Fill in the blanks with an appropriate tense form.
1. I ………………………. of visiting America.
When think means ‘consider the idea of’, it is normally used in the continuous form.
2. He ………………………. ill since last week.
Perfect tenses are used with the time expressions since and for.
3. My dog is very silly; he …………………………… after cats.
The simple present tense is used for a habitual action. The present continuous can also be used to talk about a particularly obstinate habit.
4. The steamer ………………………… yesterday.
To state that something happened sometime ago we use the simple past tense.
5. We ……………………….. anything from them for months.
Perfect tenses are preferred with the time expressions since and for.
6. I phoned her because I ……………………….. to talk.
Some verbs are never or hardly ever used in progressive forms. Want is one of them.
7. I ……………………….. his parents tomorrow.
The present continuous is used here to indicate that the arrangement already exists.
8. ………………………….. in ghosts?
Believe is one of those verbs that are not normally used in the continuous form.
9. I didn’t know how long she ………………………….. there.
The past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an activity that had been going on around a past time.
10. The Rhine ……………………. into the North Sea.
We use the simple present tense here because we are talking about a permanent situation.
11. When I reached home I noticed that water ……………………… down the wall.
We use the past continuous tense here to indicate that the situation was ongoing and temporary.
12. ……………………… her tastes, I sent her some flowers.
Although the verb know is not normally used in progressive tenses, it does have an –ing form which can be used in other kinds of structures.
Answers
1. I am thinking of visiting America.
2. He has been ill since last week.
3. My dog is very silly; he always runs / is always running after cats.
4. The steamer sailed yesterday.
5. We haven’t heard anything from them for months.
6. I phoned her because I wanted to talk.
7. I am seeing his parents tomorrow.
8. Do you believe in ghosts?
9. I didn’t know how long she had been sitting there.
10. The Rhine runs into the North Sea.
11. When I reached home I noticed that water was running down the wall.
12. Knowing her tastes, I sent her some flowers.
