A.) SIMPLE PRESENT VS.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
Use either the SIMPLE PRESENT or the PRESENT PROGRESSIVE of the verbs in
brackets.
1.

Diane cant come to the phone because she (wash) .................................... her
hair.

2.

Diane (wash) .................................. her hair every day.

3.

Kathy usually (sit).......................in the front row during class, but today she (sit)
.......................in the last row.

4.

Please be quiet. I (try)................................to concentrate.

5.

I wrote to my friend last week. I (wait, still)....................................for a reply.

6.

After three days of rain, Im glad that the sun (shine)..................................... again
today.

7.

Every morning the sun (shine).............................. in my bedroom window and

(wake)...................................me up.

8.

Mike is a student, but he (go, not)..................................... to school right now

because its summer. He (attend).................................college from September to
May every year, but in the summers he (have, usually)........................................a
job at the post office. In fact, he (work).................................. there this summer.

9.

I (work, only)................................here for a couple of months because Im going

abroad in the summer.

10.

His only bad habit is that he (talk).................................. too loudly.

11.

There is nobody at the door; you (hear, just)................................things.

12.

Im thinking of doing a postgraduate degree what (you, think).............................?

Is it a good idea?

13.

My sister (wait)................................. patiently for her exam results.

14.

The film (end)............................with a dramatic car chase.

15.

We (have)...................................a great time here in London.

16.

Some people still think the sun (go)..............................round the earth.

17.

I (play)....................................tennis every weekend.

18.

An alcoholic is a person who (drink).............................too much and cant stop.

19.

Why (you, look)....................................at me like this?

20.

I (stay)........................................with John for a few weeks until my flats ready.

21.

Can you explain why water (run, always)........................................downhill?

22.

Look! She (wear)......................................the same shoes like me.

B.) SIMPLE PAST VS. PAST PROGRESSIVE

Use the SIMPLE PAST or the PAST PROGRESSIVE in the following sentences.
1.

I (call)............................Robert at nine last night, but he (be,

not)...............................at home. He (study)........................................at the library.

2.

I (hear, not).....................................the thunder during the storm last night

because I (sleep)..................................

3.

My brother and sister (argue)............................................about something when I

(walk).....................................into the room.

4.

While my aunt (read)................................... I (clean)......................................her

flat.

5.

When she (hear)..................................a strange noise, she

(get)............................up to investigate.

6.

Last year at this time, I (attend)......................................school.

7.

The phone (ring) ..............................while I (have)...................................dinner.

8.

I couldnt believe it. While I (study)..................................in one room of our

apartment, my roommate (have).....................................a party in the other room.

9.

Stanley (climb)................................the stairs when he (trip)...........................and

(fall)................................. Luckily, he (hurt, not)......................................himself.

10.

I (play)...................................a lot of tennis when I was younger.

11.

When I walked in they (all, talk).........................................about babies.

12.

When Jake (come)..................................in everybody

(stop).............................talking.

13.

She (meet)........................................her husband while she

(travel)................................in Egypt.

14.

I (listen).......................................to the news on television at nine oclock last

night.

15.

Ten years ago, the government (decide).................................to begin a food

program. At this time, many people in the rural areas of the country
(starve)................................due to several years without rain.

16.

While Mrs. Emerson (read).............................the little boy a story, he

(fall)..........................asleep, so she (close)..................................the book and
(go)..................... out of the room.

17.

He (break).....................................his leg while he

(play).................................football.

C.) SIMPLE PAST VS. PRESENT PERFECT (PROGRESSIVE)

Use the SIMPLE PAST or the PRESENT PERFECT (PROGRESSIVE) in the following
sentences.
1.

What (you, learn)..................................................since you (come)......................

........here? How many new friends (you, make)..............................................?

2.

Since classes began, I (have, not).............................................much free time.

3.

Last night my roommate and I (have)...............................some free time, so we

(go).... ....................................to a show.

4.

The carrots (boil).................................................since three oclock. Do you think

they are done now?

5.

She (leave).................................school last year and (not, find)...............

......................a job yet.

6.

I (do).............................a lot of stupid things in my life.

7.

Amazing news! Scientists (discover)................................a new planet!

8.

I (never, enjoy).......................................a holiday as much as this one.

9.

Are you taking chemistry this semester? No, I (take, already).........................

...................it. I (take)..................................it last semester. This semester Im
taking physics.

10.

I (learn).........................................English for six years.

11.

I (learn)..........................................most of the irregular verbs.

12.

London (change)....................................a lot since we first (come)..................

.................here.

13.

She (have)........................................a hard life, but shes always smiling.

14.

America (be)..................................discovered by Columbus at least, that is what

people (believe)............................for a number of centuries. However, a number
of books (be)..................................written recently claiming that the Vikings
(be)..............................the first to land on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

15.

When I (live).................................in London, I (go)..................................to the

theatre at least twice a week. Since then, I (often, think) that those visits
(be)...............................among the best things that I (ever, do)................................

16.

We (live)...........................................in this magnificent house since 1980 that is,

ever since my father (die)................................... He (come)...............................to
live in this country 25 years ago. He (be).............................born in Iceland and he
(live).................................in that county until he (marry)...................................my
mother.

D.) PAST PERFECT (PROGRESSIVE)

Choose the right tenses [PRESENT PERFECT (PROGRESSIVE), PAST (PROGRESSIVE
or PAST PERFECT (PROGRESSIVE)]
1.

