Fill in the blanks with an appropriate verb form.
1Where ............... at that time?
Wrong!
Use "were you" because "at that time" refers to a specific finished time in the past.
2Where ............... all this while?
Wrong!
Use "have you been" because "all this while" means the period continues up to now.
3What ............... since we last met?
Wrong!
Use "have you been doing" because "since we last met" links the activity to the present.
4I ............... cooking when the lights went out.
Wrong!
Use "was" for an action in progress when another past event happened.
5She ............... absent since yesterday.
Wrong!
Use "has been" because "since yesterday" shows a situation continuing up to now.
6She ............... absent on Monday.
Wrong!
Use "was" because "on Monday" refers to a finished time in the past.
7You ............... a great help.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "were always" and "have always been" can fit, depending on whether the speaker means a finished past period or experience up to now.
8I ............... waiting for the bus when a stranger accosted me.
Wrong!
Use "was" because the waiting was in progress when another past event happened.
9He ............... living in Malaysia at that time.
Wrong!
Use "was" because "at that time" refers to a specific past time.
10He ............... in Malaysia since his retirement.
Wrong!
Use "has been living" because "since his retirement" shows that the situation continues up to now.
11He ............... a shy kid at school.
Wrong!
Use "was" because "at school" refers to a past period of his life.
12They ............... anxious.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "were" and "have been" can fit, depending on whether the speaker means a finished past situation or experience up to now.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Where were you at that time?
- Where have you been all this while?
- What have you been doing since we last met?
- I was cooking when the lights went out.
- She has been absent since yesterday.
- She was absent on Monday.
- You were always / have always been a great help.
- I was waiting for the bus when a stranger accosted me.
- He was living in Malaysia at that time.
- He has been living in Malaysia since his retirement.
- He was a shy kid at school.
- They were / have been anxious.