Verb Tense Exercises
Verb Tense Exercises
Verb Tense Exercises
2. Usually, I (work) as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) French at a language
school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) because everybody (talk) so loudly.
7. Justin (write, currently) a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope he can find a good
publisher when he is finished.
Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) to a movie tonight with some friends.
9. The business cards (be, normally ) printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be)
inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10. This delicious chocolate (be) made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.
Today (be) the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs
(shake) ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) me and
my toes (bleed) , but I (want, still) to continue.
Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) so different, and I
(try) to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) a little bit of the language to make
communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) foreign languages quickly. Although I
(understand, not) much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) .
I (travel, currently) with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be)
a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always) ahead of me and (complain)
that I am too slow. I (do) my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and
stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old.
Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) the differences
between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) the real name of the owner, but
everybody (call, just) him Tam. Tam (speak) English very well and he (try)
to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) a new word, Liam (try)
to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) to have difficulty learning foreign
languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.
2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) to the police and
(turn) it in.
3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he (need)
to stay at home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)
there. She (study, at the library) for her final examination in French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)
television. That's all she ever does!
6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) there. Where were you?
B: I (work) out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk) on the phone with a
customer, several clerks (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly)
methods to improve customer service.
8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to
find out how the movie ends.
9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything
because she (listen, not) .
10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just) about you.
12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try)
to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys
(lead) their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)
over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man who (sell)
fruit and (buy) a banana.
13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the third floor of the
burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she
(expect, actually) me to do them for her.
15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live) there
when the Berlin Wall came down.
She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually)
in class. Some of the students (talk) about their plans for the weekend and
the student next to her (draw) a picture of a horse. When Angela (tell) me she was
not satisfied with the class, I (mention) that my biology professor was quite good and (suggest)
that she switch to my class.
While we were talking, I (hear) her professor yell, "Miss, are you making a phone call?"
Suddenly, the line went dead. I (hang) up the phone and went to the kitchen to make dinner. As
I (cut) vegetables for a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be) Angela, but this
time she wasn't sitting in class.
3. My best friend and I (know) each other for over fifteen years. We still get together once a
week.
4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short stories in the last year. One
day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway.
6. Things (change) a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first (start) working here
three years ago, the company (have, only) six employees. Since then, we (expand)
to include more than 2000 full-time workers.
7. I (tell) him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he (wander) off into the
forest and (be) bitten by a snake.
8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You (be) late to
work too many times. You are fired!
9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see, never) the
ocean. He should come with us to Miami.
10. How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He
(see, never) the ocean.
11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) much easier and very comfortable. In the 19th
century, it (take) two or three months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip (be)
very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) a great deal in the last hundred
and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.
12. Jonny, I can't believe how much you (change) since the last time I (see) you.
You (grow) at least a foot!
13. This tree (be) planted by the settlers who (found) our city over four hundred
years ago.
14. This mountain (be, never) climbed by anyone. Several mountaineers (try) to
reach the top, but nobody (succeed, ever) . The climb is extremely difficult and many
people (die) trying to reach the summit.
15. I (visit, never) Africa, but I (travel) to South America several times. The
last time I (go) to South America, I (visit) Brazil and Peru. I (spend)
two weeks in the Amazon, (hike) for a week near Machu Picchu, and (fly)
over the Nazca Lines.
Michele: I think you're right. He (walk) by us at least twenty times. He probably thinks we
(order, already) .
Robin: Look at that couple over there, they (be, only) here for five or ten minutes and they
already have their food.
Michele: He must realize we (order, not) yet! We (sit) here for over half an
hour staring at him.
Robin: I don't know if he (notice, even) us. He (run) from table to table taking
orders and serving food.
2. I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.
3. I (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic."
4. Matt and Sarah (have) some difficulties in their relationship lately, so they (go)
to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.
5. John (work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University. Until
recently, he (enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.
