exercise about tenses:

Exercise 1 : use the simple present or present progessive of verb:

1. diana can’t come to the phone because she (wash)---is washing---- her hair
2. diane (wash)---washes-------- her hair every other day or so
3. kathy (sit, usually) -------usually sit-----in the front row during class, but today she
(sit)-----is sitting------ in the last row
4. please be quiet . I (try)—am trying------ to concentrate
5. (look, you, always) –do you always look---the door to your apartmwnt when you leave?
6. I wrote to my friend last week, she hasn’t answered my letter yet. I (wait, still)-still
wait--for a reply
7. after three days of rain, I’m glad that the sun (shine)----shines---again today
8. every morning, the sun (shine)----shines----in my bedroom window and (wake)-wakes---
me up
9. A: look! It (snow)-is raining-----
10. B: it’s beautiful! This is the first time I’ve seen snow, it (snow, not)-don’t snow-----in my
country
11. mike is a student,but he (go, not)-doesn’t go- to school right now because it’s summer.
He (attend)---attends-----college from september to May every year, but in the summer he
(have. usually) usually have----a job at the post office. In fact, he (work)-is working---
there this summer.
12. I can’t afford that ring. It (cost) ---costs------ too much
13. look. It (begin)—is begining--to rain. Unfortunatery, I (have, not)don’t have---my
umbrella with me. Tom is lucky. He (wear) is wearing---a raincoat
14. I (own, not)------don’t own-- an umbrella. I (wear)-wear-- a waterproof hat on rainy days
15. right now I (look)-am-looking-- around the classroom. Yoko (write) are writing---in her
book. Calos (bite)-----is biting-- her pencil. Wan-ning (scratch)-is scatch-- his head.
Ahmed (stare)—is staring-out the window. He (seem)-seems-------to be day dreaming but
perhaps he (think)—is thinking---hard about verb tenses. What (think, you)---do you
think---Ahmed (do)-do--?
16. there’s a book in my desk, but it (belong, not)—don’t belong----to me
17. dennis (fix)--fixs---the roof of his house today and he (need)---needs-some help. Can you
help him?
 18. barbara (tutor, often)-often tutor--- other students in her math class. This afternoon she
(help)-----helps ---steve with his math assignment because he (understand, not)-doesn’t
understand-----the material they (look)--look----on in their class this week.
19. right now I (look)-am looking--- at Janet. She (look)-looks--angry. I wonder what’s the
matter. She (have)---- has---- frown on her face. She certainy (have, not)-----doesn’t
have-any fun right now.
20. a: who is that woman who (stand)-are standing-----next to the window?
B: which woman? (talk, you)----do you talk----about the woman who (wear) wears----the blue
and gold dress?
A: no, I (talk, not)—don’t talk --about her. I (mean) mean---the woman who (wear)-
wears----------the blue suit
B: oh, I (know, not)—don’t know---I (recognize, not) don’t recogize--her
21. A: close your eyes. Now listen carefully. What (hear, you)-do you hear--? What (do, I )-do I
do----?
B: I (belive)---belive---you (rub)----rub---the top of your desk with oyur hand
A: close but not exactly right. Try again. (listen, you) ---do you listen---carefully?
B: aha! You (rub)-rub----------------your hands together.
A; right
Exercise 2: use simple past or past progressive
1. I am sitting in class right now. I (sit) set-- in class at this exact some time
yesterday
2. I don’t want to go to the zoo today because it is raining. The some thing happened
yesterday. I (want, not)—didn’t want--to go to the zoo because it (rain)-was
raining----
3. I (call)---called---roger at nine last night, but he (be, not)-wasn’t--at home. He
(study)—was studing----at his library
4. I (hear, not) didn’t hear---the thunder during the storm last night because I
(sleep)------was sleeping
5. it was beautiful yesterday when we went for a walk in the park. The sun (shine)-
shined----. A cool breeze (blow) blowed----.the bird (sing)-song----
6. my brother and sister (argue)—were arguing--about something when I
(walk)-------walked----
 7. I got a package in the mail. When I (open)-opened--------it, I (find)-were
finding---------a surprise
8. tommy went to his friend’s home but the boy (be, not)-wasn’t--there. They (play)-
was playing--------soccer in vacant lot down the street
9. stanley (climb)-was climbing--the stairs when he (trip)-tripped---and (fall) fell-.
Luckily, he (hurt, not) didn’t hurt---himself
10. while mrs. Emeson (read)—was reading--thelittle boy a story, he (fall)
was falling-sleep, so she (close)-closed--the book and quietly (tiptoe) tiptoed--out
of the room
11. I really enjoyed my vacation last january. While it (snow)—was snowing--
