VERB TENSES

THÌ CẤU TRÚC CÁCH SỬ DỤNG DẤU HIỆU NHẬN BIẾT

(+) S + V/V_s/es
Present Simple (-) S + don’t/doesn’t + V
(?) Do/Does + S + V…?
(+) S + am/is/are + V_ing
Present
(-) S + am/is/are+ not + V_ing
Continuous
(?) Am/Is/Are + S + V_ing…?
(+) S + have/has + V(PII)
Present Perfect (-) S + have/has + not + V (PII)
(?) Have/has + S + V(PII)…?
(+) S + have/has + been +
doing
Present Perfect (-) S + have/has + not + been +
Continuous doing
(?) Have/has + S + been +
doing …?
Past Simple (+) S + V (past tense)
(-) S + did not + V
- Hành động, sự kiện thường Trạng từ tần suất: never,
xuyên xảy ra seldom, sometimes, often,
- Dữ kiện thực tế usually, always, normally,
- Trong mệnh đề trạng ngữ as usual, v.v…
(VD: When Peter comes
tomorrow, I will tell him)
- Với động từ chỉ trạng thái
- Hoạt động, sự việc đang Khi xuất hiện các cụm từ:
diễn ra at the moment, at present,
- Hành động được lên kế now…
hoạch, chắc chắn sẽ xảy ra
- Dùng với
always/constantly để miêu tả
hành động/sự kiện lặp đi lặp
lại, gây khó chịu ở hiện tại
- Hành động, sự kiện bắt đầu Khi xuất hiện các cụm từ:
trong quá khứ, kéo dài đến - for / since
hiện tại, có thể tiếp tục trong - not… yet
tương lai - never…before
- Hành động, sự kiện xảy ra - just
tại thời điểm không xác định - This is the first /
trước thời điểm hiện tại. second… time
(VD: Jane has gone to - So sánh cao nhất (VD:
Japan) She is the most honest
- Hành động xảy ra trong person I’ve ever met)
quá khứ, kết quả còn lưu lại
trong hiện tại. (VD: The lift
has broken down  I have
to use the stairs
- Nhấn mạnh vào kết quả
hành động/sự kiện (VD:
Look at the flowers I have
planted)
- Diễn đạt số lần thực hiện
hành động (VD: We have
written five essays this term)
- Diễn đạt sự việc diễn ra
lâu dài (VD: He has played
for that club for 10 years)
- Nhấn mạnh vào hành động
thay vì kết quả (VD: His
secretary has been writing
for four hours.)
- Nhấn mạnh thời gian thực
hiện hành động (VD: I have
been writing for hours and I
need a rest)
- Diễn đạt sự việc tạm thời
hoặc nhấn mạnh tính liên tục
của hoạt động (VD: He has
been playing tennis for
hours without resting.)
- Hành động, sự kiện đã xảy Khi xuất hiện các cụm từ:
ra, kết thúc trong quá khứ - last
- Một loạt hành động nối

(?) Did + S + V…?
(+) S + was/were + V_ing
Past Continuous (-) S + was/were + not + V_ing
(?) Was/Were + S + V_ing…?
(+) S + had + V (PII)
Past Perfect (-) S + had + not + V (PII)
(?) Had + S + V (PII)…?
(+) S + had + been + doing
Past Perfect (-) S + had + not + been +
Continuous doing
(?) Had + S + been + doing …?
(+) S + will + V
Simple Future (-) S + won’t + V
(?) Will + S + V…?
(+) S + am/is/are + going to + V
(-) S + am/is/are + not + going
Near Future to + V
(?) Am/is/are + S + going to +
V…?
(+) S + will be + doing
Future
(-) S + won’t be + doing
Continuous
(?) Will + S + be doing…?
(+) S + will have + V(PII)
Future Perfect (-) S + won’t have + V (PII)
(?) Will + S + have + V(PII)…?
