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TOPIC 1: VERBS TENSES

A. PRESENT TENSES
Exercise 1. Complete the following sentences using the forms of present tenses.
Question 1: The swimming pool______(open) at 9:00 and_____(close) at 6:30 every day.
Question 2: Every year I_____(visit) Britain to improve my English.
Question 3: In the United State, elementary education is compulsory. All children _____ (study) six
years of elementary school.
Question 4: American people usually_____(have) their biggest meal in the evening.
Question 5: In the summer, John often_____(play) tennis once or twice a week.
Question 6: Look! It_____(get) dark. Hurry up! It_____(rain) in a few minutes.
Question 7: Please don’t make so much noise! I_____(work).
Question 8: I_____(read) an interesting book at the moment.
Question 9: She is on vacation in France now. She_____(have) a great time.
Question 10: He is late again. He always_____(come) to class late.
Question 11: She_____(learn) English for three years.
Question 12: I’m hungry. I_____(not eat) anything since breakfast.
Question 13: He never_____(drive) a car before.
Question 14: We_____(know) each other since we were at high school.
Question 15: Everything is going well. We_____(not have) any problem so far.
Question 16: It is nice to see you again. We_____(not see) each other for a long time.
Question 17: Eric is calling his girlfriend again. That is the 3rd time he_____(call) her this evening.
Question 18: Susan really loves that film. She_____(see) it eight times!
Question 19: You already_____(read) the book? What do you think?
Question 20: I_____(not go) to a zoo before. It’s a nice feeling to go somewhere you never_____(be) before.
Exercise 2. Choose the best word or phrase to complete in the following questions.
Question 1: We can go out now. It_____anymore.
A. isn’t raining B. rains C. has rained D. has been raining
Question 2: What_____in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies?
A. have you done B. are you doing C. do you do D. have you been doing
Question 3: Mary usually_____me on Fridays, but she didn’t call last Friday.
A. have been calling B. calls C. is calling D. have called
Question 4: Look! That man over there_____the same sweater as you.
A. has worn B. is wearing C. wears D. have been wearing
Question 5: This is a nice restaurant, isn’t it? Is this the first time you_____here?
A. are B. have been C. are being D. have being
Question 6: I would like to see Tina again. It’s been a long time_____.
A. that I didn’t see her B. for I didn’t see her C. since I saw her D. until I saw her
Question 7: Bod and Alice have been married_____.

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A. that 20 years B. since 20 years C. when 20 years D. for 20 years

Question 8: I_____to the movies for ages. We used to go a lot.
A. haven’t gone B. didn’t go C. isn’t going D. hadn’t gone
Question 9: Look! That plane_____toward the airport. It is going to land.
A. flies B. have flown C. is flying D. will fly
Question 10: The Amazon River_____into the Atlantic Ocean.
A. flows B. has flowed C. is flowing D. will flow
Question 11: Please don’t bother him now. He_____.
A. is working B. has been working C. had been working D. was working
Question 12: It usually_____very much in that part of the United States.
A. is raining B. rained C. rains D. have rained
Question 13: Hoang_____his email four times a week in order not to miss anything important.
A. checks B. will check C. is checking D. check
Question 14: Nowadays, people_____social networks with more and more caution.
A. uses B. are using C. used D. use
Question 15: At the moment, my sister_____her homework, my brother_____games.
A. is making - is playing B. is doing - is playing
C. does - plays D. makes - is playing
Question 16: I___a bike to school every day ,but today I___to school by bus because it was stolen.
A. rode - went B. ride - am going C. ride - go D. is riding - am going
Question 17: David_____his hands. He just_____the TV set.
A. washes/has just repaired B. is washing/has just repairing
C. is washing/ has just repaired D. has washed/ has just repaired
Question 18: This is the 1st time I _____an urgent meeting.
A. am attending B. have attended C. attends D. attend
Question 19: She_____for 10 hours! She must be really tired now.
A. sleeps B. is sleeping C. has been sleeping D. slept
Question 20: I’m sorry. Lan can’t go out now. She_____her document yet.
A. hasn’t completed B. didn’t check C. isn’t completing D. doesn’t complete
B. PAST TENSES
Exercise 1. Complete the following sentences using the forms of past tenses.
Question 1: People_____(build) this school in 2001.
Question 2: I_____(walk) home after the party last night.
Question 3: Last year, my father_____(promise) to buy my sister a piano. She_____(be) very delighted
to hear this.
Question 4: When I_____(get) home last night, I_____(be) very tired, so I _____(go) straight to the bed.
Question 5: Diane_____(use) to travel a lot. These days she doesn’t take many trips.
Question 6: This time last year I_____(live) in Brazil.
Question 7: What you_____(do) at 10:00 last night?

