VERB TENSES IN ENGLISH

PRESENT SIMPLE/PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1. Multiple choice
1. Lets go out. It (doesnt rain/ isnt raining) now.
2. Hurry up! Everybody (waits/is waiting) for us.
3. This train is never late. It (always leaves/is always leaving) on time.
4. He is very good at languages. He (speaks/is speaking) five languages already.
5. (Do you listen/Are you listening) to the radio every day? No, just occasionally.
6. (Do you listen/Are you listening) to the radio? No, you can turn it off.
7. This river (flows/is flowing) into the Black Sea.
8. Look at the river! It (flows/is flowing) very fast today.
9. John is in London at the moment. He (stays/is staying) at the Park Hotel. He (always stays/is
always staying) there when he is in London.
10. Sam (looks/ is looking) for a place to live. He (stays/is staying) with us until he finds a place.
11. What (does you mother do/ is your mother doing)? She is an editor but she (doesnt work/isnt
working) at the moment.
12. We usually (sleep/ are sleeping) upstairs but this week we (sleep/are sleeping) downstairs because
we are having our house decorated.
13. Normally I (finish/am finishing) work at 3.00 but today I (work/ am working) until 5.00.
14. Usually I (enjoy/ am enjoying) parties but I (dont enjoy/am not enjoying) this one very much.
15. I must go now. It (gets/is getting) late.
16. Can we stop for a minute? I (start/am starting) to feel tired.
17. Can you drive? I (learn/am learning). My father (teaches/is teaching) me.
18. The water (boils/is boiling). Turn it off, please.
19. Water (boils/is boiling) at 100 degrees Celsius.
20. The moon (goes/is going) round the Earth.
21. Look! That man (tries/is trying) to open the door of your car.
22. Dont put the dictionary away. I (use/am using) it.
23. Dont put the dictionary away. I (need/am needing) it.
24. Who is that man? What (does he want/is he wanting)?
25. Who is that man? Why (does he look/is he looking) at us?
26. Jim says he is rich but nobody (believes/is believing) him.
27. I (think/am thinking of selling) my car.
28. I (think/am thinking) you should sell your car. You (dont use/are not using) it very often.
29. Why isnt Mary at school today? (Is she/is she being) ill?
30. I cant understand why he (is/is being) so selfish. He isnt usually like that.
31. Youll like Jane. She (is/is being) very nice.
32. Jack (is/is being) very nice to me at the moment. I wonder why.
33. Normally you are very sensible, so why (are you/are you being) so silly about this matter?
34. I (see/am seeing) that the situation is out of control.
35. I (see/am seeing) Nick tonight. The sausages (taste/are tasting) delicious.
36. These flowers (smell/are smelling) very nice.
37. Why (do you smell/are you smelling) the milk?
38. That dress (looks/is looking) nice on you.
39. If you (dont look/arent looking) at that comic, Id like to see it.

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40. Why (do you feel/are you feeling) your pockets? Have you lost anything?
41. How (do you feel/are you feeling) today?
42. He (has/is having) a brand new Mazda.
43. They (have/are having) dinner in the kitchen at the moment.
44. I think John (comes/is coming). His car is right in front of the building.
45. Anna is Italian. She (comes/is coming) from Milan.
46. You (weigh/are weighing) too much.
47. I (weigh/am weighing) a parcel. Its very heavy.
48. What (do you think/are you thinking) about?
49. He (thinks/is thinking) about you right now.
50. I (think/am thinking) we should stop now.
51. What sort of work (do you do/are you doing)?
52. I cant talk now. I (cook/am cooking) dinner.
53. Can I borrow this book? Or (do you use/are you using) it?
54. (Do you like/Are you liking) fish?
55. What (do you do/are you doing) in the evenings?
56. Go straight ahead. Then you (turn/are turning) right.
57. Hows your English? I (gets/is getting) better and better.
58. You (always remember/are always remembering) phone numbers.
59. You (always borrow/are always borrowing money) from me!
60. My son (always forgets/is always forgetting) his things.
61. I (hope/am hoping) you know what you are doing.
62. Winter is coming. It (gets/is getting) colder and colder every day.
63. This film is very long. It (lasts/is lasting) four hours.
64. My old boots (dont fit/arent fitting) me anymore.
65. Terry is in bed. He (has/is having) flu.
66. (Do you realize/Are you realizing) that weve been locked here for ten hours?
67. What exactly (does this job involve/is this job involving)?
68. I completely (agree/am agreeing) with you.
69. I (bet/am betting) you dont know the answer.
70. I (doubt/am doubting) he will know the answer.
71. At work she (appears/is appearing) to be very shy.
72. He (appears/is appearing) in Hamlet.
73. She used to go out with me, but she (sees/is seeing) a guy from her work these days.
74. She never (asks/is asking) before borrowing my things.
75. She (forever borrows/is forever borrowing my things without asking me.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct present tense form of the verb in
brackets.