7. I (see) Judy for more than five years and during that time I (see) many
changes in her personality.
4. Frank, where have you been? We (wait) for you since 1 PM.
7. Dan: You look a little tired. (You, get) enough sleep lately?
Michelle: Yes, I (sleep) relatively well. I just look tired because I (feel) a
little sick for the last week.
Dan: I hope you feel better soon.
Michelle: Thanks. I (take, currently) some medicine, so I should feel better in a couple of
days.
Mr. Harris: I (work) in the insurance industry for over ten years. I worked for Met Life for
six years and World Insurance for four and a half. During that time, I heard many good things about
Hollings Life Insurance and that's why I (apply) for the new sales position.
Mr. Harris: In my spare time, I hike in the mountains outside of town, volunteer at the Sierra Club and play
tennis. In fact, I (compete) in a tennis tournament this weekend.
Mr. Smith: Great! We like dedication here at Hollings Life. You mentioned you volunteer at the Sierra
Club. I (work, currently) with them on the sea turtle project. We (try) to
create a wildlife sanctuary near the bay.
Mr. Harris: Do you know Frank Harris? He's my brother. He (work, presently) on the
same project.
Mr. Smith: I know Frank quite well. Any brother of Frank's would be a welcome addition to Hollings Life.
Just one more thing, we (look) for somebody who is fluent in Spanish; many of our clients
are from Mexico.
I (try) to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want)
me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have)
some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end)
up listing my father as a reference.
It was total luck that he (decide) to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my
father (go) to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look)
at my credit report. I really lucked out!
2. Since I began acting, I (perform) in two plays, a television commercial and a TV drama.
However, I (speak, never even) publicly before I came to Hollywood in 1985.
3. By the time I got to the office, the meeting (begin, already) without me. My boss (be)
furious with me and I (be) fired.
4. When I (turn) the radio on yesterday, I (hear) a song that was popular when I
was in high school. I (hear, not) the song in years, and it (bring) back some great
memories.
5. Last week, I (run) into an ex-girlfriend of mine. We (see, not) each other in
years, and both of us (change) a great deal. I (enjoy) talking to her so much that I
(ask) her out on a date. We are getting together tonight for dinner.
6. When Jack (enter) the room, I (recognize, not) him because he (lose)
so much weight and (grow) a beard. He looked totally different!
7. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the Yucatan; however, their culture
(disappear, virtually) by the time Europeans first (arrive) in the New
World.
8. I (visit) so many beautiful places since I (come) to Utah. Before moving here, I
(hear, never) of Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, or Canyonlands.
When I arrived at the theater, Kathy (pick, already) up the tickets and she was waiting for us
near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait) for more than half an hour. She
said she (give, almost) up and (go) into the theater without us.
Kathy told me you (be) late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with
you again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss) several movies because of your late
arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time!
2. I was really angry at John yesterday. By the time he finally arrived, I (wait) for over an
hour. I almost left without him.
3. Did you hear that Ben was fired last month? He (work) for that import company for more
than ten years and he (work) in almost every department. Nobody knew the company like he
did.
4. I (see) many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt. Pictures of the monuments are
very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.
5. Sarah (climb) the Matterhorn, (sail) around the world, and (go)
on safari in Kenya. She is such an adventurous person.
6. Sarah (climb) the Matterhorn, (sail) around the world and (go)
on safari in Kenya by the time she turned twenty-five. She (experience) more by that age than
most people do in their entire lives.
7. When Melanie came into the office yesterday, her eyes were red and watery. I think she (cry)
.
I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay) with a
host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit) there the whole time staring at
the host mother and father hoping that there would be some breakthrough. Nothing.
When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have) problems with the language for years.
He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go abroad again. I
(research) exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally decided on a school in the
United States.
Well, it worked. I (live) and (study) in the U.S. for more than two years. I
(stay) here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should be completely
fluent.
3.
a. Sam (sit) in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.
b. Sam (be) in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.