(+) S + will have + been doing
(-) S + won’t have + been
Future Perfect
doing
Continuous
(?) Will + S + have + + been
doing…?
tiếp trong quá khứ - yesterday
- Hành động xen vào 1 hành - ago
động đang xảy ra trong quá
khứ
- Hành động đang xảy ra thì Khi xuất hiện các cụm từ:
hành động khác xen vào this time yesterday / last
- Hành động đang xảy ra tại month…, at that time,
một thời điểm xác định trong v.v…
quá khử
- Dùng với
always/constantly để miêu tả
hành động/sự kiện lặp đi lặp
lại, gây khó chịu trong quá
khứ
- Hành động xảy ra và kết
thúc trước một hành động Khi xuất hiện các cụm từ:
khác hoặc một thời điểm by (the time) + 1 mốc thời
trong quá khứ gian trong quá khứ
- Nhấn mạnh tính liên tục
của hành động, sự việc (VD:
After I had been working for
an hour, I decided to have a
rest.)
- Dự đoán, mong đợi
- Lời hứa, gợi ý, yêu cầu, đề
nghị
- Quyết định tức thời tại thời
điểm nói
- Hành động, sự kiện được
lên kế hoạch
- Dự đoán tương lai có căn
cứ ở hiện tại. (VD: Look at
the dark clouds. It’s going to
rain)
- Sự việc đang diễn ra tại - this time + mốc thời gian
một thời điểm nào đó trong trong tương lai
tương lai. (VD: This tiime
tomorrow, I will be flying on
a beautiful sandy beach.)
- Sự việc sẽ diễn ra trong
khoảng thời gian liên tục
trong tương lai. (VD: I’m
afraid I’m not free then. I
will be attending a seminar
in the morning and then I
will be working in the office
all afternoon.)
- Sự việc sẽ xảy ra hoặc By + mốc thời gian trong
hoàn tất trước một thời điểm tương lai
hoặc sự việc nào đó trong
tương lai (VD: I will have
finished this report by
tomorrow.)
- Nhấn mạnh tính liên tục
của hành động, sự việc (VD:
She will have been typing
for three hours before she
can finish the report.)
Practice: Choose the best answer among A, B, C or D to complete the following sentences.
LEVEL A2
1. Columbus ______America more than 400 years ago.
A. discovered B. has discovered C. had discovered D. he has gone
2. By Christmas, I ______for you for 6 months.
A. shall have been working B. shall work
C. have been working D. shall be working
3. I ______to New York three times this year.
A. have been B. was C. were D. had been
4. I have been waiting for you______.
A. since early morning B. since 9 a.m C. for two hours D. all are correct
5. My sister ______for you since yesterday.
A. is looking B. was looking C. has been looking D. looked
6. We ______Doris since last Sunday.
A. don’t see B. haven’t seen C. didn’t see D. hadn’t seen
7. By the end of next year, George ______English for 2 years.
A. will have learned B. will learn C. has learned D. would learn
8. The dancing club ______in the north of the city.
A. lays B. lies C. located D. laid
9. For several years his ambition ______to be a pilot.
A. is B. has been C. was D. had been
10. By the age of 25, he ______two famous novels.
A. wrote B. writes C. has written D. had written
11. I have never played badminton before. This is the first time I______to play.
A. try B. tried C. have tried D. am trying
12. At 5 o’clock yesterday evening, I ______my clothes.
A. am ironing B. have ironed C. ironed D. was ironing
13. John ______tennis once or twice a week.
A. usually play B. is usually playing C. usually plays D. have usually played
14. I usually ______away at weekends.
A. have gone B. goes C. am going D. go
15. The earth ______round the sun.
A. go B. has gone C. went D. goes
16. ______you go to the dentist?
A. How often are B. How often do C. How often does D. How are
17. They ______me about it last week.
A. was telling B. told C. had told D. would tell
18. Tim was tired. He ______hard all day.
A. has been studying B. studies C. studied D. had been studying
19. I ______here at the end of the month.
A. will leave B. would leave C. would have left D. is leaving
20. I ______my son the money for that last week.
A. gave B. given C. have given D. was given
21. Last year, they______22 million TV sets.
A. were selling B. had sold C. has sold D. sold
22. Tomorrow I ______my grandparents.
A. am going to visit B. will have visited C. have visited D. visit
23. She______much experience over the years.
A. has gained B. gained C. gains D. is gaining
24. Clara ______her relatives the next few months.
A. visits B. will visit C. has been visiting D. has visited
25. By the end of the 21st century, the first car running on the sea water ______.
A. will finish B. will be finished
C. will have been finished D. will be finishing
26. Renoir is one of the most popular French impressionist painters. His paintings ______masterpieces all over the world.
