Tenses

Question 1

When do you use present continuous?

Answer 1

1. The action is happening RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT.

zB: I am typing this flashcard right now.

2. The action has been started but isn’t finished, yet.
   zB: I am reading a book about the second world war, but I think it will take me one million years to finish it.
3. Temporary situations
   zB: I am living with some friends until I find a
   place of my own.

Question 2

When do you use present simple?

Answer 2

1. Statment of facts.
   zB: Water boils at 100 degree Celcius. My mom is a nice woman.
2. Things that happen repeatedly.
   zB: I go to the gym every Monday at 7 am. Casandra meets with Anastasija before English tests sometimes.
3. Habits
   zB: She always writes in the morning.

Question 3

Is this sentence correct? If not, correct it.

The water boils. Can you turn it off?

Answer 3

The water IS BOILING. Can you turn it off?

(“Can you turn it off?” means it must be happening exactly right now at this moment => “boiling”)

Question 4

Is this sentence correct? If not, correct it.

Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.

Answer 4

Look! That man IS TRYING to open the door of your car.

(“Look!” means you should look at something exactly right now at this moment => is trying.)

Question 5

Is this sentence correct? If not, correct it.

Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?

Answer 5

Can you hear those people? What ARE they TALKING about?

(“Can you hear” means the people are talking exactly right now in this moment => “are talking”.)

Question 6

Is this sentence correct? If not, correct it.

I hear you’ve got a new job. How do you get on?

Answer 6

I hear you’ve got a new job. How ARE you GETTING on?

(You started doing something new, and you have not finished it or you are still doing it => are getting.)

Question 7

Put the verb into the correct form.

Julia is very good at languages. __________ (she/speak) four languages very well.

Answer 7

Julia is very good at languages. She speaks four languages very well.

(Statement of fact => speaks.)

Question 8

Put the verb into the correct form.

‘______ (you/listen) to the radio?’

‘No, you can turn it off.’

Answer 8

‘ARE YOU LISTENING to the radio?’

‘No, you can turn it off.’

(“you can turn it off” means it must be happening exactly right now at this moment => are listening.)

Question 9

Put the verb into the correct form.

The River Nile ……………………………………… (flow) into the Mediterranean.

Answer 9

The River Nile FLOWS into the Mediterranean.

(Statement of fact => flows)

Question 10

When do you use present perfect continuous?

Answer 10

1. An activity that has recently stopped or just stopped.
   zB: I have been looking for you for 30 minutes!!
2. Keywords: HOW LONG, FOR, SINCE
   zB: How long have you been writing this book? I have been writing this book for 2 years.

Question 11

Write a question for the situation.

You meet Paul as he is leaving the swimming pool.

You ask: ______________ swimming?

Answer 11

Have you been swimming?

How long have you been swimming?

Question 12

Fill in the blank.

We are waiting for the bus. We started waiting for the bus 20 minutes ago.

We______________ 20 minutes.

Answer 12

We have been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes.

Question 13

Write a question for the situation.

You meet a friend in the street. His face and hands are very dirty.

You ask: ______________ doing?

Answer 13

What have you been doing?

Question 14

Fill in the blank.

It’s raining. The rain started two hours ago. _______________ for two hours.

Answer 14

It has been raining for two hours.

Question 15

Fill in the blank.

Hello, Tom. ____________ (I /look) for you! Where ______ (you / have) been?!

Answer 15

I have been looking for you! Where have you been?!

Question 16

When do you use present perfect?

Answer 16

1. Something is finished.
   zB: Yesterday, I got my report card.
2. How much/many, how many times
   zB: Lisa is writing emails. She has sent lots of emails this morning.

Question 17

Which verbs are not normally used with continuous?

Answer 17

• know
• like
• believe

Question 18

Put the verb in the more suitable tense.

(You see a broken window). Look! Somebody ___________ that window.

Answer 18

1. Look! Somebody has broken that window.
2. Look! Somebody broke that window.

Question 19

Use the correct tense.

You look tired. __________ (you/work) hard?

Answer 19

You look tired. Have you been working hard?

Question 20

Use the correct tense.

Person 1: Liz is away on holiday.

Person 2: Is she? Where ______ (she/go)?

Answer 20

Where did she go?

Question 21

When do you use past simple?

Answer 21

1. The action was completed at a specific time.
   zB. I got a 5 on my last English exam
2. The action happened at a specific time in the past.
   zB. I was born in 2001.

Question 22

When do you use past continuous?

Answer 22

1. To describe what you were doing at exactly a specific time in the past.
   zB: Yesterday, at 7:30 pm, I was video chatting with a friend.
2. When talking about the past. Some action was taking place and suddenly a second thing happened. Keyword: WHEN

Question 23

Use the correct tense.

How fast _____ (you/drive) when the accident (happen)?

Answer 23

How fast were you driving when the accident happened?

Question 24

Use the correct form.

We were in a very difficult position. We ________ (not/know) what to do.

Answer 24

We didn’t know what to do.