TENSE REVIEW SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS (UPPER INTERMEDIATE)

PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1 Complete the sentences with the correct form of a suitable verb. Use the Present
Simple or Present Continuous.
1. During the summer months, the museum …………………… at 7 pm.
2. This week, my favourite shop …………………… perfume at a big discount.
3. The cafeteria …………………… pizza for lunch on Mondays. You can only get
sandwiches.
4. We aren’t coming because we …………………… dancing.
5. I always …………………… size 38, so these shoes won’t fit.
6. …………………… anyone …………………… the computer at the moment?
7. He never …………………… horoscopes.
8. He …………………… your idea is great. He’s excited to get involved with the project.

2 Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple or
Present Continuous.
1. They never …………………… (go out) to restaurants because they
…………………… (prefer) eating at home.
2. …………………… you …………………… (know) where Josie is at the moment? She
always …………………… (arrive) on time.
3. This year they …………………… (rent) a flat in town because they
…………………… (not want) to drive to work.
4. I …………………… (not understand) what you …………………… (say) to me.
5. Look! Someone …………………… (wave) to us. …………………… you
…………………… (recognise) him?
6. Be quiet! The teacher …………………… (explain) the homework assignment and I
…………………… (try) to listen.
7. …………………… you …………………… (want) to meet? I …………………… (not
do) anything today.
8. What …………………… you …………………… (think) about? You
…………………… (look) so upset.

3 Complete the sentences with the time expressions below.

this evening • never • usually • every year • this morning
1. She participates in the school’s swimming contest …………………… , but she never
wins!
2. I …………………… understand what he says! It’s so frustrating.
3. She’s working …………………… and can’t be disturbed until noon.
4. They …………………… go straight home after school, but today they are going
shopping.
5. We’re watching the sunset together …………………… .
4 Complete the telephone conversation with the verbs in brackets. Use the Present
Simple or Present Continuous.
Pam: Hi Sally. 1.…………………… you …………………… (remember) when it’s
Carol’s birthday?
Sally: I 2.…………………… (believe) it’s on Friday. 3.…………………… you
…………………… (want) to get her a gift?
Pam: That’s a good idea. She 4.………………… (read) a lot these days, so maybe we
should
get her a gift certificate from one of the bookshops in town. 5.……………………
you
…………………… (think) that’s good idea?
Sally: Yes, let’s meet at the shopping centre this afternoon.
 Pam: OK. I 6.…………………… (not do) anything special, so that 7.……………………
(suit) me.
Sally: Great! See you then.

5 Rewrite the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets. Use the Present
Simple or Present Continuous. Do not change the original meaning of the sentences.
1. How heavy is this box? (weigh)
.......................................................................................................................................... .
2. Is this Tom’s phone? (belong)
.......................................................................................................................................... .
3. The baby is awake. (sleep)
.......................................................................................................................................... .
4. What’s the price of these boots? (cost)
.......................................................................................................................................... .
5. I’ve got an appointment with the dentist this afternoon. (see)
.......................................................................................................................................... .

PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS

1 Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
1. As she …………………… (drive) to the airport, she …………………… (hear) about
the accident.
2. I …………………… (forget) the name of the street that I …………………… (look
for).
3. Who …………………… (recommend) the restaurant that we …………………… (go)
to last night?
4. It …………………… (snow) heavily when the plane …………………… (land).
5. They …………………… (want) to get home before the rain …………………… (start).
6. He …………………… (not want) to disturb you, so he …………………… (leave)
quietly.

2 Write sentences with the words below. Use the Past Simple or Past Continuous.
1. who / Jill / talk to / when / we / arrive / at the party / ?
............................................................................................................................................
2. when / I / bump into / Lisa and Graham / they / have / an argument / .
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3. we / not go out / last night / because / we / study / .
............................................................................................................................................
4. what / she / say / when / you / tell her / the truth / ?
............................................................................................................................................
5. you / sleep / when / I / phone / last night / ?
............................................................................................................................................
6. my friend / listen / to music / while / I / try / to study / .
............................................................................................................................................
7. where / you / have / lunch / yesterday / ?
............................................................................................................................................
8. why / everyone / shout / all night / ?
............................................................................................................................................
3 Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Past
Simple or Past Continuous.
A family in the United States 1.…………………… (not have) enough money to pay for their
house, so the bank 2.…………………… (tell) them that they had to move out. They sadly
3.
…………………… (begin) to get ready. While they 4.…………………… (pack) their
things in the basement, they 5.…………………… (find) an old Superman comic book from
the year 1938. On the cover, Superman 6.…………………… (lift) a car above his head. The
mother 7.…………………… (call) a comic book expert, and as he 8.……………………
(talk), she suddenly 9.…………………… (start) to realise that they didn’t have to leave their
home after all. The old comic book 10.…………………… (be) a very special item that many
collectors 11.…………………… (look for) – a rare copy of the first Superman comic book.
It was worth at least $250,000!