A. have considered B. are considering C. considered D. are considered
27. - How long have you been building this bridge?
 - This bridge ______for two years.
A. has built B. has been being built
C. has been building D. has been built
28. ______to Ipswich before?
A. Do you ever go B. Are you ever going
C. Have you ever been D. Have you ever been going
29. That’s the first time ______an answer right today.
A. I get B. I’m getting C. I have got D. I have been getting
30. Our next door neighbor ______his car every Sunday morning.
A. is washing B. washes C. has washed D. is wash
LEVEL B1
31. I will come and see you before I ______for America.
A. leave B. will leave C. have left D. shall leave
32. John ______a book when I saw him.
A. is reading B. read C. was reading D. reading
33. When I last saw him, he ______in London.
A. has lived B. is living C. was living D. has been living
34. Ask her to come and see me when she ______her work.
A. finishes B. has finished C. finished D. finishing
35. While her husband was in the army, Janet ______to him twice a week.
A. was writing B. wrote C. was written D. had written
36. Since ______I have heard nothing from him.
A. he had left B. he left C. he has left D. he was left
37. I like looking at these pictures, but I ________enough by lunch time.
A. should have B. will have C. will have had D. have
38. “Are you ready, Ann?” “Yes, I______”.
A. am coming B. come C. came D. have came
39. Why ______at me like that? What’s the matter?
A. do you look B. have you looked
C. did you look D. are you looking
40. I don’t understand this sentence. What______?
A. does mean this word B. have this word mean
C. means this word D. does this word mean
41. It was noisy next door. Our neighbors ______a party.
A. had B. were having C. had had D. have had
42. It ______dark. Shall I turn on the light?
A. is getting B. get C. got D. has got
43. I ______along the street when I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.
A. was walking B. am walking C. walk D. walked
44. When I last ______Jane, she ______to find a job.
A. see/was trying B. saw/was trying C. have seen/tried D. saw/tried
45. Look! That man ______to open the door of your car.
A. try B. tried C. is trying D. has tried
46. When I was young, I ______to be a singer.
A. want B. was wanting C. wanted D. had wanted
47. It is a nice day. I ______we go out for a walk.
A. suggested B. suggest C. is suggesting D. are suggesting
48. I ______the dishwasher on when heard the shot.
A. am turning B. was turning C. was turning D. turned
49. There was a time when watching TV really _______ family entertainment.
A. were B. was C. had been D. is
50. At last the bus came. We ______for half an hour.
A. waited B. was waiting C. have waited D. had been waiting
51. When the first child was born, they ______married for three years.
A. have been married B. had been married
C. will been married D. will have been married
52. I think the weather ______nice later.
A. will be B. be C. had D. has been
53. She ______very angry when she knows this.
A. shall be B. has been C. will have been D. will be
54. I’m going on holiday on Saturday. This time next week I ______on a beach in the sea.
A. will lie B. am lying C. will be lying D. should be lying
55. ______ my wallet anywhere? I can’t find it.
