EXERCISES ON VERB TENSES

1 Say if these tenses are RIGHT or WRONG (Present simple/ Present Continuous)

1 The coffee is smelling wonderful.

2 Now I understand what you are trying to say.

3 I can´t imagine why you were believing all those rumours.

4 You´re quite right. I´m completely agreeing with you.

5 Run! The bus is coming and I am not wanting to miss it.

6 Ann was hearing the result of the election as she was driving to work, so she phoned me when
she got there.

2 Past Simple or Past Continuous: Fill in the gaps with the correct form.

1. George ________________ off the ladder while he ________________ the ceiling.

(fall, paint)
2. Last night I ________________ in bed when I suddenly ________________ a
scream. (read, hear)
3. ________________ TV when I ________________ you? (you watch, phone)
4. Ann ________________ for me when I ________________ . (wait, arrive)
5. Maisie ________________ up the kitchen when John ________________ her to
marry him. (clean, ask)
6. The house ________________ £ 150,000 in 2003. (cost)
7. The fire _______________________ at six in the morning. (still burn)
8. My brother ________________ a new job a week ago (get).
9. Columbus ________________ America over 500 years ago (discover)
10. She ________________ not interested in the book because she ________________ it (be ,not
understand)

3 Fill in the gaps with the Past Simple, Past Continuous, Present Perfect, Past
Perfect.

- Guy, you _____________________ (spend) the last sixty years exploring the world.
When __________________________ (you first become) interested in travelling?
-Well, I can tell you the exact day. I ________________(be) eleven years old and I
_____________________ (sit) in the school library and I _____________________
(read)a book about South Africa. Suddenly I _____________________ (see) a picture
of Lake Victoria and at that moment I _____________________ (decide) to become an
explorer.
- When ___________________________ (you, first, go) to Lake Victoria?
-Well, after I _____________________ (leave) school at the age of 15, I
_____________________ (live) with my uncle for two years. He
_____________________ (be) an old man then, but he _______________(be) a sailor
all his life. He _____________________ (find) me a job on a ship and at the age of 17 I
_____________________ (arrive) in Africa!
-You _____________________ (travel) to the most interesting countries in the world.
____________________________ (you, ever, have) any frightening experiences?
- Oh yes, lot’s of them.