Fill in the blanks with an appropriate verb form.
4. He …………………. with an accident yesterday.
The present perfect is not used with past time expressions. The past perfect is not used to say that something happened at a particular point of time in the past.
5. I …………………… to my boss about my problems.
Either could be used here. In British English, the present perfect is preferred. In American English both are possible.
6. He was …………………for murder.
Pictures are hung; people are hanged.
7. I …………………. him a moment ago.
8. When I reached home, the children ……………………. their homework.
We use the past continuous for the longer background action that was going on when another action took place.
9. He ………………… ill for over a month.
10. He said that he ………………….. her at the party.
The past perfect is more appropriate here. However, the simple past is also possible.
11. When we reached the spot, we found that the lion cub …………………..
12. By next January, he …………………….. for twenty years.
Answers
1. I wrote to him last week.
2. I talked to him yesterday.
3. You must listen to your teacher’s instructions.
4. He met with an accident yesterday.
5. I spoke / have spoken to my boss about my problems.
6. He was hanged for murder.
7. I saw him a moment ago.
8. When I reached home, the children were doing their homework.
9. He has been ill for over a month.
10. He said that he had seen her at the party.
11. When we reached the spot, we found that the lion cub had disappeared.
12. By next January, he will have been teaching for twenty years.