A. Did you see B. Have you seen C. Do you see D. Had you seen
56. How do you do, Sarah? Are you back from the conference? ______it?
A. Did you enjoy B. Have you enjoyed
C. Are you enjoying D. Do you enjoy
57. Sorry, could you say that again please? I ______to you?
A. haven’t listened B. hadn’t listened C. didn’t listen D. am not listening
58. I’m sorry I ______to you for so long, but I’m very busy lately.
A. haven’t written B. am not writing C. don’t write D. didn’t write
59. I’m pretty sure that we ________the exam.
A. will pass B. haven’t passed C. have passed D. are going to pass
60. It's amazing how Jenny acts as though she and Darren ______serious problems at the moment.
A. aren’t having B. weren’t having C. hadn’t had D. hadn’t been having
61. By the age of ten, Helen ______Braille as well as the manual alphabet and even learned to use typewriter.
A. mastered B. has mastered C. had masteredD. was mastering
62. The teacher as well as his students ______at the school meeting yet.
A. arrived B. hasn’t arrived C. haven’t arrived D. not
63. Every evening since last Christmas, I ______my dog out of for a walk in the park.
A. take B. took C. have taken D. had taken
64. After John ______a rough outline of the model, he will begin painting.
A. had drawn B. has drawn C. drew D. draw
65. I ______the bell three times when he answered the door.
A. would ring B. rang C. had rung D. was ringing
66. It is necessary that I ______here tomorrow.
A. Would be B. were C. am being D. be
67. Since I ______a child, I have solved difficult Math puzzles.
A. am B. was C. have been D. had been
68. This time next month we won’t be at work; we______the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside.
A. will enjoy B. will have enjoyed
C. are enjoying D. will be enjoying
69. A number of prisoners ______on the occasion of the Independence Day this year.
A. has been released B. have been released
C. were released D. was released
70. Ian ______a shower at the moment, so could you call back in about half an hour?
A. takes B. is taking C. has taken D. has been taking
LEVEL B2 – B2+
71. He fell down when he ______towards the church.
A. run B. runs C. was running D. had run
72. They ________there when their father passed away.
A. still lived B. lived still C. was still living D. were still living
73. After I ______lunch, I looked for my bag.
A. had B. had had C. have has D. have had
74. The man got out the car, ______round to the back and opened the boot.
A. walking B. walked C. walks D. walk
75. Henry ______into the restaurant when the writer was having dinner.
A. was going B. went C. has gone D. did go
76. He will take the dog out for a walk as soon as he ______dinner.
A. finish B. finishes C. will finish D. shall have finished
77. Almost everyone ______for home by the time we arrived.
A. leave B. left C. leaves D. had left
78. I couldn’t cut the grass because the machine ______a few days previously.
A. broke down B. has been broken C. had broken down D. breaks down
79. I ______for Christine. Do you know where she is?
A. look B. looked C. am looking D. looks
80. I ______to all the local newspapers and TV stations to complain.
A. already write B. already writing
C. have already written D. have already been writing
81. ______TV for the last four hours? Turn it off and get some exercises.
A. Do you watch B. Are you watching
C. Watched you D. Have you been watching
82. Jessica has ______left, I’m afraid.
A. already B. yet C. still D. so far
83. Dan ______in the living room while we were decorating his bedroom.
A. sleeps B. was sleeping C. had slept D. does sleep
84. Unfortunately, Simon ______a day off very often.
A. doesn’t get B. isn’t getting
C. hasn’t got D. hasn’t been getting
85. Actually, I didn’t drink coffee because I ______a cup of coffee already.
A. do drink B. have drunk
C. had drunk D. have been drinking
86. Eric, ______hockey competitively or just for fun?
A. do you usually play B. are you usually playing
C. have you usually played D. have you usually playing
87. Last summer, I ______to the beach almost every day.
A. went B. was going
C. have been D. have been going
88. - Whose is this plane ticket on the floor?
- Oh, it ______to me. Thank you.
A. is belonging B. belongs C. has belonged D. belonged
89. - I’m really tired of travelling so much.
- I think you ______a bit quiet.
A. were seeming B. have seemed C. have been seeming D. seemed
90. - You look thoughtful.
- I ______about our holiday last year.
A. just think B. has just thought
C. am just think D. was just thinking
91. - You went to Chile, didn’t you.
- No, but I ______to Peru, which is right next door.
A. has gone B. was gone C. did go D. was going
92. My brother and I ______swimming almost every day last summer.
A. went B. had been going C. were going D. had gone
93. We ______when someone knocked the door.
A. talked B. had talked C. were talking D. were talked
94. When the robbery happened, the security guard ______.
A. slept B. was sleeping C. had slept D. was slept
95. I wasn’t sure how Belinda would react because I ______her long.
A. didn’t know B. wasn’t knowing
C. hadn’t been knowing D. hadn’t known
96. Ian ______at the factory long when he was made a manager.
A. hadn’t been working B. wasn’t working
C. didn’t worked D. wasn’t worked
97. I wanted to say goodbye to Jerry but he______.
A. was already left B. already left
C. had already been leaving D. had already left
98. Jack ______chess before so I showed him what to do.
A. hadn’t been playing B. didn’t play
C. wasn’t playing D. hadn’t played
99. When we got to the airport, I realized that I ______my passport at home.
A. was left B. had left
C. left D. had been leaving
100. I ______for the match to begin when suddenly a dog ran onto the pitch.
A. had waited B. waited C. was waiting D. wait