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Question 8: At that time yesterday, I_____(write) a letter.

Question 9: She_____(learn) English at school at 7:45 yesterday morning.
Question 10: When I came home, my mother_____(prepare) the meal.
Question 11: Yesterday evening, while my mother_____(cook) in the kitchen, my father_____(watch)
the news on TV.
Question 12: When Beth arrived, we_____(have) dinner.
Question 13: Why didn’t you listen to me while I (talk)_____with you?
Question 14: Michiko couldn’t come to the phone when the director called her because she _____ (work)
in the factory.
Question 15: Before Sarah arrived, Eric_____(go) home.
Question 16: When Jane arrived at the theater, the film_____(start).
Question 17: After Angelia_____(eat) the cake, she began to feel sick.
Question 18: When he went out to play, he_____(do already) his homework.
Question 19: When thieves stole my wallet, I was really upset. I _____(have) it for over five years.
Question 20: Before going to the meeting, he_____(consult) with his lawyers.
Exercise 2. Choose the best word or phrase to complete in the following questions.
Question 1: I_____a student in Moloxop School in 1998.
A. was B. were C. to be D. to was
Question 2: ___You_____out last night or were you tired?
A. Did - went B. Had - gone C. Did - go D. Had - been going
Question 3: This time yesterday I_____tennis with my classmates.
A. played B. was playing C. had played D. would play
Question 4: Nicole_____television a lot when she_____sick last year.
A. watched - was B. had watched - had been
C. was watching - was D. had been watching - was
Question 5: Mary_____home when she met Dave.
A. came B. had come C. had been coming D. was coming
Question 6: The doorbell_____while I_____a shower.
A. was ringing - took B. rang - was taking
C. had rung - took D. had been ringing - took
Question 7: Before she went to bed, she______her homework already.
A. finished B. is finishing C. had finished D. was finishing
Question 8: The war_____out three years ago.
A. was breaking B. had broken C. broke D. have been breaking
Question 9: He_____a cup of coffee every morning many years ago.
A. have been drinking B. drank
C. had drunk D. was drinking
Question 10: When I went out, the sun_____.
A. will be shining B. is shining C. was shining D. had been shining

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Question 11: We_____to the station when it_____to rain.

A. were walking - began B. had been walking - began
C. have been walking - begins D. will be walking - begin
Question 12: I_____the accident when I was waiting for the taxi.
A. saw B. was seeing C. had been seeing D. have seen
Question 13: By the age of 25, he______two famous novels.
A. wrote B. writes C. has written D. had written
Question 14: After I______lunch, I looked for my bag.
A. had B. had had C. will have had D. have had
Question 15: He fell down when he______towards the church.
A. run B. runs C. was running D. had run
C. FUTURE TENSES
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences using the future forms of the verbs in brackets.
Question 1: He_____(help) her take care of her children tomorrow morning.
Question 2: She_____(bring) you a cup of tea soon.
Question 3: She hopes that Mary_____(come) to the party tonight.
Question 4: - Where you_____(be) this time next year? - I_____(be) in Japan.
Question 5: They_____(visit) China next week.
Question 6: Look at those black clouds! It_____(rain).
Question 7: My father_____(play) tennis in 15 minutes because he has just worn sport clothes.
Question 8: - Can you tell me about our school plan tomorrow?
- We_____(visit) the museum in the morning.
Question 9: She_____(buy) a new house next month because she has had enough money.
Question 10: The man can’t see the hole in front of him. He_____(fall) into the hole.