4.
a. One clown was juggling while he (balance) a glass of wine on his head.
b. One clown was juggling while he (have) a glass of wine on his head.
5.
a. I (love) the circus ever since I was a child.
b. I (go) to the circus ever since I was a child.
6.
a. Right now, I (see) two elephants doing tricks in the ring.
b. Right now, I (look) at two elephants doing tricks in the ring.
Tony: We (wait) for the new Stars Wars movie. In fact, we (wait) here for
more than five hours.
Tony: We (get) here at 6:00 o'clock this morning. More than forty people (stand, already)
here waiting for tickets when we arrived.
Tony: Yeah, people (take) Star Wars movies seriously. In fact, this particular showing has
been sold out for over a week. We (wait, just) in line to get a good seat in the theater.
Tony: I (buy) them last week by phone. I (know) tickets would be hard to get
because I (see) a news interview with a group of people standing in line to get tickets. They
(wait) in line for almost a month to buy tickets for the first showing.
Lars: I don't believe that!
Tony: It's true. They (camp) out in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles for about a
month because they (want) to be the first people to see the movie.
4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) Paris, Nice and
Grenoble.
8. After I graduate, I (attend) medical school and become a doctor. I have wanted to be a
doctor all my life.
9. A: Excuse me, I need to talk to someone about our hotel room. I am afraid it is simply too small for four
people.
B: That man at the service counter (help) you.
10. As soon as the weather clears up, we (walk) down to the beach and go swimming.
3.
Gina: Where are you going?
Ted: I (go) to the store to pick up some groceries.
Gina: What (you, get) ?
Ted: I (buy) some milk, some bread, and some coffee.
4.
John: Wow, it's freezing out there.
Jane: I (make) some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well?
John: Coffee sounds great! But I (have) dinner with some friends later, so I'd better skip the
pie.
Jane: I (go) to dinner tonight too, but I'm having a piece of pie anyway.
5.
Frank: I heard you're taking a Spanish class at the community college.
Tom: Yeah, I (go) to Guatemala next spring and I thought knowing a little Spanish would
make the trip easier.
Frank: I (visit) my brother in Marseilles next year. Maybe I should take a French class.
Tom: I have a course catalog in the other room. I (go) get it, and we can see whether or not
they're offering a French course next semester.
2.
Susan: We (go) camping this weekend. Would you like to come along?
Sam: That sounds great, but I don't have a sleeping bag.
Susan: No problem. I (lend) you one. My family has tons of camping gear.
3.
Barbara: I (buy) a new car this weekend, but I'm a little worried because I don't really know
much about cars. I'm afraid the salesman (try) to take advantage of me when he sees how little
I know.
Dave: I used to work for a mechanic in high school and I know a lot about cars. I (go) with you
to make sure you are not cheated.
4.
Gina: Fred and I (visit) Santa Fe next summer. Have you ever been there?
Margaret: My family lives in Santa Fe! I (give) you my parents' phone number. When you get
to Santa Fe, just call them and they (give) you a little tour of the town. They can show you
some of the sights that most tourists never see.
5.
Pam: Can you see my future in the crystal ball? What (happen) next year?
Fortune Teller: You (meet) a man from the East Coast, perhaps New York or maybe
Boston. You (marry) that mystery man.
Pam: Forget the man! I want to know if I (get) a new job.
5. Your father (plan) to pick you up after school today at 3:00 o'clock. He (meet)
you across the street near the ice cream shop. If something happens and he cannot be there, I
(pick) you up instead.
6. If the people of the world (stop, not) cutting down huge stretches of rain forest, we
(experience) huge changes in the environment during the twenty-first century.
8. I promise you that I (tell, not) your secret to anybody. Even if somebody (ask)
me about what happened that day, I (reveal, not) the truth to a single person.
9. She (make) some major changes in her life. She (quit) her job and go back
to school. After she (finish) studying, she (get) a better-paying job and buy a
house. She is going to improve her life!
