EXERCISE ON TENSES

Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

1. They went home after they…………… their work.
A. have finished B. had finished C. finished D. would have finished
2. There was a knock on the door while we……………the game show on TV.
A. were enjoying B. enjoyed C. had enjoyed D. had been enjoying
3. I wondered why he……………his job.
A. has changed B. changes C. used to change D. had changed
4. His clothes were dirty then as he.............................the car.
A. had repaired B. had been repairing C. have been repaired D. has repaired
5. He……………on his English study all yesterday evening.
A. used to work B. had worked C. was working D. working
6. He ...................a lot since he……………her.
A. have changed/loved B. has changed/ loved C. has changed/ had loved D. has changed/has loved
7. I asked my father why he……………to this city, but he couldn’t answer.
A. moving B. had moved C. will move D. has moved
8. The phone……………suddenly while Joanna was doing the housework.
A. rang B. was ringing C. had rung D. is ringing
9. It……………as we drove slowly along the road.
A. has snowed B. had snowed C. was snowing D. is snowing
10. Peter left half an hour ago. He……………for you for a long time then.
A. was waiting B. has been waiting C. will be waiting D. had been waiting
11. The inspector noticed that not everyone……………their safety helmet.
A. was being worn B. will have worn C. was wearing D. wearing
12. John went to the post office to ask about his package but they kept saying that it……………yet.
A. doesn’t arrive B. hadn’t arrived C. is arriving D. was on the way
13. When the original star of the play……………ill, Mary……………an unexpected chance to play the leading role.
A. fell - got B. has fallen - would get C. was falling - has got D. falls - has been getting
14. We……………up the hill for half an hour when we realized we……………in the direction of the castle.
A. were walking - haven’t been going B. had been walking - weren’t going
C. have been walking - didn’t go D. had walked - wouldn’t be going
15. Dan made a lot of friends while he……………around America.
A. was travelling B. has travelled C. will be travelling D. had travelled
16. David was fed up. He……………for the bus for an hour.
A. had been waiting B. waited C. has been waiting D. was waiting
17. Scientists examining bodies of ancient people ……………evidence of malaria in people who………… at least
three thousand years ago.
A. found - have lived B. find - had lived C. have found - lived D. had found - would be living
18. My grandfather retired from work last month. He ……………for the same company for 40 years.
A. was working B. has been working C. had been worked D. had been working
19. Some research …………… to show that dogs……………from wolves as recently as 15,000 years ago.
A. has appeared – domesticated B. appears - were domesticated
C. had appeared - would be domesticated D. will appear - have been domesticated
20. The students were excited when they……………that their favorite pop singer…………… them at the school.
A. had heard - has visited B. heard - was going to visit C. would hear - visited D. hear - will be visiting
21. A fire-fighter……………severely while he……………to put out a fire.
A. was being injured - would help B. has been injured - helped
C. had been injured - has helped D. was injured - was helping
22. Before you asked, the letter…………….
A. was written B. had been written C. had written D. has been written
23. They…………….running their own company in 1990.
A. started B. have started C. are starting D. start
24. “I phoned but you didn’t answer it. You must have gone out.” “…………….”.
A. I did B. I was C. I must D. I agree
25. By the time I came here all the better jobs…………….taken.
A. have been B. were C. are D. had been
26. I’m not sure who should be punished for the incident. Certainly not Nancy, since she…………….of possible
dangers.
A. hasn’t warned B. wasn’t warned C. hadn’t warned D. wouldn’t be warned
27. Since the contest…………….before the end of the school year, I was against extending the deadline.
A. must have been judged B. would have been judged C. has been judged D. had to be judged
28. Two players.…………….off the field during last Sunday’s match.
A. were sending B. had been sent C. were sent D. were being sent
29. The price of petrol went up only a few days after the official denial that …………….an increase in the price of
petrol.
A. there would be B. there is C. there would have D. had
30. Jack…………….so lonely before he moved to Sydney.
A. has never been B. was never C. wouldn’t be D. had never been
31. The couple …………….in the castle for several months before they noticed anything odd.
A. have been living B. have lived C. had been living D. were living
32. By the time I saved enough money, the price of the camera…………….by ten percent.
A. had risen B. has risen C. was rising D. rose
33. Pete…………….to the operating theater when the police arrived and arrested him.
A. was taking B. was being taken C. was taken D. had taken
34. While Peter…………….the rose bush in the back yard, the phone rang.
A. had been watering B. watering C. watered D. was watering
35. By the time Sam got home from school, his brother…………….all the cake.
A. had eaten B. was eating C. has been eating D. has eaten
36. “Why didn’t Mary show up at the party last night?” “When I called her at 11:00, she……………..”
