PRACTICE

Tenses
Present Perfect Simple or Continuous

1. I (not-see)…………………… you for a long time.

2. You must tell me what you (do) ……………………since I last saw you.
3. He (not-be) …………………here since Christmas; I wonder where he (live) …………………since then.
4. I (try) ……………………to learn English for years, but I (not-succeed) ……………………yet.
5. We (live) ……………………here for the last six months and (just/decide) ……………………to move.
6. You (already/drink) ……………………three cups of tea since I sat here.
7. That book (lie) ……………………on the table for weeks. (you-not-read) ……………………it yet?
8. I (wait) ……………………for her since seven o’clock and she (not-come) ……………………yet.
9. He (not-have) ……………………a holiday for nine years because he (be) ……………………too busy.
10. Since you gave your number I (hope) …………you four times and (not-find) ……………you at home.
11. (You-be) ………………asleep all morning? I (ring) ………………the bell for the last twenty minutes.
12. She (work) …………so hard this week that she (not-have) ………………time to go to the hairdresser´s.
13. He (write) …………………….a novel for the last two years but he (not-finish) ……………………yet.
14. I (not-find) ……………………wife although I (look) …………………for one ever since I was twenty.
15. Mary (rest) ……………………in the garden all day because she (be) ……………………ill.

Add since or for

1. He has been selling cars…………ten years.

2. He has been living here…………1976.
3. I´ve been waiting…………five o’clock.
4. I´ve been mending your socks…………the last two hours.
5. We´ve been reading this book…………last January.
6. We´ve been studying English…………three months.
7. He has been sleeping…………seven hours.
8. He has been working…………seven o’clock this morning.
9. They´ve been very busy…………the last week.
10. They´ve been living here…………last week.
11. I haven´t worn this dress…………two years.
12. We have been climbing…………an hour and a half.
13. She has been teaching in that school…………1988.
14. My friend has been ill…………a long time.
15. It has been raining…………yesterday morning.
16. I haven´t done any work…………a month.
17. What have you been doing…………yesterday?
18. The church has been standing here…………centuries.
19. He hasn´t been here…………three weeks.
20. She hasn´t bought any new clothes…………the beginning of the year.
Present Perfect or Simple Past

1. Columbus (discover) ……………………America more than 400 years ago.

2. I (not-see) ……………………you for more than a week.
3. I (not-eat) ……………………caviar since I was in Moscow.
4. Since when (you-know) ……………………him?
5. How long ago (the last moon landing-be) …………………………………………?
6. Old George (not-be) ……………………here for years!
7. They (come) ……………………here a month ago?
8. He (not-speak) ……………………to me for over three weeks.
9. You (have) ……………………a new one every day for de last six weeks.
10. How long ago (you-arrive) ……………………here?
11. We (finish) ……………………our supper half an hour age.
12. She (not-have) ……………………a holiday for four years.
13. I (not-play) ……………………the violin since I was a little boy.
14. They (visit) …………………… Westminster Abbey a few days ago.
15. My brothers (not-write) ……………………to me for months.
16. My servant (leave) ……………………me four weeks ago.
17. I (not-see)……………………you since we met a year ago.
18. My youngest brothers (get) ……………………a new job a week ago.
19. We (not-pay) ……………………the butcher for over three weeks.
20. How long (you-be) ……………………here?

Present Perfect or Simple Past

1. Vivaldi (compose) ……………………the Four Seasons.

2. I (not-eat) ……………………fish and chips for more than a month.
3. I (never-see) ……………………a live bat in my whole life.
4. Since when (you-know) ……………………Mrs. Wilson?
5. How long ago (your birthday-be) ……………………?
6. That woman (not-comb) ……………………her hair for ages!
7. Marie Curie (discover) ……………………the radium a long time ago.
8. My wife (not-buy) ……………………me anything for over two weeks.
9. My dog (be) ……………………under that tree for two hours.
10. How long ago (you see) ……………………your grandma?
11. William (do) ……………………his homework half an hour ago.
12. She (not-fly) ……………………a plane for four years.
13. I (not-play) ……………………football since I was a little boy.
14. The children (have to) ……………………do a project about animal extinction last week.
15. My mother-in-law (be) …………………… at our home for months.
16. Mildred (leave) ……………………the office an hour ago.
17. Sheila (not-see) ……………………her brothers since he came to Argentina.
18. My Maths teacher (just retire) ……………………
19. We (not-pay) ……………………our bills yet.
20. Tim (already-have) ……………………lunch but his sister (not-have) ……………………it yet.
Simple Past or Past Continuous

1. He (sit) ……………………in a café when I (see) ……………………him

2. Last night I (go) ……………………to bed late because there (be) …………………… a very good
film on TV. I (switch) ……………………off the TV at 2 o’clock and when I (walk)
……………………into my bedroom the phone (ring) …………………… I (get)
……………………such a freight that I (not-can) ……………………sleep till 4 o’clock.
3. When Sarah (do) ……………………her homework her sister (scream) ……………………because se
had seen a rat under her desk.
4. What (you-do) ……………………at six o’clock last Tuesday?
5. While I (do) ……………………my English homework last Tuesday afternoon, the telephone (ring)
……………………. It (be) ……………………my friend Judith who (want) ……………………some
help with her homework because she (be) ……………………stuck.
6. When Joe (arrive) ……………………, Terry (hold) ……………………a placard and (shout)
……………………”Save the trees!”. Joe (try) ……………………to hold Terry´s placard and just
then a fight (start) ……………………
7. When Sue (talk) ……………………to Kamala, Terry (arrive) ……………………
8. He (tell) ……………………Sue that he (love) ……………………her but she thought he (only-joke)
……………………