2.
Ari: By the time we (get) to the movie theater, the tickets are going to be sold out.
Sarah: Don't worry. I told Jane we might be arriving just before the movie (start) . She (buy)
our tickets and meet us in the lobby.
Ari: That place is huge! We (find, never) her in that crowded lobby.
Sarah: Calm down, we (meet) each other near the entrance.
3.
Terry: If the weather (be) good tomorrow, maybe we should go to the beach.
Jennifer: I have a better idea. If it (be) nice out, we'll go to the beach; and if it (rain)
, we'll see a movie.
Terry: I guess we will have to wait until we (get) up in the morning to find out what we are
going to do.
4.
Max: What are you going to do tomorrow after work?
Sean: I (meet) some friends at the cafe across the street. Would you like to come along?
Max: No thanks! My brother is coming to town and I (pick) him up from the airport at 7
o'clock.
Sean: We (be, probably) at the cafe until 9 o'clock. Why don't you join us after you (pick)
him up.
Max: Sounds good. We (see) you around 8 o'clock.
5.
Lucy: I (call) you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.
Dwain: If I am not there when you (call) , make sure to leave a message.
Lucy: I will. And please don't forget to water my plants and feed the cat.
Dwain: I promise I (take) care of everything while you are in Ireland.
2.
Ted: When we get to the party, Jerry (watch) TV, Sam (make) drinks, Beth
(dance) by herself, and Thad (complain) about his day at work.
Robin: Maybe, this time they won't be doing the same things.
Ted: I am absolutely positive they (do) the same things; they always do the same things.
3.
Florence: Oh, look at that mountain of dirty dishes! Who (wash) all of those?
Jack: I promise I (do) them when I get home from work.
Florence: Thanks.
Jack: When you get home this evening, that mountain will be gone and nice stacks of sparkling clean dishes
(sit) in the cabinets.
4.
Doug: If you need to contact me next week, I (stay) at the Hoffman Hotel.
Nancy: I (call) you if there are any problems.
Doug: This is the first time I have ever been away from the kids.
Nancy: Don't worry, they (be) be fine.
5.
Samantha: Just think, next week at this time, I (lie) on a tropical beach in Maui drinking Mai
Tais and eating pineapple.
Darren: While you are luxuriating on the beach, I (stress) out over this marketing project.
How are you going to enjoy yourself knowing that I am working so hard?
Samantha: I 'll manage somehow.
Darren: You're terrible. Can't you take me with you?
Samantha: No. But I (send) you a postcard of a beautiful, white sand beach.
Darren: Great, that (make) me feel much better.
3. I am going on a dream vacation to Tahiti. While you (do) paperwork and (talk)
to annoying customers on the phone, I (lie) on a sunny, tropical beach. Are you
jealous?
4. We (hide) when Tony (arrive) at his surprise party. As soon as he opens the
door, we (jump) out and (scream) , "Surprise!"
5. We work out at the fitness center every day after work. If you (come) over while we (work)
out, we will not be able to let you into the house. Just to be safe, we (leave) a
key under the welcome mat so you will not have to wait outside.
7. When I (get) to the party, Sally and Doug (dance) , John (make)
drinks, Sue and Frank (discuss) something controversial, and Mary
(complain) about something unimportant. They are always doing the same things. They are
so predictable.
9. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake) up tomorrow morning, the
sun (shine) .
10. If you (need) to contact me sometime next week, I (stay) at the Sheraton in
San Francisco.
3.
Stan: Did you hear that Christine (take) a vacation in South America this winter?
Fred: I can't believe how often she goes abroad. Where exactly does she want to go?
Stan: She (visit) Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Fred: At this rate, she (visit) every country in the world by the time she's 50.
4.
Judy: How long have you been in Miami?
Elaine: I have only been here for a couple of weeks.
Judy: How long do you plan on staying?
