English Tenses Tests

Introduction

These test items are designed to test the knowledge of students in grades 9-11 on the topic: English tenses. They are well suited to identify gaps in student knowledge on this topic. Test items are grouped by subtopic:

1. Present Tenses;

2. Past Simple and Past Continuous;

3. Past Perfect;

4. Future Tense.

Instruction

Students give all the answers to the test assignments in writing on the same sheet where the assignments themselves are contained. Additional instructions are provided in the description of each assignment.

The time for completing assignments varies depending on the level of knowledge of students.

At the end of each test there are correct answers (keys).

Present Tenses

1) Put in the present continuous form of the verb in brackets.

1. Please be quiet. I _______________ (try) to read my book.

2. I _______________ (not/use) the computer at the moment so you can use it.

3. Mary is ill so Sue _______________ (teach) her lessons today.

4. Excuse me, I _______________ (look) for a hotel. Is there one near here?

5. _______________ (you/wait) for someone?

6. Jack, you are very careless. You _______________ (always/forget) to do your

homework!

7. The cost of living _______________ (rise) very fast. Every year things are more

expensive.

8. What _______________ (you/do)? I _______________ (clean) my shoes.

9. Why _______________ (not/wear) shorts? It's so hot today.

10. The neighbours are so noisy! They _______________ (always/argue) loudly.

2) Put the verb into the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

1. I _______________ (not/belong) to this particu1ar government committee.

2. Hurry! The bus _______________ (come). I _______________ (not/want) to miss it.

3. Gregory is a vegetarian. He _______________ (not/eat) meat.

4. I _______________ (1ook) for the manager. I can't find him anywhere.

5. We are successful because we _______________ (take) the time to ta1k to our customers.

6. John _______________ (deal) with all the enquiries about sales.

7. At the moment we _______________ (make) a training video for Siemens.

8. _______________ (you/know) what Mr. Briceson _______________ (do)? He is not in his office.

9. I _______________ (apply) for a job in the sales department, but I don't know if I will be successful.

It _______________ (depend) on whether or not they have any vacancies.

10. Unemployment _______________ (fa1l) and is now down to 5.6%.

11. Jane is doing some research in the library. She needs it for a book she_______________ (write).

12. While Anna is away on holidays, Matt _______________ (work) in her office.

13. He _______________ (teach) French and German at University and _______________(learn) Greek.

14. There _______________ (be)two flights to Honduras this afternoon. The British Airways flight _______________ (1eave) at 13:00 and _______________(arrive) at 22:00.

15. Inflation _______________ (rise) at a rate of 2% per annum.

3) Put the verb in brackets into the present simple or the present continuous.

1. She always _______________ (remember) my birthday.

2. Mr. Brown _______________ (work) in a supermarket.

3. I _______________ (work) in this factory until I find a better job.

4. Look! It _______________ (snow).

5. Can you hear those girls? What _______________ (they/ta1k) about?

6. _______________ (you/know) Helen?

7. We _______________ (never/go) to work by tube. It is too busy.

8. When I'm in Paris I _______________ (usually/stay) in the Hotel du Pont, but this time I _______________ (stay) in the more expensive Hotel Notre Dame.

9. Ruth _______________ (be) a vegetarian. She _______________ (not/eat) meat or fish.

10. My father _______________ (be) an engineer, but he _______________ (not/work) right now.

11. _______________ (you/believe) in ghosts?

12. My parents _______________ (live) in Sydney. Where _______________ (your parents/1ive)?

13. We _______________ (own) two cars, an estate car and a sports car.

14. Can you drive? No, but I _______________ (learn) at the moment.

15. Look! That woman _______________ (try) to steal that man's wallet.

16. The River Nile _______________ (flow) into the Mediterranean.

17. _______________ (you/like) Bon Jovi?

18. I _______________ (get) thirsty. Let's get something to drink.

19. Those f1owers _______________ (smell) lovely. What are they?

20. Jane _______________ (repair) her bike. She _______________ (know) exactly what to do.

Answer Key (Present Tenses)

Past Simple and Past Continuous

1) Put one of these verbs in each sentence. Use the past simple:

eat bring write buy see meet

1. The party was fantastic. Every guest _______________ something to eat and a bottle of wine.

2. I had an extravagant weekend. I _______________ some clothes and a plant.

3. Three weeks ago Tracy _______________ her ex-husband in Mallorca. What a

coincidence!

4. When I lived in Italy, we always _______________ lamb at Easter.

5. Shakespeare _______________ a lot of plays.

2) A friend has just returned from his holiday. Ask him questions about it using the past simple.

Example: where/go? Where did you go?

sun/shine Did the sun shine?

1. how /get there?

2. who/go with?

3. where/stay?

4. the weather /good?

5. what/you think of the food?

6. what/do during the day?

7. go out in the evenings?

8. buy any souvenirs?

9. make any new friends?

10. how long/the journey home/take?

3) Put the verb in the past simple.

1. Tom _______________ (not/come) to the office yesterday because he _______________(be) ill.

2. She _______________ (not/read) the book because she _______________ (not/be) very interested in that author.

3. The students _______________ (not/finish) their group project because they

_______________ (run out) of time.

4. We _______________ (not/eat) anything for breakfast because we

_______________ (be) in a hurry.

5. Mary _______________ (not/catch) the train to Mexico City because she

_______________ (arrive) at the station too late.

4) Put the verb in the correct form: past simple or past continuous.