4 Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. Do not change the original
meaning of the sentences.
1. Some of the students left the room during the guest speaker’s talk. (while)
............................................................................................................................................
2. He travelled by train and on the way he listened to music. (as)
............................................................................................................................................
3. She paid for the dress; at the same time she decided to buy the bag. (while)
............................................................................................................................................
4. I worked at a hotel and met my boyfriend. (while)
............................................................................................................................................
5. We didn’t drive because of the snow. (was)

FUTURE SIMPLE, FUTURE CONTINUOUS, BE GOING TO AND PRESENT CONTINUOUS

1 Choose the correct answer.

1. At this time next week, I … on a beach in Thailand.
a. will be relaxing b. am going to relax c. will relax
2. Let’s watch the film now! I … you wash the dishes later.
a. am helping b. am going to help c. will help
3. Watch out! You … off the ladder!
a. are falling b. will be falling c. are going to fall
4. Your trip sounds amazing. I think I … you.
a. will join b. am joining c. won’t join
5. Do you think she … a car next month?
a. is going to buy b. will buy c. is buying
6. Do you know Sam? Come on, I … you.
a. am going to introduce b. will be introducing c. will introduce
7. What … tonight?
a. will you wear b. are you going to wear c. you are wearing
8. Which team … the game?
a. will be winning b. will win c. is going to win

2 Write sentences with the words below. Use the correct form of the future. There may
be more than one possible answer.
1. I think / it / rain / during the football match / tomorrow
............................................................................................................................................
2. at this time next week / we / fly / to London
............................................................................................................................................
3. the train / arrive / tomorrow / at half past three
............................................................................................................................................
4. we / meet / our friends / in Rome / next week
 ............................................................................................................................................
5. I / open / the door / for you
............................................................................................................................................
6. you / not get / a table / at that restaurant / tonight
............................................................................................................................................

3 Write a suitable sentence to follow each sentence below. Use the words in brackets
and the Future Simple, be going to or the Present Continuous. There may be more
than one possible answer.
1. You should see this film. (love it)
............................................................................................................................................
2. We can’t meet you at the weekend. (go on holiday)
............................................................................................................................................
3. Be careful with that knife. (cut yourself)
............................................................................................................................................
4. Thanks for inviting me to dinner. (you / make?)
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4 Complete the text with the verbs in brackets. Use the future tenses. There may be
more than one correct answer.
1.
…………………… you …………………… (go) to the doctor in the near future? If so, he
2.
…………………… (try) to get as much information as possible about you before giving
you medicine. But there’s still a chance that the medicine 3.…………………… (not work)
or that you 4.…………………… (react) badly to it. In the future, however, things
5.
…………………… (be) different. For the next ten years, a large number of universities
and industries 6.…………………… (work) to develop a way to create medical computer
models of people. When the project is finished, we 7.…………………… (walk) around with
a model of ourselves, showing our genes, allergies and past health problems. Doctors
8.
…………………… (run) simulations on the model, so they can find the correct treatment
before giving it to the patient. The European Union 9.…………………… (give) millions of
euros to this project, which 10.…………………… (save) lives, time and huge amounts of
money.

5 Correct the errors in the following sentences.

1. I think it’s raining tomorrow.
............................................................................................................................................
2. Don’t buy her that. She isn’t liking it.
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3. Someone’s at the door. I’m answering it.
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4. They will get married next April.
............................................................................................................................................
5. Will they be inviting us?
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GENERAL REVIEW

1 Complete the sentences with the time expressions below.

last month • at this time next week • while • tomorrow • now • always
1. She …………………… volunteers at the hospital on Fridays.
2. …………………… , we’ll be hiking in the Andes.
3. They won’t go to the beach …………………… .
4. They heard an explosion …………………… they were having lunch.
5. She cut her hair …………………… , but it’s already long again.
6. I’m resting …………………… so I won’t be tired tonight.
2 Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use present, past or future
tenses.
1. While I …………………… (study) for the exam yesterday, I forgot to call you back.
2. Next summer, we …………………… (travel) to Iceland.
3. …………………… you …………………… (remember) to wish her Happy Birthday
last night?
4. What …………………… he …………………… (say) when he discovers the truth?
5. I can’t hear. What …………………… she …………………… (talk) about?
6. Be careful! You …………………… (fall)!
7. At this time tomorrow, we …………………… (sit) on a plane.

3 Write sentences with the words below. Put the verbs in the correct form.
1. at this time next year / I / work / and / earn / some money / .
............................................................................................................................................
2. you / call / me / when / you / arrive / tonight / ?
............................................................................................................................................
3. Sam / always / call / when / I / watch TV / .
............................................................................................................................................
4. she / meet / her boyfriend / while / she / live / in New York / .
............................................................................................................................................
5. he / always / think / he / know / everything / .
............................................................................................................................................

4 Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the words in brackets. Do not change
the original meaning of the sentences.
1. She started to exercise. Then her phone rang. (while)
............................................................................................................................................
2. What’s your opinion of the new manager? (think)
............................................................................................................................................
3. She wasn’t an English teacher. (teach)
............................................................................................................................................
4. Tom is busy with his homework. (do)
............................................................................................................................................
5. They are awake now. (not sleep)
............................................................................................................................................

5 Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use present,
past or future tenses.
Mikey Holmes is one of the world’s top ten skydivers, but this 1.…………………… (not
help) him during one of his routine dives. He jumped out of the plane, and as he
2.
…………………… (fall), he 3.…………………… (realise) that there was something
wrong with his parachute – it wouldn’t open! But Mikey 4.…………………… (not panic),
because he had a reserve parachute. He 5.…………………… (pull) on it – but it wouldn’t
open either! “I 6.…………………… (die),” thought Mikey, falling faster and faster, and then
he hit the ground. But miraculously, he 7.…………………… (suffer) only minor injuries.
How 8.…………………… he …………………… (feel) now? Mostly, he’s just glad to be
alive. 9.…………………… he …………………… (think) of giving up his sport? No way!
He says that within a few months, he 10.…………………… (skydive) again. He
11.
…………………… (love) it too much to stop.