Fill in the blanks with an appropriate tense form.
1The government ............... this law last week.
Wrong!
We use the simple past "amended" with the finished time expression "last week".
2The university ............... in 1930.
Wrong!
The passive form "was founded" means the university was established in 1930.
3Slavery ............... in 1865.
Wrong!
The passive form "was abolished" is needed because slavery received the action.
4She insisted that she ............... anything wrong.
Wrong!
In reported speech after a past verb like "insisted", "I haven't done anything wrong" changes to the past perfect "hadn't done".
5He ............... his parents every month.
Wrong!
We use the simple present "visits" for a regular habit.
6An honest officer ............... respect.
Wrong!
The simple present "inspires" states a general truth.
7Every cat ............... a home.
Wrong!
The stative verb "deserves" is normally used in the simple present for this general statement.
8By the time the police arrived on the scene, the robbers ...............
Wrong!
The past perfect "had escaped" shows the earlier of two past actions; "by the time" + past simple normally takes the past perfect in the main clause.
9Give me a call before you ...............
Wrong!
After "before" in a future time clause, we use the present simple "come".
10I would rather you ............... for your drinks.
Wrong!
After "would rather" plus a different subject, we use the past form "paid" for a present or future preference.
11At last he ............... a good job.
Wrong!
The present perfect "has found" presents recent news without a finished time expression.
12You ............... him a liar.
Wrong!
The modal perfect "shouldn't have called" criticizes a past action.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The government amended this law last week.
- The university was founded in 1930.
- Slavery was abolished in 1865.
- She insisted that she hadn’t done anything wrong.
- He visits his parents every month.
- An honest officer inspires respect.
- Every cat deserves a home.
- By the time the police arrived on the scene, the robbers had escaped.
- Give me a call before you come.
- I would rather you paid for your drinks.
- At last he has found a good job.
- You shouldn’t have called him a liar.