in iowa, the sun (shine)—was shining---in flarida. While you (shovel)- were
shoveling--snow in iowa, I (lie) was lying----on the beach in florid
12. while tel (slovel) was sloveling-snow from his driveway yesterday, his wife
(bring)—was bringing---him a cup hot chocolate
13. I (have, almost)—had almost---a cry accident last night. I (drive)-was driving-
down washington avenue when suddenly I (see)--saw---a car in ly lane. I (come)--
came---right to my car. I (step)--steped-on the brackes and (swerve)-----swerved--
to the right. The other cry (miss, just) just missed---my car by about an inch
14. ten years ago, the govement (decide)-decided--to begin a food program. At that
time , many people in the rural areas of the country (starve)-were starving--due
several years of drought
15. it was my first day of class. I (find, finally)-found finally--the right room. The
room (be, already)—was already----full of students. On one side of the
room, stusents (talk, busily)—took busily---to each other in spanish. Other
students (speak)--spoke--japanese ad some (conerse)-conersed---in arabic. It
sounded like the united nationn. Some of the students however, (sit, just)-just
set---quietly by themselves. I (choose)----chose---an empty seat in the last row
and (sit)---set--down. In a few minutes, the teacher (walk)-walked--into the room
and all the multilinggual conversation (stop)—was stopping---------
16. A: (hear, you)-----did you hear-what she just said?
B: no, I (listen, not)-didn’t listen--I (think) was thinking -about something else
17. A: why weren’t you at the meeting?
B: I (wait)—was waiting--for an overseas call from my family
18. A: I’m sure you met carol jones at the party last night.
B: I don’t rememer her. What (wear, she)-did she—wear?
 19. what’s wrong with your foot?
B: I (step)—was stepping---on a bee while I (run)-was runing---barefoot through the grass. It
(sting) stinged---me
20. A: how ( break, you)—did you break--your arm?
B: I (slip)—was slipping--on the ice while I (cross) was crossing---the street in front of the dorm
Exercise 3: use the simple past or present perfect
1. al (go)--went----to a party at sally’s apartment last Saturday night
2. bill (arrive)--arrived----here three days ago
3. bill (be)—has been---here since the 22nd
4. try not to the absent from class again for the rest of the term, you (miss,already) have
already missed----too many classes. You (miss)-missed---two classes just last week
5. last january , I (see)--saw---snow for the first time in my life
6. in her whole lifetime, anna (see, never)---have never seen---snow
7. I (know)—have known--greg adams for ten years
8. so far this week, I (have)-have had---two tests and a quiz
9. up to now, proffessor willams (give) has given--our class five tests
10. what (learn, you)-have you learnt--since you (come) came---here? How many new
(make, you)—did you make---? I hope you (meet, already) have already meet---a lot of
interesting people
11. since classes began, I (have, not)-haven’t had---much free time. I (have)-have had--
several big tests to study for
12. last night my roomate and I (have)--had-some free time, so we (go)--went--to a show
13. I admit that I (get)-have gotten-older since I last (see)----saw--you but with any luck all, I
(get, also)-also got--wiser
14. the science of medicine (advance)-advanced--a great deal in the ninteenth century
15. since the beginning of the twentieth century, medical scientists (make)-have made-many
important discoveries
16. libraties today are different from those in the 1800s, for example, the contents of libraties
(change)--changed---greatly through the years. In the 1800s, libraries (change)--
changed--simply collections of book. However, today most libraries (become)—have
become----multimedia centers that contain tapes, computers, disks, films, magazines,
music and paintings. The role of the library in society (change, also)---also changed---. In
 the 1800s, library (be)-was-open only to certain people such as scholars or the wealthy.
Today libraries serve everyone
17. are you talking chemistry 101 this semester?
No, I (take, already)-have already taken--it, I (take)-----took--it last semester. This semester I’m
in 102
18. hi, judy. Welcome to the party. (meet, you, ever)—have you ever meet--my cousin?
No, I --------haven’t---
19. do you like lobster?
I don’t know. I (eat, never)-have never eaten---it
do you do much traveling?
yes, I like to travel
20. what countries (visit, you)-did you visit---?
21. well, I (be)----was--in india, turkey, Afghanistan and nepal among others.
I (be, never)-have never- been--in any of those countries. When (be, you)—were you-in india?
