• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Home of English Grammar
  • Home
  • Course
  • Exercises
  • Grammar Rules
  • Matches
  • Posts
  • Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Very Replacer
    • Word Counter
  • Vocabulary Lists
  • Archives
    • Social Media Posts
    • Writing Guides
  • Sign in
  • Join free

Tenses exercise

December 26, 2014 pdf

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate verb form that expresses the idea indicated in the brackets.

1. Our mother …………… up at 5.30 in the morning. (habitual action)

will get
gets
will be getting

2. Worldly pleasures …………….. temporary. (general truth)

are
will be
were

3. Portia …………….. that mercy is a divine quality. (quoted from a source)

said
says
has said

4. My father …………….. ready. He …………….. here in a minute. (present continuous and the future)

is getting, will be
will get, will be
is getting, is
gets, will be

5. They ……………. for the dance performance. (action in progress)

will rehearse
are rehearsing
will be rehearsing

6. Not many of us ………………… Mahatma Gandhi. (present perfect)

has seen
have seen
had seen
will see

7. He ……………. for Germany last month. (completed action)

had left
left
has left
would leave

8. When we were young, we …………….. the whole afternoon playing. (habitual action)

will spend
would spend
would have spent
would be spending

9. The students …………….. for the test. (past action that has continued up to the present)

are preparing
have been preparing
will be preparing

10. When I …………….. my eyes, I ………………. a strange sight. (two actions in the past)

had opened, saw
opened, saw
opened, had seen

Answers

1. Our mother gets up at 5.30 in the morning.

2. Worldly pleasures are temporary.

3. Portia says that mercy is a divine quality.

4. My father is getting ready. He will be here in a minute.

5. They are rehearsing for the dance performance.

6. Not many of us have seen Mahatma Gandhi.

7. He left for Germany last month.

8. When we were young, we would spend the whole afternoon playing.

9. The students have been preparing for the test.

10. When I opened my eyes, I saw a strange sight.

Primary sidebar

2.4M760.9K165.9K

Free 2027 Grammar Guide

  • Download Grammar Guide (PDF)
  • Online grammar course, A1 to C2
  • Weekly exercises and vocabulary
  • Join over 3 million English learners

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Already have an account? Sign in

Grammar Checker - Try Now

Matches rankings

    No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

      No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

        No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

          No results yet. Be the first to finish today’s Daily.

          Play Matches

          Latest posts

          • Why “no offense” often sounds like a warning November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Love to” November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Pivotal” November 11, 2026
          • Salutary vs. salubrious: benefits, lessons, and health November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Setbacks” November 11, 2026
          • Reported Speech Exercise November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Sweeping” November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Patience” November 11, 2026
          • 100 Best Synonyms for “Isolation” November 11, 2026
          • Agreeing and Disagreeing in Discussions Exercise November 11, 2026
          Home of English Grammar

          Free exercises, a step-by-step grammar course, rules and vocabulary lists, with new exercises every week. Join the leading English grammar site with over 3 million followers.

          Join free

          Learn

          • Exercises
          • Grammar course
          • Level test
          • Matches
          • Grammar rules
          • Vocabulary lists
          • Writing guides
          • Online tools

          More

          • Top social media posts
          • Various posts
          • Contact

          Account

          • Join free
          • Free grammar guide (PDF)

          Copyright © 2026 EnglishGrammar.org

          • Disclaimer
          • Privacy policy
          • Terms
          • Sitemap