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You are here: Home / Exercises / Tenses Exercise

Tenses Exercise

June 12, 2022 - pdf

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate tense form.

1. The government …………………….. this law last week.

Correct! Wrong!

To simply state that something happened sometime ago, we use the simple past.

2. The university ……………………… in 1930.

Correct! Wrong!

A passive verb is required here.

3. Slavery …………………………….. in 1865.

Correct! Wrong!

4. She insisted that she ……………………………….. anything wrong.

Correct! Wrong!

She said, 'I haven't done anything wrong.' She insisted that she hadn't done anything wrong. A present perfect in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech.

5. He ……………………………… his parents every month.

Correct! Wrong!

The simple present is used to talk about routines, habits, facts etc.

6. An honest officer ……………………………. respect.

Correct! Wrong!

7. Every cat ……………………………. a home.

Correct! Wrong!

8. The robbers ……………………………. before the police arrived on the scene.

Correct! Wrong!

Use the past perfect for the earlier of the two actions.

9. Give me a call before you …………………………….

Correct! Wrong!

10. I would rather you ……………………………… for your drinks.

Correct! Wrong!

Use a past tense after would rather to refer to the present or future.

11. At last he ………………………….. a good job.

Correct! Wrong!

When there is no time reference, use the present perfect to give 'news'.

12. You ……………………………. him a liar.

Correct! Wrong!

Shouldn't have + past participle is used to criticize people for not doing things.

Answers

  1. The government amended this law last week.
  2. The university was founded in 1930.
  3. Slavery was abolished in 1865.
  4. She insisted that she hadn’t done anything wrong.
  5. He visits his parents every month.
  6. An honest officer inspires respect.
  7. Everyone deserves respect.
  8. The robbers had escaped before the police arrived on the scene.
  9. I would rather you paid for your drinks.
  10. Give me a call before you come.
  11. At last he has found a good job.
  12. You shouldn’t have called him a liar.
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