Two years ago. I (visit, also)—also visited-many of the countriesin central america. I (take)--
took---a tour of cetral merica about six years ago
Which coutries (visit, you) did you visit-?
Guatemala, el salvador, honduras and nicaragua
I (want, always)-always wanted--to travel to other countries but I (have, not)--hadnt---the
opprtunity to travel extensively. I (go)---went--to england six years ago but I (go, not)-haven’t
gone---anywhere since then
Exercise 4: use present perfect or present perfect progressive
1. it (snow)—has been snowing---all day. I wonder when it will stop
2. we (have)-have been having---three major snowstorms so far this winter. I wonder how many
more we will have
3. it’s ten pm. I (study)have been studying--for two hours and probly won’t finish until midnight
4. I (write)—have written--them three times but I still haven’t received a reply
5. I (live)—have lived--here since last march
6. the telephone (ring)—has been ringing---four times in the last hour and each time it has been
for my roomate
7. the telephone (ring)-----has rung--for almost a minute. Why doesn’t someone answer it?
8. the little boy is dirty from head to foot because he (play)---has been playing--in the mud
9. (be, you)-have you had not-able to reach Bob on the phone yet?
10. not yet. I (try)—have tried--for the last twenty minutes but the line (be)—has been--busy
11. hi, jenny. I (see, not)----haven’t seen--you for weeks. What (do, you)-have you done---lately?
studying
12. what are you going to order for dinner?
Well, I (have, never)-have never had--pizza so I think I’ll order that
13. what’s the matter? Your eyes are red and puffy. (cry, you)-have you cried----?
No, I just finishes peeling some onions
14. dr. jones is a good teacher. How long (be, he)—has he been---at the university?
He (teach)—has been teaching--------here for twenty five years
Exercise 5: use the simple past or the past perfect
1. he (be)-had been---a newspaper reporter before he (become)-became---a businessman
2. I (feel)---fell---a little better after I (take)-had taken------the medicine
3. I was late. The teacher (give, already)—had already given-a quiz when I (get)--------got--to
class
4. the anthropogist (leave)—had left--the village when she (collect)--collected---enough dat
5. it was raining hard, but by the time class (be)-was--over, the rain (stop)--stopped--
6. class (begin, already)-had already begun--by the time I (get)--got---there so I (take, queitly)—
took quietly---seat in the back
7. millions of year ago, dinosaurs (roam)---roamed--the earth, but they (become)—had
become---exinct by the time humankind first (appear)-appreared-----
8. I (see, never)—had never seen--any of picasso’s paintings before I (visit)--visited---the art
museum
9. I almost missed my plane. All of the other passengers (board, already)-had already boarded-by
the time . I (get)-----got--there
10. yesterday at a restaurant, I (see)----saw---pam donneylly, an old friend of mine .I (see, not)-
hadn’t seen-her in years. At first, I (recognize, not)---hadn’t recognize-----her because she
(lose)--losed---at least fifty pounds
All these sentences can be correct if provided with the right context.

The choice of the tense will depend on how the adverbial "this morning" is viewed and, as
Marius showed in the examples he found, on what other verb tenses appear in the context.

Before I deal with the question of the interpretation of the adverbial and the tenses, I'd like to tell
you that "at school" and "a picture" or "some pictures" might be preferred.

1. The children drew a picture at school this morning. -> This is considered a completed action
that has no effect on the present. The period of time defined as "this morning" is over.

2. The children are drawing a picture at school this morning. -> It's 8/9/10/11 A.M. and the
children are currently drawing a picture at school.

3. The children were drawing a picture at school this morning ... -> In this case, there should be
in the context some other action or event that took place while the children were drawing a
picture at school, for example: "The children were drawing a picture at school this morning when
the headmistress walked into the classroom."

4. The children have drawn a picture at school this morning. -> This is similar to (1), the only
difference being that they have finished the drawing but the morning is not still over, which
accounts for the use of present perfect. The use of this tense could also be justified by some
effect that the action of drawing a picture may have on the present or the near future, for
example: "The children have drawn a picture at school this morninng and are taking it home this
afternoon for their parents to have a look at it."