Tenses Exercise - English Grammar

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Fill in the blanks with an appropriate tense form.

1. I ………………………. of visiting America.

think am thinking Either could be used here Correct! Wrong!

When think means ‘consider the idea of’, it is normally used in the continuous form.

2. He ………………………. ill since last week.

was has been had been Correct! Wrong!

Perfect tenses are used with the time expressions since and for.

3. My dog is very silly; he …………………………… after cats.

always runs is always running Either could be used here Correct! Wrong!

The simple present tense is used for a habitual action. The present continuous can also be used to talk about a particularly obstinate habit.

4. The steamer ………………………… yesterday.

sailed has sailed is sailing Correct! Wrong!

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

5. We ……………………….. anything from them for months.

hadn't heard haven't heard didn't hear Correct! Wrong!

Perfect tenses are preferred with the time expressions since and for.

6. I phoned her because I ……………………….. to talk.

wanted was wanting have wanted Correct! Wrong!

Some verbs are never or hardly ever used in progressive forms. Want is one of them.

7. I ……………………….. his parents tomorrow.

see am seeing have seen Correct! Wrong!

The present continuous is used here to indicate that the arrangement already exists.

8. ………………………….. in ghosts?

Do you believe Are you believing Correct! Wrong!

Believe is one of those verbs that are not normally used in the continuous form.

9. I didn’t know how long she ………………………….. there.

was sitting has been sitting had been sitting Correct! Wrong!

The past perfect continuous tense is used to talk about an activity that had been going on around a past time.

10. The Rhine ……………………. into the North Sea.

has run runs is running Correct! Wrong!

We use the simple present tense here because we are talking about a permanent situation.

11. When I reached home I noticed that water ……………………… down the wall.

run was running has been running Correct! Wrong!

We use the past continuous tense here to indicate that the situation was ongoing and temporary.

12. ……………………… her tastes, I sent her some flowers.

Knowing Has known Known Correct! Wrong!

Although the verb know is not normally used in progressive tenses, it does have an –ing form which can be used in other kinds of structures.

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Answers

1. I am thinking of visiting America. 2. He has been ill since last week. 3. My dog is very silly; he always runs / is always running after cats. 4. The steamer sailed yesterday. 5. We haven’t heard anything from them for months. 6. I phoned her because I wanted to talk. 7. I am seeing his parents tomorrow. 8. Do you believe in ghosts? 9. I didn’t know how long she had been sitting there. 10. The Rhine runs into the North Sea. 11. When I reached home I noticed that water was running down the wall. 12. Knowing her tastes, I sent her some flowers.

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