All these exercises test your ability to use verb tenses correctly.

Please read the sentences/passage

entirely before you write out the answers and look for all the clues that may help you.

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one printed next to it. Use between 2 and 5 words.
I came to live here three months ago I here for three months
Sophie is out at the shops at the moment Sophie to the shops
Ive had French lessons since Match I French
since March
Im still reading this book I reading this book
yet
Its ages since I last went to the cinema I .to the
cinema for ages
This is the first time Ive eaten snails I snails before
I dont remember Helens phone number - Ive phone
number
How long is it since they got engaged? How long engaged?
When did Jane take up snowboarding? How long ..snowboarding?
When had they last been to the ice rink? How long ..been to the ice
rink?

Finish each sentence so that it means the same as the one printed above it. Pay attention to verb
tenses
1. Michael learned how to sing when he was small.
Michael has ..........................................................................................................
2. When did it start snowing?
How .....................................................................................................................
3. Ive never eaten this before.
Its the first time ...................................................................................................
4. She washed the dishes, then she went out.
After she ..............................................................................................................
5. Jack met Ian in 1988
Jack and Ian have .................................................................................................
6. She hasnt appeared live for years.
Its years ...............................................................................................................
7. He bought his car five years ago.
He has ...................................................................................................................
8. The aerial is still broken.
The aerial hasnt ...................................................................................................
1. These pills will help you to sleep at night.
These pills will make ............................................................................................
2. When I was a child, if my room was untidy I had to tidy it up.
When I was a child, I was made ...........................................................................

Rewrite these sentences without changing their meaning, using the words in brackets. The words given
are not necessarily new beginnings; in case a verb is given, you must provide the correct form.
Remember that all these exercises test your ability to use verb tenses in a flexible way. Look at the
example:

Helen moved to Scotland in 1999. (live)

Helen has been living in Scotland since 1999

Now you try!

1. Slim sold his only coat last week. (not wear)
2. Ben did his homework and then he went out with his friends. (after/had)
3. Having finished her work at the office, Sally decided to go shopping. (after she)
4. Nobody has seen my neighbours cat since last Christmas. (disappear)
5. Dickens sympathised with poor children. He had to work in a factory as a child. (because)
6. In 1853, Dickens wrote his tenth novel.(by the end of 1853)
7. Dickens visited America. Then he wrote Martin Chuzzlewit (after)
8. Dickens visited America for the first time in 1841. (before 1841/never)
9. Id never climbed a mountain before. (the first time)

VERB TENSES
Correct the mistakes, all the sentences contained MISUSED tenses or incorrect verb forms

1. My penfriend is writing to me for years

2. What have you been doing all day? Ive been writing ten e-
mails
3. Ive been feeling ill since three weeks
4. I live in this city since I was born
5. I wait here for ages! Where have you been?
6. Youre out of breath! Have you jogged?
7. Oh no, Ive been leaving my books on the bus!
8. The film has been starting for ten minutes. Now they wont let
us in.
9. How long havent you had a holiday?
10. Dads given up smoking. He hasnt been smoking for a couple of
years
11. They had been walking for three hours by the time they had
reached the top of the hill
12. He was been waiting for the bus when I saw him

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense

1. Theres no petrol in my car, someone ..(use) it all
2. Go and get some fresh air! You .(sit) there all day.
3. When I .(get) home, Tom ..(relax) on the sofa. He
was exhausted because he ..(work) hard all day.
4. How long (they cycle) before they stopped for a rest? For three
hours
5. How long (they build) the youth club? they only
.(lay) the first brick last month actually
6. What (you do) all day? I (listen) to music
Oh, thats why you look so relaxed!
7. He was very upset when he .(realise) that he
(miss) the train
8. The pasta must be awfully overdone! It .(cook) for fifteen minutes.
9. Ive phoned Carla all day but theres been no reply Well, I expect she ..
(swimming) with her friends.
10. Diana ..(wear) twelve different dresses in the past week!
11. When I met Francesca she was studying in London. Really? How long (she
study) there?
12. Youre nervous and I think I know why! You .(drink) coffee all day! No,
I havent! yes indeed you have tell me, how many cups .. (you drink)?

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Perfect Simple or Continuous or the Simple Past
1. She (look)____________________ worn out as if she (travel) ____________________ all night
2. I (refuse)____________________ to go out with him when I (hear)____________________ he (ask)
____________________ Mary out before me.
3. We (finish) ____________________the third game of chess when they finally (come)
____________________
4. I (not have to) ____________________ water the plants in the garden as it (rain) ____________________ all
morning
5. After our teacher (explain) ____________________the problem, he (go) ____________________ on to give
us the homework assignment
6. Ann (pass) ____________________ her exam with flying colours because she (study)
____________________hard for two weeks
7. She (be) ____________________upset because her dog (run) ____________________ away