PRACTICE
Exercise 1. Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer.
1. Jane________law at Harvard for four years now.
A. is studying B. has been studying C. studies D. studied
2. When I________for my sister in front of the supermarket, a strange man came to talk with me.
A. was waiting B. waited C. had waited D. were waiting
3. We________for three hours and we are very tired.
A. waited B. have waited C. wait D. had waited
4. She________for hours. That’s why her eyes are red now.
A. cried B. are crying C. was crying D. has cried
5. When Carol________last night, I________my favorite show on television.
A. called /was watching B. had called /watched
C. called /have watched D. was calling /watched
6. Linda took great photos of butterflies while she________in the forest.
A. was hiking B. is hiking C. hiked D. had hiked
7. Mr. Pike________English at our school before he retired last year.
A. taught B. has teaching C. was teaching D. has taught

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8. We________in silence when he suddenly________me to help him.

A. walked - was asking B. were walking - asked
C. were walking - was asking D. walked - asked
9. When I________to the airport, I realized that I________my passport at home.
A. got/had left B. got/left C. had got/had left D. got/was left
10. I was angry when you saw me because I________with my sister.
A. was arguing B. am arguing C. argued D. argue
11. The Olympic Games ________ every four years.
A. take place B. takes place C. took place D. is taking place
12. I________to Greece until Sally and I went there last summer.
A. have never been B. had never been C. was never being D. were never
13. I________ along the street when I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.
A. was walking B. am walking C. walk D. walked
14. He occasionally________a headache in the morning.
A. has had B. has C. have D. is having
15. The boy fell while he________down the stairs.
A. run B. running C. was running D.runs
16. Mr.Pike________for this company for more than thirty years, and he intends to stay here until he________.
A. worked/retires B. works/is retiring
C. has been working/retires D. is working/will retire
17. While I________at the bus stop, three buses went by in the opposite direction.
A. was waiting B. waited C. had waited D. were waiting
18. It________a long time since we were apart. I did not recognize her.
A. is B. has been C. was D. had been
19. Many of the people who attended Mr. David’s funeral________him for many years.
A. didn’t see B. wouldn’t see C. haven’t seen D. hadn’t seen
20. We were both very excited about the visit, as we________each other for________ages.
A. never saw B. didn’t see C. hadn’t seen D. haven’t seen
21. My best friend Lan________to England 10 years ago.
A. was moving B. moves C. moved D. has moved
22. His health has improved a lot since he________doing exercises regularly.
A. starts B. started C. has started D. had started
23. She hurt herself while she________hide-and-seek with her friends.
A. is playing B. had played C. played D. was playing
24. What________at 9 o’clock last night? I phoned you but couldn’t get through to you.
A. did you do B. were you doing C. would you do D. had you done
25. It is raining heavily with rolls of thunder. We________such a terrible thunderstorm.
A. would never see B. had never seen C. have never seen D. never see
26. I _______ my old teacher last week.
A. visited B. visit C. am visiting D. have visited
27. My brother usually ________me for help when he has any difficulties with his homework.
A. ask B. asks C. asked D. has asked
28. I ______ all of my homework last night.
A. finish B. will finish C. have finished D. finished

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29. Lan________ learning English a few years ago.