1. I _______________ (dream) when the alarm clock _______________ (go off).

2. They _______________ (wait) for me when I _______________ (arrive).

3. The phone _______________ (ring) while I _______________ (have) a shower.

4. We _______________ (not/go out) last Sunday because it _______________ (rain).

5. I _______________ (see) Kim at the party. She _______________ (wear) a new dress.

6. I _______________ (break) a bowl this morning. When I _______________ (wash) the dishes it just _______________ (slip) out of my hand onto the floor!

7. When he _______________ (carry) the table, he _______________ (feel) a sharp pain in his back.

8. Sarah _______________ (go) down the stairs when the lights _______________ (go out).

9. We _______________ (watch) TV when someone _______________ (come) to the door and _______________ (knock) very loudly.

10. What _______________ (you/do) at this time yesterday? Oh, I _______________(prepare) the dinner.

11. I _______________ (fall) asleep while I _______________ (watch) television.

12. At 12:45 yesterday, Mr. Alright _______________ (see) a client in his office.

Answer Key (Past Simple and Past Continuous)

Past Perfect

1) Here is the latest news about your friends and family. Complete the sentences using the present perfect simple.

Example: I/buy/a new car I have bought a new car

1. Mary/move house

2. Fred and Frank/start/a company

3. My parents/go to Greece

4. Sue/get married

5. Granny/celebrate her 80th birthday

2) Read the situations and write sentences in the present perfect simple. Choose one of the following:

Learn buy find break clean grow

1. James can't go to school because his arm is in plaster. He has broken his arm.

2. Fred was nervous about travelling to France. He isn't any more because he knows he can communicate. He has …………………………………………

3. Jane didn't have a dress to wear to the wedding. Now she does ………………………….

4. Our flat was very dusty. It isn't any more. ………………………………………………..

5. Mr. Flint was unhappy because he had lost his cat. Now he is happy. ……………….

6. Harry didn't have a beard last month. Now he has a beard.……………………………….

3) You are interviewing a famous person. Ask questions about things he/she has done in his/her life. Make the questions from the words given.

1. ever/win/an award Have you ever won an award?

2. ever/travel/to Hollywood …………………

3. ever/meet/Bill Clinton …………………

4. ever/write/a novel …………………

5. ever/run/a marathon …………………

6. ever/give/money to charity …………………

4) Complete the sentences using the present perfect simple and today/this week/this year etc.

1. I watched TV yesterday but I haven 't watched TV today.

2. It rained last week but …………………………………………

3. Last week I spent a lot of money but ………………………….

4. I saw James yesterday but ……………………………………..

5. I received a lot of post last month but …………………………

6. It was warm last spring but ……………………………………

5) Write a sentence using the present perfect continuous. Use the words in brackets.

1. John is sunburnt. He has been sitting in the sun. (sit/in the sun)

2. The ground is wet. ……………………….. (rain)

3. Jack has no money left. ……………………….. (shop)

4. Fred is covered in paint. ………………………… (paint/the kitchen)

5. Maisy is tired and irritable ………………………… (drive/for 4 hours)

6. Harry is very hot and dirty ………………………… (dig/the garden)

Answer Key (Past Perfect)

Future Tense

1) Put the verb in brackets into the present continuous or the present simple.

1. I ______________ (meet) Jane tonight.

2. The train to London ______________ (leave) at midday.

3. What time ______________ (the film / begin) this evening?

4. What ______________ (you / do) next weekend?

5. We ______________ (have) a party on Saturday. Do you want to come?

6. When ______________ (the concert / start)? It ______________ (start) at 7 p.m.

7. Harry ______________ (come) to stay tomorrow. He ______________ (catch) the last bus from York, which ______________ (arrive) here at midnight.

2) Write questions using going to.

Your friend is going on holiday to Spain. You ask:

1. (where / stay?) Where are you going to stay?

2. (what / see?) ………………………………..?

3. (who / go with?) ………………………………..?

4. (how / travel?) ………………………………..?

5. (how much luggage / take?) ………………………………..?

6. (what souvenirs / buy?) ………………………………..?

3) Use going to and the words in brackets to say what is going to happen in these situations.

1. There are a lot of black clouds in the sky. (rain) It's going to rain.

2. The cat has seen a mouse. (chase) ………………….

3. There is a large hole in the bottom of the boat. (sink) ………………….

4. It is 7:45 and John is asleep. His train leaves at 7:50. (miss) …………………..

5. A car thief is looking around a car park. (steal) …………………..

6. A bungee jumper is standing on a high bridge. (jump) ……………………

4) Choose the correct form of the verb.

1. I'll meet / I'm meeting Jane in town tonight.

2. Louise can't come. She is taking / will take the car to the garage at 5 p.m.

3. What time does your train leave / will your train leave tomorrow?

4. 'I'm very thirsty.' 'I'll get / I get you something to drink. Coke or tea?'

5. This bus is stopping / stops at every village, so it's very slow!

6. 'Did you buy some butter?' 'Oh, I forgot. I'll get / I'm getting some now.'

7. I think it rains / will rain later today.

8. 'Have you chosen a new car yet?' 'Yes, we are going to buy / we will buy a Ford Focus.'

9. 'Why have you put the TV on?' I'm going to watch / I will watch the news.'

10. 'Frank, I can't go out because I haven't got any money.' 'Don't worry. I lend you / I'll lend you some.'

11. Shall / Will I carry that for you?

Answer Key (Future Tense)