoke while he (read) ……….newspapers But he (give)

……… up smoking two months ago He often (drink)……… tea while he (read)……… now

212. Mike is a student, but he (not, go) ……….to school right now because it’s summer He (attend)……… college from September to May every year, but in the summer he (usually, have) ……….a job at the post office In fact, he (work) ……… there this summer

213. I (not, speak)……… to her since I (move) ……… to London

214. She (become) ……… widow at the age of thirty She (get)……… married for seven years when her husband (die) ………in an automobile accident

215. Yesterday I (go)……… to my daughter’s dance recital I (be, never)……… to a dance recital before I (not, take) ……… dancing lessons when I was a child

216. When I (open)……… the door, I saw a man on his knees He clearly (listen) ……… to our conversation and I (wonder)……… how much he (hear)……… When I (ask)

……….him what he (do)………., he said that he (drop) …… ……… a 50 piece outside the door and (look)……… for it

217. Mary (have)……… to go to new York last week, but she almost (miss) ………… the plane She (stand)……… in the queue at the check-in desk when she suddenly (realize)

………that she (leave) ……… ……….her passport at home Fortunately, she (not, live) ……… very far from the airport so she (have)……… time to go home to get the airport She (get)

……… back to the airport just in time for her flight

218. Yesterday afternoon I (go)……… to visit the Parker family When I (get)……… there around two o’clock, Mrs Parker (be)……… in the yard She (plant) ……… flowers in her

garden Mr Parker (be)……… in the garage He (work)……… in their car The children (play)

……… in the front yard

219. When I (hear)……… a knock at the door last night, I (walk)……… to the door and (open)……… it When I (open)……… the door, I (see)……… my brother, I (greet)……… him and (ask) ………him to come in

220. Mrs Reed (turn)………… on the radio in her car while she (drive)……… home yesterday She (listen)……… to some music when she suddenly (hear)……… a siren She (look)

……… in her mirror and (see)……… an ambulance behind her She immediately (pull)

……….her car to the side of the road and (wait)……… for the ambulance to pass

221. My mother called me around five o’clock My husband came home a little after that When

he (come) ………in, I (talk)……… to my mother on the phone

222. Dennis Heal is a politician He (go)……… to Oxford University in 1950 and (become)

……… a member of Parliament for the Labour Party in 1957 He (be)……… an MP since then He (write)……… three story books including his auto-biography He is married to the artist, Edna Heal, and they (have)……… two children They (live) ……… in Oxford for 15 years, then (move)……… to London in 1970 They now (live) ……… in Cardigan Square in central London

II Choose the best answer of the four choices.

I/ The clock (1)……… four as she (2)……… her flat She (3) ……… a final cigarette and (4)………

at her dressing – table thinking of the party she (5)……… an hour before She would have been home much earlier but she (6)……… difficulty in finding a taxi at that late hour Reflecting that if she didn’t go

to bed quickly, she would feel dreadful at work the next day, she (7)……… down her cigarette, (8)……… quickly, and (9)……… into bed She (10)……… asleep at once

2 a had reached b reached c has reached d reaches

8 a undressed b undresses c has undressed d will undress

II/ I (1)……… Mary while I (2) ……… to the bookshop yesterday I (3)……… her (4)……… with me She and I (5)……… (6)…………

a good English dictionary At last both of us (7)……… the same ones after we (8)……… for and (9)……… many kinds of dictionary carefully

7 a bought b had bought c have bought d were buying

8 a looked b were looking c have looked d had looked

9 a reading b had read c were reading d have read

III/ Rob Fellow (1)……… from England He (2)……… to Paris six months ago to learn French

He (3)……… learning French at school in London when he was eleven, so he (4) ……… it for nearly ten years He (5)……… an exam If he passes, he (6) ………… …… into the next class He (7)

……… excited today because his parents (8)……… tomorrow to stay with him for a few days

3 a had started b has started c started d was starting

4 a has learnt b has learned c has been learning d all are correct

5 a just took b just takes c has just taken d has just took

8 a will to come b are going to come c are coming d all are correct