He (be).................................a newspaper reporter before he (become)..............

................a businessman.

2.

The roads (be)...........................wet because it (rain)...................................... all

night.

3.

His hands were covered in oil because he (try)...........................................to fix the

car all morning. Unfortunately, he (not, manage).........................................to make
it start.

4.

It is midnight. I (study)...........................................for five hours. No wonder Im

getting tired.

5.

It was midnight. I (study).............................................for five hours. No wonder I

was getting tired.

6.

After he (finish).....................................breakfast, he (sit)...........................down to

write some letters.

7.

When we got back from our holidays we discovered that someone

(break).............................into our house. The burglars, however,
(drop).................................a piece of paper with an address on it as they
(climb)........................................out of the window.

8.

Columbus (discover)..............................America although he first believed he

(reach).......................................Asia.

9.

Newton (make)..............................his great discovery while he (sit)..............

....................under an apple tree.

10.

He (press)...............................the switch and the engine (start)...........................

11.

Peter (forget)......................................to fill up with petrol, so the car (stop).........

................................just outside the town.

12.

Mary (not, be).....................................abroad before, so everything (seem)........

....................................strange to her.

13.

The lesson (already, start)..........................................when I (arrive)........................

14.

Yesterday at a restaurant, I (see).....................................Pam, an old friend of

mine. I (not, see).........................................her for years. At first, I (not, recognize)
.............................................her because she (lose)......................................at
least fifty pounds

E.) FUTURE FORMS

Fill in the correct future form (SIMPLE FUTURE, GOING TO, FUTURE PROGRESSIVE,
FUTURE PERFECT, PRESENT PROGRESSIVE or SIMPLE PRESENT)
1.

Look at those dark clouds. Yes, there (be)..........................................a storm.

2.

I cant come tonight because I (stay in)........................................to watch TV.

3.

The match (start)................................at 3pm as usual.

4.

Dont worry about your car, I (phone)........................................a taxi.

5.

According to my diary, we (meet).....................................at 3pm tomorrow.

6.

This time next week, I (fly)..................................to New York

7.

Wake me up by nine oclock I (sleep).........................................long enough by

then.

8.

If you dont understand this problem, ask your teacher. He (help).........

.....................you.

9.

Classes (begin)..................................next week

10.

The phone is ringing. Ok, I (answer)...........................................it.

11.

Why did you buy this paint? I (paint).........................................my bedroom

tomorrow.

12.

Sorry, Mrs. Parson wont be here tomorrow. She (go)...................................to a

funeral then.

13.

Alice (have)............................................a baby.

14.

Dont tell her. She (tell)...................................everybody else.

15.

By Friday, I (finish)...........................................this new book by Marquez.

16.

This time tomorrow, Maria (sunbathe)..........................................on the beach.

17.

This letter is in French, and I dont speak a word of French. Can you help me?
Sure. I (translate)....................................it for you.

18.

Mr. Townsend (be)...................................75 next year.

19.

Jim and his wife (spend)...................................their summer holiday in Canada

next year.

20.

Its eight oclock. You (be)......................................late again.

F.) TENSES GENERAL REVISION

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense, active or passive. Sometimes more than
one tense is correct.

A FLIGHT FULL OF SURPRISES

Jane and Andy (wait)..........................................at the airport in Cape Town to catch their
plane back to London. They (be)....................................on honeymoon in South Africa for
four weeks and they (feel)......................................very relaxed and happy. They (not wait)
...............................................long when their flight (announce)................................ over the
tannoy: Flight BA 207 to London Heathrow (leave).......................................in one hour. Will
passengers please go to Gate 4and wait there to board?. Andy (hear)..................................
another announcement: Flight D 234 to New York (delay)...............................................due
to a technical fault. Will passengers please go to Gate 5and wait there for further
information.
Oh dear! said Jane. I (hope)....................................people (not get)....................................
confused. What (happen)......................................if someone (get)................................on the
wrong flight?
(not be)..........................silly, said Andy. Thats impossible. This is an international airport.
All boarding cards (check)......................................before anyone (allow).................................
to board the plane.
They arrived at Gate 4. Two hours later they still (not board)...................................their plane,
and no explanation (given)................................ . Eventually, there was an announcement:
We are sorry for the delay. Will all passengers please have their boarding cards ready?
Flights BA 207 to London and D 234 for New York are both now ready to depart.
At last! said Jane. We (wait)......................................at this airport for nearly five hours by
the time our plane (take off).................................... .
There were only two flight attendants checking boarding cards and ushering passengers on
to their respective flights. But they worked very quickly and soon Jane and Andy (sit) ..........
.....................comfortably in their seats, fastening their seat belts.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. said the pilot, and welcome to flight D 234 to New
York.
Jane and Andy both (leap).....................................to their feet and (run)..............................to
the front of the plane. Fortunately, the pilot (not start).......................................the engines
and Jane and Andy (lead).......................................from Flight D 234 to Flight BA 207 by a
very anxious air steward. They fastened their seat belts for a second time.

Phew! I (have)...................................enough surprises for one day, said Andy. This (not
be).........................................a very relaxing end to our holiday, has it? We need another
holiday! Where (we, go)......................................next year?
Well, said Jane, as we (have)........................................a baby by then, maybe we should
just stay at home.
Pardon? What did you say? whispered Andy.