Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one. Some sentences have two correct answers. Choose both.
1By the time the chair called for a vote, the committee ............... the proposal for three hours, and everyone was visibly drained.
Wrong!
"Had been debating" shows an activity that continued up to a later point in the past.
2I ............... to email you all week, but every time I opened the draft, another crisis landed on my desk.
Wrong!
"Had been meaning" shows an intention that continued before other past events prevented action.
3She ............... the same argument since January, so the sudden change of stance yesterday felt calculated.
Wrong!
"Has been repeating" shows an action continuing from January up to the present situation.
4When I finally reached him, he ............... the news already, so my call came too late.
Wrong!
"Had heard" shows that he received the news before I reached him.
5For months, the CEO ............... about transparency, yet the figures released today are still heavily redacted.
Wrong!
"Has been talking" emphasizes a continuing pattern from the past up to now.
6I ............... the report twice so far this morning, so if the error is still there, it is not from lack of checking.
Wrong!
"Have checked" fits a completed action in an unfinished time period with present relevance.
7At exactly midnight, the system ............... for 47 minutes, which is why the logs show a gap.
Wrong!
"Had been down" shows a state that continued up to the past time of midnight.
8He ............... the contract when the lawyer interrupted, so the signature line was still blank.
Wrong!
"Was reading" shows an action in progress when another past action interrupted it.
9Until the whistle blew, the crowd ............... the referee, and the players could barely hear each other.
Wrong!
"Was heckling" describes a continuous background action before the whistle stopped it.
10I ............... the same password for years, so the breach report did not exactly surprise me.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Have used" and "have been using" can both describe a situation continuing for years up to now.
11By next Friday, we ............... the merger details to the board, so keep your calendar flexible.
Wrong!
"Will have presented" shows completion before the future deadline next Friday.
12Since the policy change, I ............... only three meetings, which has freed up whole afternoons.
Wrong!
"Have attended" fits completed attendances counted from the policy change up to now.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- By the time the chair called for a vote, the committee had been debating the proposal for three hours, and everyone was visibly drained.
- I had been meaning to email you all week, but every time I opened the draft, another crisis landed on my desk.
- She has been repeating the same argument since January, so the sudden change of stance yesterday felt calculated.
- When I finally reached him, he had heard the news already, so my call came too late.
- For months, the CEO has been talking about transparency, yet the figures released today are still heavily redacted.
- I have checked the report twice so far this morning, so if the error is still there, it is not from lack of checking.
- At exactly midnight, the system had been down for 47 minutes, which is why the logs show a gap.
- He was reading the contract when the lawyer interrupted, so the signature line was still blank.
- Until the whistle blew, the crowd was heckling the referee, and the players could barely hear each other.
- I have used / have been using the same password for years, so the breach report did not exactly surprise me.
- By next Friday, we will have presented the merger details to the board, so keep your calendar flexible.
- Since the policy change, I have attended only three meetings, which has freed up whole afternoons.
