ACE Your Grammar! Test For Tenses
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In grammar, tense is a category that expresses time reference. Tenses are usually manifested by the use of specific forms of verbs, particularly in their conjugation patterns. The main tenses found in many languages include the past, present, and future.
To Ace your Grammar! Here is a Test for Tenses
Questions and Answers
- 1.
We ________ coffee every morning (drink)
Explanation
The given sentence is in the present tense and is talking about a habitual action. The subject "we" is performing the action of drinking coffee every morning. Therefore, the correct verb form to use is "drink."Rate this question:
- 2.
She ______ work at 10 am (start)
Explanation
The correct answer is "starts" because it is the correct form of the verb "start" in the third person singular present tense. In this sentence, the subject "she" is performing the action of starting work, and when a subject is singular and in the third person, the verb form should end in "-s". Therefore, "starts" is the appropriate choice.Rate this question:
- 3.
She _____ the street (cross)
Explanation
The correct answer is "crosses" because it agrees with the subject "she" in the present tense. When using the verb "cross" in the third person singular (he, she, it), we add an -es to the base form of the verb. Therefore, "crosses" is the correct form to use in this sentence.Rate this question:
- 4.
She _____ a yard (have)
Explanation
The correct answer is "has". In this sentence, the subject "she" is singular, and the verb "has" agrees with the singular subject. The word "has" is the third person singular form of the verb "have", which is used to show possession or ownership. Therefore, "has" is the correct verb to use in this sentence to indicate that "she" possesses or owns a yard.Rate this question:
- 5.
They ____ the same dress (have)
Explanation
The correct answer is "have" because the subject "they" is plural, indicating that multiple people are being referred to. In the present tense, for plural subjects, the verb "have" is used. Therefore, "They have the same dress" is the correct sentence.Rate this question:
- 6.
They _____ work outside (not/work)
Explanation
The given correct answer "do not work" is appropriate because it follows the negative form of the verb "work" (do not + base form of the verb). This construction is used to express the absence of an action or the negation of a statement. In this case, it indicates that the subject does not engage in any work outside.Rate this question:
- 7.
He _____ at home (not/live)
Explanation
The given correct answer "does not live" is the correct form of negation for the verb "live" in the third person singular form. It indicates that the subject is not currently residing at home.Rate this question:
- 8.
_____ in an office? (you/work)
Explanation
The given correct answer "Do you work" is the correct question form of the sentence. The question is asking about someone's work status in an office. The phrase "Do you" is used to form questions in the present tense, and "work" is the verb that indicates the action of working. Therefore, "Do you work" is the appropriate question to inquire about someone's work in an office.Rate this question:
- 9.
_______ work at 4pm? (you/usually/finish)
Explanation
The given question is asking about a habitual action, specifically if the person being addressed typically finishes work at 4pm. The correct answer is "Do you usually finish" because it is grammatically correct and maintains the correct tense and subject-verb agreement. The word "you" is used to address the person being asked, "usually" indicates the frequency of the action, and "finish" is the appropriate verb to use in this context.Rate this question:
- 10.
_____ work on time? (he/finish)
Explanation
The correct answer is "Does he finish" because the question is asking whether a specific person finishes their work on time. The word "does" is used to form questions in the present simple tense with the third person singular pronoun "he." The verb "finish" is correctly conjugated to match the subject "he."Rate this question:
- 11.
They ______ with each other (be/fight)
Explanation
The correct answer "are fighting" is used to describe an ongoing action of two or more people engaging in a fight or argument. The present continuous tense "are fighting" indicates that the action is happening at the present moment and is not a permanent state.Rate this question:
- 12.
It ______ a lot outside (be/rain)
Explanation
The correct answer is "is raining" because the sentence is in the present tense and describes the current weather condition. The verb "is" is used with the subject "it" to indicate that the action of raining is happening right now.Rate this question:
- 13.
She ______ at the moment (relax)
Explanation
The correct answer is "is relaxing" because the sentence is in the present continuous tense, indicating an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. The verb "relax" is conjugated with the helping verb "is" to show that the subject is currently in the state of relaxation.Rate this question:
- 14.
He ________ to his mother (be/always/lie)
Explanation
The correct answer is "is always lying" because the sentence is in the present continuous tense, indicating an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. The word "always" suggests that the person consistently tells lies to his mother.Rate this question:
- 15.
_____ to the party? (you/be/come)
Explanation
The given correct answer is "Are you coming". This is the correct answer because the question is asking about the action of coming to the party, and the appropriate response to this question would be to confirm whether the person is indeed coming or not.Rate this question:
- 16.
The sun ____ in the east (rise)
Explanation
The correct answer is "rises" because it is the present tense form of the verb "rise" and it agrees with the subject "sun". In English, we use the present tense to describe actions that are habitual or true in general, and it is a known fact that the sun rises in the east every day.Rate this question:
- 17.
_____ fun, Anne (have)
Explanation
The word "have" is the correct answer because it is the correct form of the verb to match with the subject "Anne". In this sentence, "have" is used to indicate that Anne is currently experiencing or possessing fun.Rate this question:
- 18.
Please ____ the door (close)
Explanation
The word "close" is the correct answer because it is the appropriate verb to use in this context. The sentence is asking for an action to be performed on the door, and "close" is the verb that describes this action.Rate this question:
- 19.
Just _____ me a moment, please (give)
Explanation
The verb "give" is the correct answer because it completes the sentence and fits grammatically. The phrase "Just give me a moment, please" is a polite request for someone to wait momentarily.Rate this question:
- 20.