Elaine: I love Miami, so I (stay) here for an extended period of time. When I go back home, I
(be) here for more than three months.
Judy: Wow, that's quite a vacation! You (see, definitely) just about everything there is
to see in Miami by then.
5.
Jane: I can't believe how late we are! By the time we get to the dinner, everyone (finish, already)
eating.
Jack: It's your own fault. You took way too long in the bathroom.
Jane: I couldn't get my hair to look right.
Jack: Who cares? By the time we get there, everyone (left) . Nobody (see, even)
your hair.
2. When Sarah goes on vacation next month, she (study) German for over two years.
She should be able to communicate fairly well while she is in Austria.
3. I have not traveled much yet; however, I (visit) the Grand Canyon and San Francisco by
the time I leave the United States.
4. By the time you finish studying the verb tense tutorial, you (master) all twelve tenses
including their passive forms.
5. Drive faster! If you don't hurry up, she (have) the baby by the time we get to the hospital.
6. I came to England six months ago. I started my economics course three months ago. When I return to
Australia, I (study) for nine months and I (be) in England for exactly one
year.
7. Margie just called and said she would be here at 8 o'clock. By the time she gets here, we (wait)
for her for two hours.
8. Frank just changed jobs again. If he keeps this up, he (change) jobs at least four or five
times by the end of the year.
9. Come over to my house around 9 o'clock. By then, I (complete) my history essay and we
can go see a movie.
10. In June, my grandmother and grandfather (be) married for fifty years.
2.
Oliver: When are going to get your bachelor's degree, Anne?
Anne: I am going to finish my degree next June. By the time I graduate, I (go) to four
different colleges and universities, and I (study) for more than seven years.
Oliver: Wow, that's a long time!
Anne: And I plan to continue on to get a Ph.D.
Oliver: Really? How long is that going to take?
Anne: By the time I finally finish studying, I (be) a student for over 13 years.
3.
Max: Sarah has been in the kitchen all day long.
Jake: It doesn't sound like she's having a very good Thanksgiving.
Max: She (cook) for over seven hours by the time everyone arrives for dinner this
afternoon. Hopefully, she (finish) everything by then.
Jake: Maybe we should help her out.
4.
Mike: It's 6:00, and I have been working on my essay for over three hours.
Sid: Do you think you (finish) by 10:00? There's a party at Donna's tonight.
Mike: I (complete, probably) the essay by 10:00, but I (work) on
it for more than seven hours, and I don't think I am going to feel like going to a party.
5.
Fred: By the time they finish their trip across Yosemite National Park, they (hike) for
more than six days.
Ginger: And they (be, not) in a bed or (have) a shower in almost a week!
Fred: When we pick them up, they (eat) camping food for days, and I am sure they will
be starving.
Ginger: I think we had better plan on taking them directly to a restaurant.
2.
Jason: I am leaving!
Nurse: If you would please wait, the doctor will be with you in ten minutes. The doctor is having some
problems with a patient.
Jason: The doctor was having problems with that patient an hour ago. If I wait another ten minutes, I am
sure he (have, still) problems with her. By the time he's finally ready to see me, I (wait)
for more than two hours.
3.
Frank: What are you going to be doing tomorrow at five?
Debbie: I (paint) my living room walls.
Frank: Still? How long have you been working on your living room?
Debbie: Forever. By the time I finish, I (redecorate) the living room for over a week.
Frank: Too bad. I was going to ask if you wanted to see a movie. What about the day after tomorrow?
Debbie: Sorry, I (move) furniture and (put) up drapes.
4.
Mr. Jones: What are you going to be doing next year at this time?
Mr. McIntyre: I (work) for a big law firm in New Orleans.
Mr. Jones: I didn't know you were leaving Baton Rouge.
Mr. McIntyre: I got a great job offer which I just can't refuse. Besides, by the time I move, I (live)
in Baton Rouge for over twenty years. I think it's about time for a change.
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html