A. had still been studying B. was still studying C. would still study D. still studied
37. “You’re looking miserable.” “I……………..on my assignment when my computer suddenly crashed.”
A. used to work B. was working C. would work D. have been working
38. I was upset to learn that my first opponent would be Sam Muller, who……………..part in tournaments for no less
than ten years.
A. was taking B. has been taking C. had been taking D. took
39. “Wasn’t sacking Mary rather harsh on his part?” “Not really; he……………..her several times in the past.”
A. will warn B. was warning C. warns D. had warned
40.“It’s a pity she had to pull out of the competition.” “Yes, especially since she ……………..such excellent
progress.”
A. is making B. made C. has been making D. had been making
41. “Did you stay up late yesterday?” “Not really. I went to bed after Monica……………..
A. had left B. was leaving C. leaving D. has left
42. I got up late because my alarm clock……………...
A. hadn’t gone off B. didn’t go out C. didn’t go off D. hadn’t gone out
43. My husband and I went to Montreal last May and greedily…………..many lobsters because they were very cheap.
A. eat B. ate C. have eaten D. had eaten
44. I ……………..eagerly to go to Yellowstone, but my wife got sick three days before the departure.
A. have been planning B. had been planning C. have planned D. was planned
45. A basket of apples, oranges, and bananas……………..sent to my husband by his grandparents last Christmas.
A. has been B. have been C. was D. were
46. I declined the offer as I……………..it was time for me to go for a swim in the sea.
A. have decided B. decided C. had decided D. would decide
47. When they……………..home from the concert, they found that somebody……………..into it.
A. came - had broken B. come - breaks C. came - broke D. came - breaking
48. Jack……………..chess before, so I showed him what to do.
A. didn’t play B. wasn’t playing C. hadn’t been played D. hadn’t played
49. “You went to Chile, didn’t you?” “No, but I……………..to Peru, which is right next door.”
A. was going B. had gone C. was gone D. did go
50. When they let us go in, we……………..outside the exam room for over half an hour
A. had been standing B. have been standing C. have stood D. are standing
51. I should very much like to have gone to that party of theirs, but……………..
A. I’m not invited B. I will not be invited C. I have not been invited D. I was not invited
52. I decided to go to the library as soon as I……………...
A. finish what I did B. would finish what I did C. finished what I did D. finished what I was doing
53. An eyewitness described how ten people……………..in the fire.
A. were killed B. had been killed C. had killed D. had been being killed
54. ……………..when Kevin and Isabel arrived.
A. We’ve just finished dinner B. We would be finishing dinner
C. We were about to finish dinner D. Dinner has nearly been finished
55. When the old school friends met, a lot of happy memories……………..back.
A. were brought B. had been brought C. had brought D. brought
56. The population of the earth is increasing at a tremendous rate and……………..out of control.
A. they have become B. is soon going to be C. soon will be D. why it will be
57. My mother……………..to stay with us next weekend.
A. is coming B. would come C. comes D. will have come
58. I……………..with my aunt when I go to Hanoi next summer.
A. stay B. staying C. will be staying D. will have been staying
59. I……………..until 8 o’clock, so call me after that.
A. am sleeping B. sleep C. will be sleeping D. have slept
60. “When is your math exam?” “Well, this time tomorrow I……………..for it.”
A. will be sitting B. will sit C. will have been sitting D. sit
61. Watch out, or you……………..off the boat!
A. are going to fall B. are falling C. fell D. won’t fall
62. “Who volunteered to pick up the pizza for tonight’s party?” “……………..”
A. I did. I’m going to get it. B. I was picking it up. C. I did. I’ll get it. D. I was going to pick it up.
63. There’s someone at the door.……………..it.
A. I’m answering B. I answer C. I’ll answer D. I answered
64. By the end of next year, George …………….. English for 7 years.
A. will have learned B. will learn C. has learned D. would learn
65. He........................so suspicious to me at the moment. I wonder why.
A. is B. will be C. was D. is being
66. By the time you get to the theater, the play……………...
A. will have finished B. will finish C. finishes D. will have been finished
67. By the time I return to my country, I……………..away from home for more than three years.
A. will be B. will have been C. has been D. was
68. By December Tim……………..enough money to buy a mountain bike.
A. saves B. will save C. has saved D. will have saved
69.I……………..the homework by the time you come back.
