Pablo MOLINA PÉREZ

Perf DST 2

VERB TENSE Exercise 1 John's return

You could say it was a surprise when John turned up on my doorstep one day.
I (1. not see) haven’t seen him for three years. I (2. live) have been living alone all that time
with only my cat for company. "Where (3. you be) have you been for the last three years?" I
asked him.
"I (4. be) have been away" he replied, mysteriously.
"(5. You try) Are you trying to be funny?" I said, "My whole life has been ruined by you and
you just
stand there thinking that nothing serious has happened."
"I'm sorry." he said. "There (6. be) were some things I had to take care of three years ago.
Things I couldn't tell you about. Things that you wouldn't (7. understand) understand even if
I had
explained them to you."
I (8. let) let him enter. He took off his coat and shoes, walked into the kitchen and
opened the fridge, just as if he (9. never be) had never been away. He (10. start) started
to cut off a piece of cheese when I reacted. All these years, all this heartbreak, all this
torture, and now he
thought he could just take up again as if nothing (11. happen) had happened
"Oh no" I said, putting my hand on the wooden handle of the knife. "You can't come in here
like that.
You could (12. phone) have phoned me at least, to let me know you were still alive."
I noticed an expression on his face, the way he (13. hold) held the knife, the way he moved it
under my hand... there was something alarming about him, something wild, something I (14.
never see) had never seen before. There was a silence between us which quickly became
intolerable. I had to say something.
"You must (15. know) have known how bad I was feeling. Why didn't you contact me? It's
inhuman to let someone suffer like that."
"What can I say? You should (16. not become) not have become involved with someone like
me.
There are so many things you don't know about me. If you (17. know) knew what I'd done
you would run a mile.”
"What (18. you talk) are you talking about? What kind of things?"
"The kind of things people read about in the papers. Things like this..."
He took out a newspaper cutting from his pocket and (19. put) put it down carefully on the
kitchen table, laying it out flat so I could read it more easily. I (20. look)
looked at the headline, the photo, the first few words, and in spite of myself, I cried out.
 Pablo MOLINA PÉREZ
Perf DST 2

VERB TENSE Exercise 2

Frank Webb has a most unusual house, a former ladies' lavatory in Kew, south-west London.

As soon as Frank heard that someone was trying 1 (try) to sell the ladies' loo,
he wanted it. He was sure that he could make the building, which is situated 2 (situate) next
to the famous gardens at Kew, into a beautiful home. Now he’s busy converting 3 (convert) it
into a one-bedroom house.

"It might seem rather odd to want to live in a place that used to be a lavatory", he said, "but
I think 4 (think) it's really beautiful".
He was divorced recently, and he needed somewhere to live. He knew he wanted something
small but unique. "A friend told 5 (tell) me about it. I think she was joking 6 (joke), but it was
exactly what I was searching 7 (search) for".

He is 57. His 25-year-old daughter, Kathy, loves 8 (love) the place, too.
She has been helping 9 (help) her father with the work for the past few weeks as she has
been on holiday. He advises visitors not to go into the kitchen. "It is being decorated 10
(decorate) at the moment, and it looks awful".
Since he bought the lavatory, several ladies knocked 11 (knock) on the door, wanting to use
it. He lets them use his own bathroom. When he first saw the building, it hadn’t been used 12
(not use) for several years, so it was in quite a mess.
It was built 13 (build) in 1905. It is very solid, so he doesn’t have 14 (not have) to do any work
on the walls or roof. He paid 15 (pay) £60,000 for it a year ago, and since then he has spent 16
(spend) an extra £20,000 putting in an upper floor for the bedroom.
"I like the thought that my home has a history", he says with great pride.

Complete the sentences using an appropriate future

1 He sees some very black clouds in the sky. It’s going to rain.

2 His sister has just reminded him that it’s his mother’s birthday. I will give her a present.

3 He has decided to study hard for his exams. I am going to study more.

4 He’s made an appointment to see his dentist next Friday. I’m having an appointment
next Friday.

5 He predicts a win for his team Manchester United on Saturday. I think Manchester
United will win on Saturday.

6 He’s stuck in a traffic jam. He’s late for a meeting. He rings his office. I’m sorry I’m going
to be late.

7 His sister is pregnant. The baby is due next March. My sister is going to have a baby.
 Pablo MOLINA PÉREZ
Perf DST 2

8 His plane ticket for next Sunday says : 7.30 Heathrow. My plane leaves at 7.30 next
Sunday.

9 He can see himself lying on a beach in Spain next Monday. This time next week I will
have been on a beach in Spain.

10 He predicts hot weather there. I think it will be hot.

Past modals
1 Sorry I’m late. I had to go (go) to the post office.

2 I looked for Jenny but I couldn’t find (find) her.

3 I don’t know where Paul is. He must have gone (go) home early.

4 I had to work (work) hard when I was at school.

5 You shouldn’t say (say) anything to her about her birthday party. It was going to be a surprise.

6 You should have asked (ask) me earlier. I would have given (give)you a lift.

7 You can’t have done (do) your work already! You only started five minutes ago.

8 You could have told (tell) me the lesson had been cancelled. I wouldn’t have got up (got up) up so
early.

9 You were lucky to get out of the car unharmed. You could have been (be) badly hurt.

Conditionals
Complete the following sentences in an appropriate manner.

1 If I don’t have too much work tonight, I will go with you to the cinema.

2 My car’s being repaired at the moment. Sorry. If I had it, I would pick you up.

3 If I earned more money, I would buy you something.

4 Four people died in a fire at their home. If they had had a smoke detector, they would
have been able to escape.

5 It’s a lovely day, and the sea’s beautifully warm. What a pity we didn’t bring our swimming
costumes! If only we brought our costumes!