English Grammar Exercises – Present, present perfect and past

1. Choose the correct alternative.

A

PETE:         Whereabouts in Brighton (1) do you live / did you live / have you lived when (2) you were / you’ve been / you were being a child?

PATRICK: The part called Kemp Town. (3) Do you know / Did you know / Have you known it?

PETE:         Oh, yes. (4) I was eating / I used to eat / I’ve eaten there most weekends when (5) I was doing / I’ve been doing / I’ve done my degree at the university.

B

HELEN:     When (6) are you hearing / did you hear / have you heard the result of your law exam?

CLARA:     When (7) I phoned / I’ve phoned / I’d phoned my boss. (8) She’s checking / She’s been checking / She was checking the results when (9) I’d rung / I rang / I was ringing, so (10) she’s told / she was telling / she told me then.

HELEN:     (11) Do you expect / Have you expected / Had you been expecting to do so well?

CLARA:     Not really, to be honest!

HELEN:     (12) Are you telling / Do you tell / Have you told your husband yet?

CLARA:     Not yet.

HELEN:     Go on! (13) He waited / He’s waited / He’s been waiting to hear from you all day.

2. Put the verbs into the correct form: present simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous, present perfect simple, present perfect continuous or past perfect simple.

1   Tom has started training regularly since he …joined…… (join) the gym.

2   How often …………………… (you / visit) your brother’s family when …………………… (you / be) in Singapore last year?

3   I …………………… (not top up) my smart card yet. How much …………………… (you / think) I need for a month?

4   The filling station manager called the police when he …………………… (realise) that someone …………………… (drive) off without paying for their petrol.

5   Sharon’s health …………………… (seem) much better these days than it used to be. Perhaps she …………………… (take) more exercise as the doctor …………………… (advise).

6   Eddie …………………… (set) fire to his kitchen last week when he …………………… (fry) sausages. He …………………… (sort out) the mess ever since, as you can imagine.

7   My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She …………………… (spend) most of her life teaching adults who …………………… (miss) the opportunity to learn to read when they …………………… (be) children.

8   I …………………… (always / want) to visit Japan. Now that I finally …………………… (have) the chance, I …………………… (decide) to take it.

9   We …………………… (arrive) at the music festival on Friday afternoon, but a lot of people …………………… (get) there in the morning and the queue at the entry gates …………………… (be) already long.

10   My sister’s in Vietnam at the moment. She …………………… (have) such a great time she …………………… (want) to stay another six months.