Tenses Exercise
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate form of the verb.
1. Has the situation ………………………?
improved
been improved
improving
We use the past participle form of the verb after has, have and had.
2. The accused ………………………… the verdict with anxiety.
waited
awaited
had awaited
We use the simple past to simply state that something happened in the past.
3. A wide spread outbreak of plague …………………………… in the 14th
century.
has occurred
occurred
was occurred
We use the simple past to simply state that something happened in the past.
4. He did not ………………………… any of the samples presented to him.
take
took
taken
We use the infinitive (the first form of the verb) after do, does and did.
5. Last month I ………………………. to Canada to see my brother.
went
have gone
had gone
We use the simple past to simply state that we did something at a past time.
6. There is no use phoning now. They must …………………………..
go
have gone
had gone
We can use the structure must have + past participle to predict the present.
7. None of them ……………………… up.
turned
was turning
turning
8. He ……………………………. much of his spare time in the library.
spend
spends
is spending
We use the simple present to talk about habits and preferences.
9. We were …………………………… to hear the news.
saded
sadden
saddened
Saddened is the past participle form of sadden.
10. He ………………………….. ill for a week when his brother came.
was
has been
had been
We use the past perfect to talk about an action or situation that started in the past and had
continued until another event took place.
11. We ……………………………… hurry, we have got plenty of time.
need not to
need not
don’t need
When need is used as a modal auxiliary, questions and negatives are made without do.
12. I ……………………… visit my parents every Sunday; now I go once a
month.
used to
use to
will
We use used to to talk about past habits.
PLAY AGAIN !
Answers
1. Has the situation improved?
2. The accused awaited the verdict with anxiety.
3. A wide spread outbreak of plague occurred in the 14th century.
4. He did not take any of the samples presented to him.
5. Last month I went to Canada to see my brother.
6. There is no use phoning now. They must have gone.
7. None of them turned up.
8. He spends much of his spare time in the library.
9. We were saddened to hear the news.
10. He had been ill for a week when his brother came.
11. We need not hurry; we have got plenty of time.
12. I used to visit my parents every Sunday; now I go once a month.