This grammar exercise tests your ability to use tenses correctly.
1Look! We ............... to crash.
Wrong!
Use "are going" for something that seems certain to happen very soon.
2I wish I ............... a better memory.
Wrong!
Use "had" after "I wish" to talk about an unreal present situation.
3After he ............... his homework, he went out to play.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "completed" and "had completed" are possible after "after" when the order of past events is clear.
4I ............... him for a long time when we got married.
Wrong!
Use "had known" for a state that began before another past event.
5I ............... a lot of movies recently.
Wrong!
Use "have been watching" for a repeated recent activity continuing up to now.
6I ............... her for two weeks, so I don't know her very well yet.
Wrong!
Use "have only known" with "for two weeks" for a state that began in the past and continues now.
7When I woke up, Mummy ............... breakfast, and it was waiting for me on the table.
Wrong!
Use "had already prepared" for an action completed before another past action.
8I ............... in the same job for ten years.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "have worked" and "have been working" are possible for a job that started in the past and continues now.
9I told him that I ............... the report the day before.
Wrong!
Use "had finished" in reported speech for an action completed before a past reporting time.
10I thought I ............... the money a week before.
Wrong!
Use "had sent" for an action completed before a later past thought.
11I was tired because I ............... for a long time.
Wrong!
Use "had been working" for an earlier continuing action that explains a past result.
12By the time you arrive tomorrow, we ............... already.
Wrong!
Use "will have finished" for an action completed before a future time.
Answers
- Look! We are going to crash.
- I wish I had a better memory.
- After he completed / had completed his homework, he went out to play.
- I had known him for a long time when we got married.
- I have been watching a lot of movies recently.
- I have only known her for two weeks, so I don’t know her very well yet.
- When I woke up, Mummy had already prepared breakfast, and it was waiting for me on the table.
- I have worked / have been working in the same job for ten years.
- I told him that I had finished the report the day before.
- I thought I had sent the money a week before.
- I was tired because I had been working for a long time.
- By the time you arrive tomorrow, we will have finished already.