A. starts B. will start C. started D. is starting
30. After she________from a severe illness, she realized the importance of good health.
A. would recover B. has recovered
C. had recovered D. was recovering
31. Only after the bus________for a few miles did Jane realize she was on the wrong route.
A. was running B. had run C. has run D. runs
32. The children________to bed before their parents came home from work.
A. were all going B. had all gone C. are all going D. have all gone
33. Paul noticed a job advertisement while he________along the street.
A. was walking B. would walk C. walked D. had walked
34. I haven’t met him again since we________school ten years ago.
A. have left B. leave C. left D. had left
35. For the last 20 years, we________significant changes in the world of science and technology.
A. witness B. have witnessed C. witnessed D. are witnessing
Exercise 2. Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction
Question 1: Why didn’t you come to see us when we are having lunch?
A B C D
Question 2: At 8 o’clock this evening my friends and I have watched a famous film at the cinema.
A B C D
Question 3: Jane spent a lot of money yesterday. She had bought a dress which cost $100.
A B C D
Question 4: At this time last year, I am attending an English course in America.
A B C D
Question 5: When we got home last night, we found that somebody broke into the flat.
A B C D
Question 6: While the plumber was repairing the dishwasher, I had watched the smartphone.
A B C D
Question 7: When their dad got home, the boys are watching TV.
A B C D
Question 8: She washed the dishes when his parents came back home.
A B C D
Question 9: It is the worst dish that I ever tried in my life.
A B C D
Question 10: I'm going out for a walk. I had reading too long, in fact since early morning.
A B C D

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TOPIC TEST 1: TENSES

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 1: While they_____to Wyoming, their car ran out of gas.
A. drove B. had been driving C. have driven D. were driving
Question 2: She_____the letter a few moments before my call came through.
A. has just opened B. had just opened C. just opened D. just opens
Question 3: “How’s Peter doing?” “I don’t know. I_____from him for months.”
A. have to hear B. haven’t heard C. didn’t hear D. don’t hear
Question 4: I'm afraid I must ask you both what_____yesterday at 10:20 p.m.
A. did you do B. had you done C. you were doing D. were you doing
Question 5: I_____my sister in April as planned.
A. have seen B. will see C. am going to see D. see
Question 6: After the guests_____, she went back into the living-room and _____off the light.
A. left/switched B. had left/switched
C. had left/had switched D. had left/was switching
Question 7: The noise from the trains_____me terribly last night.
A. was annoyed B. annoyed C. has annoyed D. had annoyed
Question 8: Generally he_____to work by car, but today he_____by bus because his car is in
the garage.
A. went – went B. was going - is going
C. goes - is going D. has been going - goes
Question 9: This is the first customer we_____something.
A. have sold B. sold C. had sold D. were selling
Question 10: Andrew_____the plants in the garden now but I’m sure that it _____this afternoon.
A. is watering - rains B. is watering – will rain
C. waters – will rain D. watered - rained
Question 11: My father_____to rent a car when one of his friends phoned him to
offer his own car for the trip.
A. had decided B. are deciding C. has decided D. decided
Question 12: When she_____for her sister outside the supermarket, someone _____her handbag.
A. had to wait - had stolen B. waited - had been stealing
C. had waited - was stealing D. was waiting - stole
Question 13: Parents’ carelessness often_____children to be subject to many household accidents.
A. causes B. have caused C. had caused D. is caused

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Question 14: She_____French since she_____to Illinois.

A. had studied - came B. has studied - has come
C. has studied - came D. have studied - came
Question 15: Before we knew what was happening, the roof_____.
A. has fallen in B. will fall in C. had fallen in D. is falling in
Question 16: When we_____at the airport, we_____that we_____our passports at the office.
A. arrived - had noticed - had left B. arrived - noticed - had left
C. have arrived - noticed – left D. had arrived - have noticed - have left
Question 17: Hurry up, Linh. Other friends_____for us.
A. are waiting B. waits C. wait D. is waiting
Question 18: It’s 7.00 p.m. now and we_____meal together. We usually_____dinner at that time.
A. have - eat B. have - are eating
C. are having - eat D. are having - are eating
Question 19: Hoa_____in class, which affects other students around.
A. always talk B. is always talking C. always talks D. always talking
Question 20: While my father______a film on TV, my mother ______ dinner.
A. watched - cookede B. was watching – was cooking
C. had watched - cooked D. watched – had cooked
Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction.
Question 21: I haven't seen her since we leaved school.
A B C D
Question 22: We fished on the lake when it started to rain, so we went home immediately.
A B C D
Question 23: By the first of last July, I worked for this company for 20 years.
A B C D
Question 24: After shouted for help, she took off her shoes and jumped in to save him.
A B C D
Question 25: Last summer vacation, my family went to Paris, and we have stayed there for 2 weeks.
A B C D