Oct 19th

Verb Tense Practice Test

Cumulative Verb Tense Review

Using the words in parentheses and complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

1. You look really great! (you, work)  out at the fitness center recently?

2. A: What (you, do)  when the accident occurred?
B: I (try)  to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

3. I (have)  the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one.

4. If it (snow)  this weekend, we (go)  skiing near Lake Tahoe.

5. A: What do you call people who work in libraries?
B: They (call)  librarians.

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. Sam (arrive)  in San Diego a week ago.

8. Samantha (live)  in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)  there when the Berlin wall came down.

9. If Vera (keep)  drinking, she (lose, eventually)  her job.

10. 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.

11. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) .

12. It (rain)  all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go to the beach.

13. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss)  the bus this morning. You (be)  late to work too many times. You are fired!

14. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake)  up tomorrow morning, the sun (shine) .

15. I have not traveled much yet; however, I (visit)  the Grand Canyon and San Francisco by the time I leave the United States.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Joseph's English (improve, really) , isn't it? He (watch)  American television programs and (study)  his grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

19. When I (arrive)  home last night, I discovered that Jane (prepare)  a beautiful candlelight dinner.

20. If you (need)  to contact me sometime next week, I (stay)  at the Sheraton in San Francisco.

Verb Tense Final Test

Cumulative Verb Tense Review

Complete questions 1-10 below with the appropriate tenses and answer questions 11-15.

1. When Carol (call)  last night, I (watch)  my favorite show on television.

2. I (work)  for this company for more than thirty years, and I intend to stay here until I retire!

3. Sharon (love)  to travel. She (go)  abroad almost every summer. Next year, she plans to go to Peru.

4. Thomas is an author. He (write)  mystery novels and travel memoirs. He (write)  since he was twenty-eight. Altogether, he (write)  seven novels, three collections of short stories and a book of poetry.

5. We were late because we had some car problems. By the time we (get)  to the train station, Susan (wait)  for us for more than two hours.

6. Sam (try)  to change a light bulb when he (slip)  and (fell) .

7. Everyday I (wake)  up at 6 o'clock, (eat)  breakfast at 7 o'clock and (leave)  for work at 8 o'clock. However, this morning I (get)  up at 6:30, (skip)  breakfast and (leave)  for work late because I (forget)  to set my alarm.

8. Right now, Jim (read)  the newspaper and Kathy (make)  dinner. Last night at this time, they (do)  the same thing. She (cook)  and he (read)  the newspaper. Tomorrow at this time, they (do, also)  the same thing. She (prepare)  dinner and he (read) . They are very predictable people!

9. By this time next summer, you (complete)  your studies and (find)  a job. I, on the other hand, (accomplish, not)  anything. I (study, still)  and you (work)  in some new high paying job.

10. The students (be, usually)  taught by Mrs. Monty. However, this week they (teach)  taught by Mr. Tanzer.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

11.
Jane talks on the phone.
Bob has been talking on the phone for an hour.
Mary is talking on the phone.

Who is not necessarily on the phone now? 

12.
I'm going to make dinner for Frank.
I'm making dinner for Judy.
I'll make dinner for Mary.
I make dinner for Ted.
I will be making dinner for Tony.

Who are you offering to make dinner for? 

13.
Jane left when Tim arrived.
Bob left when Tim had arrived.
When Tim arrived, Mary was leaving.
John had left when Tim arrived.
After Tim arrived, Frank left.

Who did not run into Tim? 

14.
Jane is talking in class.
Bob always talks in class.
Mary is always talking in class.

Whose action bothers you? 

15.
Jane never left Jamestown.
Bob has never left Jamestown.

Who is still alive?