Complete the following sentences using appropriate perfect tense forms of the verbs in the brackets.
1Where could the horse ...............?
Wrong!
After the modal "could", use the perfect infinitive "have gone" to talk about a past possibility.
2Circumstances ............... him to leave school when he was just ten.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "forced" for a finished event at a specific past time.
3He heard that his brother ...............
Wrong!
Use the past perfect "had arrived" for an action that happened before another past action.
4I ............... my homework.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "have completed" to show that the homework is finished now.
5He ............... before I reached his place.
Wrong!
Use the past perfect "had left" for the earlier of two past actions.
6The children ............... their homework by now.
Wrong!
Use the future perfect "will have finished" for an action completed by a future or assumed deadline.
7Shakespeare's plays ............... into nearly all languages.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect passive "have been translated" because the plays receive the action.
8Indians ............... skilled mathematicians for thousands of years.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "have been" with "for thousands of years" for a state continuing to the present.
9The boys performed all the tasks we ............... for them.
Wrong!
Use the past perfect "had planned" for the planning that happened before the boys performed the tasks.
10He forgave his enemies who ............... him.
Wrong!
Use the past perfect "had wronged" for the earlier action done by his enemies.
Answers
- Where could the horse have gone?
- Circumstances forced him to leave school when he was just ten.
- He heard that his brother had arrived.
- I have completed my homework.
- He had left before I reached his place.
- The children will have finished their homework by now.
- Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into nearly all languages.
- Indians have been skilled mathematicians for thousands of years.
- The boys performed all the tasks we had planned for them.
- He forgave his enemies who had wronged him.