1. What (you look) at? (I wear) the wrong colours again?

2. Who (drive) that Mercedes thats parked outside?
3. I (still have) a pain in my leg but it (get) better.
4. You brother (look) very untidy. He (wear) dirty clothes all the time.
5. Which hotel (you stay) in whenever you (come) here?
6. Who (Sue dance) with?
7. Please be quiet! You (continually interrupt).
8. Hey, you! What (you think) you are doing?

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 9. Jane is away on holiday, so Linda (handle) her work.
10. I (want) to talk to you now.
11. Pay no attention to George. He (jus be) sarcastic again.
12. Dont disturb your father now he (think) about a problem hes got at work.
13. I used to enjoy chatting to Jane, but these days she (forever complain) about something or other.
14. A: What on earth (you do)?
B: I (smell) the meat. I think it might have gone off.
A: Let me try. No, I (not think) so. It (smell) fine to me.
15. A: Look! (you see) that couple at the table over there?
B: Yes, its Mark and Sarah.
A: (they see) each other again? I heard theyd had a fight.
B: Well, judging from the way they (look0 at each other, they (appear) to be back together again.
16. The line (be) very bad. I cant hear what you (say).
17. I (try) to concentrate, but its very difficult. The children (make) too much noise. (You think) you
could take them out for a while?
18. She has made a lot of progress mainly because she now (spend) two hours a day studying.
19. I always (tidy up) my desk before I leave work.
20. Tell me al about it. I (die) to hear the latest news.
21. I (think0 about visiting Jane this afternoon. I wouldnt bother. I (think) she is away on holiday.
22. Why (you taste) the soup? Is there anything wrong with it? Yes, it (taste) too sweet. I think Ive
used sugar instead of salt.
23. The boss (have) a telephone message from his wife. Can it wait? He (have) a business meeting and
I dont want to disturb him.
24. The police (still/look) foe fingerprints left in the room. It (look) as if they wont find the criminal.
25. I (see) my boss about a pay rise this afternoon. I (see). Thats why you are wearing a suit anda
tie.
26. Why (you/feel) the babys forehead? I think hes got temperature. He (feel) rather hot.

3. Rephrase.

1. This flower has a wonderful perfume. SMELLS

2. I think you are behaving in a very silly way. BEING

3. Nancy is considering moving to Scotland. THINKING

4. Dont go in. They are holding a meeting. HAVING

5. I am meeting Jane this evening actually. SEEING

6. I am just trying the soup to see if it needs more salt. TASTING

7. I find working here really enjoyable. ENJOYING

8. Whats your opinion of Wendys new painting? THINK

9. Neil has the bad habit of getting in peoples way. ALWAYS

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10. Jim and his father are exactly alike. LOOKS

4. Rephrase.

1. Whats your opinion of my new car?

What do
2. Ben keeps interrupting me.
Ben is
3. What is the meaning of this word?
What does
4. The number of people giving up smoking is increasing.
More and more people .
5. What is the weight of this melon?
How much .
6. There is a smell of oranges in this room.
This room
7. What is inside this box?
What does

PAST SIMPLE/PAST CONTINUOUS/PAST PERFECT

1. Put the verbs into the correct form.

1. Jane (wait) for me when I (arrive).

2. (you /go) out last night? No, I was tired.
3. I (see) Susan in town yesterday, but she (not/see) me. She (look) the other way.
4. I (cycle) home yesterday when suddenly a man (step0 out into the road in front of me. I (go) quite
fast but luckily I (manage) to stop in time and (not/hit) him.
5. John (take) a photo of me while I (not/look).
6. I (walk) along the street when suddenly I (hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody (follow) me. I was
frightened and I (start) to run.
7. How fast (you/drive) when the accident (happen)?
8. While Peter (pack) his suitcase, the phone (ring).
9. While I (try) to get my car started, a car (stop) and the driver (offer) to help me.
10. I (not/wear) my glasses at the time so I (not/notice) what kind of car the man (drive).
11. Sorry, I 9not/listen) to you. I (think) about something else.
12. Helen (feel) very tired and while she (finish) her studying, she (fall) asleep.
13. I 9phone) you last night but you (not answer). What (you/do)?
14. We (not/go) out yesterday because it (rain).
15. Was Tom at the party when you (arrive)? No, he (go) home.
16. I felt tired when I (get) home, so I (go) straight to bed.
17. The house was very quiet when I (get) home. Everybody (go) to bed.
18. We (drive) along the road when we (see) a car which (break) down, so we (stop) to se if we could
help.
19. The police (pay) no attention to Clares complaint because she (phone) them so many times before.
20. Tony (admit) that he (hit) the other car, but he said that he (not/damage)it.

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21. The police (get) to Helens house as fast as they could, but the burglars (disappear).
22. When I (phone) Sue last night she (wash) her hair and when I (get) to her house she (not/finish).
23.