Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1Picture this: the committee room falls silent, the door ..............., and in walks the minister no one had invited.
Wrong!
In a lively informal retelling, the present simple "opens" is used for dramatic immediacy, as if the scene is unfolding in front of the listener.
2I can barely finish a sentence in that meeting; Marcus ............... me again before I have made my point.
Wrong!
With "again" and the speaker’s exasperation, the progressive "is interrupting" presents the habit as irritating and currently characteristic, not merely factual.
3If it isn’t too much trouble, I ............... you could look over the revised abstract before Friday.
Wrong!
The past progressive "was hoping" softens the request by making it sound tentative rather than bluntly immediate.
4I’m not trying to rush you, but ............... the board to approve the budget today?
Wrong!
The future progressive "will be asking" makes the question sound like a check about someone’s planned course of action, so it is less abrupt than a direct request.
5I’m sorry I ............... you waiting all morning; the negotiations are still dragging on.
Wrong!
The present perfect progressive "have been keeping" apologises for a situation continuing up to now, which matches "all morning" and the ongoing inconvenience.
6Sorry, I ............... one crucial caveat: the figures exclude unpaid internships.
Wrong!
The progressive "am forgetting" presents the lapse as happening right now, often to soften a self-correction or momentary failure of memory.
7Whoever ............... the access cards at headquarters has created a security problem, so no one can enter the lab.
Wrong!
The present perfect "have left" treats the past action as relevant now, especially because the key consequence is stated in the same sentence.
8As part of our transparency protocol, we ............... the raw data alongside the final report.
Wrong!
The future progressive "will be publishing" reassures readers by presenting publication as part of an arranged procedure rather than as a sudden promise.
9Perhaps I ............... the introduction sounds a little defensive; could we open with the evidence instead?
Wrong!
The past progressive "was thinking" makes the criticism provisional and less face-threatening before the speaker offers a suggestion.
10For a negotiator with her reputation, she ............... patience unusually quickly these days.
Wrong!
The progressive "is losing" presents the repeated failures as a worrying current trend rather than a timeless characteristic.
11I ............... you sooner that the funding had been withdrawn, and I apologise for leaving you to find out from the minutes.
Wrong!
The perfect form "should have told" admits that the telling was due earlier, which matches the apology for a past omission.
12Unless the translators receive the documents tonight, they ............... when the delegates arrive tomorrow morning.
Wrong!
The future progressive "will still be waiting" makes the continuing state vivid and slightly accusatory, emphasising the predicted inconvenience at that later time.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Picture this: the committee room falls silent, the door opens, and in walks the minister no one had invited.
- I can barely finish a sentence in that meeting; Marcus is interrupting me again before I have made my point.
- If it isn’t too much trouble, I was hoping you could look over the revised abstract before Friday.
- I’m not trying to rush you, but will be asking the board to approve the budget today?
- I’m sorry I have been keeping you waiting all morning; the negotiations are still dragging on.
- Sorry, I am forgetting one crucial caveat: the figures exclude unpaid internships.
- Whoever have left the access cards at headquarters has created a security problem, so no one can enter the lab.
- As part of our transparency protocol, we will be publishing the raw data alongside the final report.
- Perhaps I was thinking the introduction sounds a little defensive; could we open with the evidence instead?
- For a negotiator with her reputation, she is losing patience unusually quickly these days.
- I should have told you sooner that the funding had been withdrawn, and I apologise for leaving you to find out from the minutes.
- Unless the translators receive the documents tonight, they will still be waiting when the delegates arrive tomorrow morning.