A. will finish B. have finished C. finish D. will have finished
70. By December next year, we……………..in this house for twenty years.
A. will have lived B. have lived C. will live D. had lived
71. In general, by the second year of production, the price of a few technologies……………..significantly.
A. will decrease B. will have decreased C. has decreased D. will have been decreased
72. I expect your Chinese……………..a great deal by the time you……………..back from China.
A. has been improving - have got B. will have improved - get
C. had improved - would get D. improves - will be getting
73. We all hope that the dispute……………..by the end of the month.
A. was going to settle B. will have been settled C. had been settled D. is supposed to settle
74. If we……………..working at this rate, we……………..all the invitations into the envelopes by 5 o’clock.
A. are keeping - will put B. have kept - will be putting C. kept - were to put D. keep - will have put
75. “I suppose your report isn’t ready yet.” “Don’t worry. I……………..it by tomorrow.”
A. will have been finishing B. will be finishing C. am finishing D. will have finished
76. “Well, I first came here last June.” “So by the end of May you……………..with us for almost a year.”
A. will have working B. are going to have worked C. will have been working D. will work
77. By the end of this month, I……………..for this company for two years.
A. have been working B. will have been working C. will be working D. will work
78. By the time I come back, you……………..your assignments.
A. will finish B. will be finishing C. have finished D. will have finished
79. “Will you……………..with the equipment by 12:30 p.m.?” “Possibly, but I’ll let you know beforehand.”
A. finish B. have finished C. be finishing D. finished
80. “I’m getting my work permit next week.” “It’s about time. You……………..here for two months by then.”
A. are B. will be C. will have been D. have been
81. “How long have you been with the company?” “By next month I……………..there for a year.”
A. will be working B. will have been working C. am going to work D. have worked
82. By the time my younger son turns 26,I……………...
A. am retiring B. have retired C. will have retired D. have been retiring
83. By the year 2050, many people currently employed ……………..their jobs.
A. will be losing B. will have lost C. have lost D. are losing
84. I visit a new country every year. By the time I……………..fifty, I……………..almost all the countries in the
world.
A. will be - will visit B. was - had visited C. am - will have visited D. am - visit
85. In a few hours, we …………….. the test, and we’ll go home and rest.
A. are finishing B. have finished C. will have finished D. will be finishing
86. In one year’s time, she……………..in this company for 15 years.
A. will be working B. will have been working C. will work D. has worked
87. Hurry up or the train……………..before you can catch it.
A. will leave B. leaves C. will have left D. has left
88. By the time we reach New York on Friday, we……………..over 60 hours traveling.
A. will have spent B. will be spending C. have spent D. will spend
89. By the end of this week, my illness……………..me $100.
A. costs B. has cost C. will have cost D. will cost
90. I am reading this novel. By the time you come back from work, I……………...
A. finish B. have finished C. will have finished D. am going to finish
91. “You’ll recognize Jenny when you see her. She……………..a red hat.”
A. will wear B. will be wearing C. wears D. is wearing
92. Mary……………..the country by the time this letter reaches her.
A. is going to leave B. will leave C. is leaving D. will have left
93. By the time you come here tomorrow, the work……………...
A. will have been finishing B. will be finishing C. will have been finished D. will be finished
94. The zoo……………..by the time we reach there.
A. closes B. will close C. will have closed D. is closing
95. He……………..in space for ten days by tomorrow.
A. will travel B. will be travelling C. will have been travelling D. has travelled
96. Our government……………..a system of private schools in the new future.
A. was developing B. is going to develop C. has developed D. would develop
971. He will take the dog out for a walk as soon as he …………….. dinner.
A. finish B. finishes C. will finish D. will have finished
98. I shall be glad when he……………...
A. had gone B. did go C. went D. has gone
99. After the test papers……………..to the students in class tomorrow, the students……………..their next assignment.
A. will return - will be given B. will be returned - are givenC. are returning - are giving D. are returned - will be given
100. As soon as I…………….., I’m going to return to my hometown.
A. have graduated B. will graduate C. will have graduated D. am going to graduate