Tenses Competency Test

(Part 4)

1. We ____ on a picnic every weekend when we were in Bursa.

A) were going D) have been going

B) went E) go
C) have gone

2. Although the police ____ him, he was able to prove that he ____ when the crime was committed.

A) suspected / was working D) have been suspecting / had been working

B) suspect / worked E) were suspecting / is working
C) has suspected / had worked

3. Jessie ____ such strange clothes that we were all taken aback. It took us some time to get over the shock.

A) was wearing D) had been wearing

B) has worn E) has been wearing
C) is wearing

4. Generally speaking, I ____ film reviews because I like to be open-minded when I go to the cinema.

A) am not reading D) haven't been reading

B) don't read E) didn't read
C) haven't read

5. The old clock in the center of the city ____ in 1980 and ____ since.

A) stops / wasn't working D) has stopped / wasn't working

B) has stopped / isn't working E) stopped / hasn't worked
C) was stopping / doesn't work

6. Someone next door ____ heavy metal music all night long. I didn't get a wink of sleep.

A) was playing D) had played

B) has played E) has been playing
C) is playing

7. I think you ____ your energy by sweeping up those leaves, stop it! The wind will blow more down.

A) wasted C) are wasting

B) waste
 D) were wasting E) have wasted

8. There is considerable concern about her whereabouts because she ____ for several days.

A) is missing D) was missing

B) missed E) misses
C) has been missing

9. I am afraid I didn't hear the doorbell when you ____ I____ in the garden at the time.

A) rang / was working D) are ringing / work

B) had rung / worked E) have rung / worked
C) was ringing / have been working

10. When did you first notice that your car ____?

A) was going D) had gone

B) has gone E) has been going
C) went

11. After Lisa graduated from university, she ____ for a job in a bank and ____ there ever since.

A) applied / is working D) applied / has been working

B) has applied / worked E) was applying / worked
C) applies / has worked

12. When I first met Emily, she ____ in this city for 20 years.

A) was living D) has lived

B) lived E) has been living
C) had been living

13. Before you mentioned about him, I ____ of that novelist.

A) hadn't ever heard D) didn't ever hear

B) wasn't hearing E) don't ever hear
C) haven't ever heard

14. The concert was last week but they still ____ down the posters from the notice boards.

A) haven't taken D) hadn't taken

B) wasn't taking E) hadn't been taking
C) didn't take
15. We were surprised to hear that our neighbour ____ a new house in the country.

A) has bought D) has been buying

B) was buying E) buys
C) had bought

16. Tell me what you ____ of my new car.

A) are thinking D) think

B) had thought E) thought
C) were thinking

17. Even though he denied what he ____ earlier, he ____to join us.

A) said / has accepted D) has been saying / has accepted

B) has said / accepted E) had said / accepted
C) has said / had accepted

18. After I ____ along the beach, I ____ a bath and I ____my breakfast.

A) run / had / had had D) had run / had / had

B) ran / had had / had E) ran / had / have had
C) had run / have had / had

19. A: Jim was very clever as a child.

B: Was he really?
A: Oh, yes. By the time he was five, he ____ to read and write.

A) learned D) has learned

B) had learned E) have been learning
C) was learning

20. When Mrs Krashen ____ at the airport yesterday morning, she realised that she ____ her passport at home.

A) had arrived / has forgotten D) was arriving / forgot

B) arrived / had forgotten E) has arrived / has forgotten
C) arrives / forgot

21. The police say that the man ____ home in the dark when he ____ down a hill.

A) had walked / fell D) has walked / had fallen

B) was walking / fell E) has been walking / had fallen
C) walked / fell
22. When I returned home from holiday, I found that my parents ____ a lot of changes in the house.

A) was making D) had made

B) have made E) made
C) have been making

23. The teacher ____ me in the exam just as I ____ my last sentence.

A) has interrupted / wrote D) had interrupted / have written

B) interrupted / was writing E) is interrupting / had written
C) was interrupting / have been writing

24. Newspapers yesterday said that Michael Keller ____ a three-year contract

A) had signed D) has signed

B) would have signed E) is signing
C) was singing

25. There ____ a decrease in the number of applications since the report on environmental pollution ____ in
the newspaper.

A) was/appeared D) is / appeared
B) had been / has appeared E) is / was appearing
C) has been / appeared

26. People ____ interested in the subject day by day because they ____ to increase their knowledge.

A) became / want D) are becoming / want

B) were becoming / want E) became / are wanting
C) have become / had wanted

27. I ____ for a walk but the rain put me off the idea.

A) must be going D) was going to go

B) will go E) went
C) am going to go

28. Don't forget that we ____ to our new house by the time you get back from holiday.

A) move D) had moved

B) will move E) are going to move
C) will have moved

29. A: What are you doing?

B: Getting ready. I ____ my aunt in the hospital.
 A: Oh yes. Give her my love.

A) visit D) am going to visit

B) will visit E) was going to visit
C) have been visiting

30. She ____ everyone by coming one day earlier. We ____happy to see her.

A) has surprised / will be

B) has surprised / are
C) surprises / were
D) has surprised / were
E) is surprising / are