It's sunny today. Let's ___. (go out)
Explanation
The given correct answer is "go out" because the statement "It's sunny today" suggests that the weather is good, which makes it suitable for going outside. Therefore, the logical action to take in this situation would be to go out and enjoy the sunny weather.Rate this question:
- 21.
It's cold now. Let's ______. (not/go out)
Explanation
The given correct answer is "not go out" because the phrase "It's cold now" suggests that the weather is not suitable for going outside. Therefore, the logical decision would be to stay indoors and not go out.Rate this question:
- 22.
Walter ______ his car last Tuesday (wash)
Explanation
The sentence is in the past tense, and the subject "Walter" is singular. Therefore, the correct form of the verb "wash" in the past tense is "washed."Rate this question:
- 23.
Heather ____ the bedroom last weekend before the party (clean)
Explanation
The correct answer is "cleaned" because it is the past tense form of the verb "clean". The sentence is describing an action that Heather performed in the past, specifically last weekend before the party. Therefore, "cleaned" is the appropriate verb tense to use in this context.Rate this question:
- 24.
I ____ swimming yesterday (go)
Explanation
The correct answer is "went" because it is the past tense form of the verb "go". Since the sentence is in the past tense and the subject is "I", we use the past tense form "went" to indicate that the action of swimming happened in the past.Rate this question:
- 25.
Sam ___ two pizzas (eat)
Explanation
The correct answer is "ate" because it is the past tense form of the verb "eat" and agrees with the subject "Sam."Rate this question:
- 26.
I ____ to the US in 1990 (come)
Explanation
The correct answer is "came". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and requires the past form of the verb "come".Rate this question:
- 27.
Sheila ___ to the park (drive)
Explanation
The correct answer is "drove" because it is the past tense form of the verb "drive." This verb is used to describe the action of operating a vehicle to move from one place to another. In this sentence, the subject "Sheila" performed this action in the past, indicating that she operated a vehicle to go to the park.Rate this question:
- 28.
The traffic _____ bad so we were late to school (be)
Explanation
The correct answer is "was" because the sentence is in the past tense and requires the past tense form of the verb "be" to agree with the subject "traffic." In this case, "was" is the correct past tense form of "be" to indicate that the traffic was bad in the past.Rate this question:
- 29.
I played tennis last week but I ____ it yesterday (not/play)
Explanation
The correct answer is "did not play" because the sentence is in the past tense and the word "yesterday" indicates a specific point in the past. The phrase "did not" is used to form the negative past tense of the verb "play". Therefore, the correct form is "did not play" to indicate that the action of playing tennis did not happen on the specific day mentioned.Rate this question:
- 30.
Emily ____ the theme park as much as Zara (not/enjoy)
Explanation
The correct answer is "did not enjoy" because it is stated that Emily did not enjoy the theme park as much as Zara. This means that Zara also did not enjoy the theme park, but Emily's level of enjoyment was even lower than Zara's.Rate this question:
- 31.
The book was interesting, but the movie ____ (be/not)
Explanation
The given correct answer "was not" completes the sentence by expressing that the movie was not interesting, contrasting with the interesting book. This suggests that the movie did not captivate or engage the person in the same way the book did.Rate this question:
- 32.
______ last week? (who/she/visit)
Explanation
The correct answer is "Who did she visit." In this question, we are asking about the person that she visited. The word "who" is used to inquire about the subject or object of a sentence, in this case, the person being visited. The word "did" is used to form the past tense of the verb "visit," indicating that the action took place in the past. The pronoun "she" indicates the subject of the sentence, the person who performed the action of visiting. Therefore, the correct question is asking for the identity of the person she visited.Rate this question:
- 33.
_____ a book on the beach? (you/read)
Explanation
The correct answer is "Did you read." In this question, the verb "read" is in the past tense and is asking about a completed action. The subject "you" is singular, so the correct form of the verb is "did" instead of "do." The question is asking if the person read a book on the beach in the past.Rate this question:
- 34.
____ to the gym? (when/he/go)
Explanation
The question is asking for the correct interrogative form of the given sentence. The correct answer is "When did he go?" because it follows the correct word order for an interrogative sentence. In this case, the question is asking about the time or moment when the person went to the gym.Rate this question:
- 35.
_____ so much food? (why/you/buy)
Explanation
The given correct answer is "Why did you buy?" This is the correct answer because it follows the correct word order for forming a question in English. In interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb (did) comes before the subject (you), and the main verb (buy) follows. Additionally, the question word "why" is used to inquire about the reason for buying so much food.Rate this question:
- 36.
James _______ at the party last Friday (be/excited)
Explanation
The correct answer is "was excited" because it is in the past tense and matches the subject "James". The verb "was" is the past tense of "be" and is used to indicate a state or condition in the past. The adjective "excited" describes James' state at the party, indicating that he felt excited during that time.Rate this question:
- 37.
_______ to know that you are here? (they/be/surprised)
Explanation
The given correct answer "Were they surprised" is the correct question form to ask if someone was surprised. The word "were" is the past tense of the verb "to be" used for the subject "they". The word "surprised" is the past participle of the verb "to surprise", indicating the state of being surprised. Therefore, "Were they surprised" is the correct way to ask if someone experienced surprise.Rate this question:
- 38.
____ the lectures about? (what/be)
Explanation
The correct answer is "What were." This answer is correct because it correctly completes the question, asking about the subject or content of the lectures. The phrase "What were" is the correct question formation for asking about the lectures.Rate this question:
- 39.
_______ the last one to arrive? (we/be)
Explanation
The question is asking for the correct form to complete the sentence "_______ the last one to arrive?" The correct answer is "Were we" because it follows the correct subject-verb agreement in a question form.Rate this question:
- 40.
This time last week, we ______ in Peru (hike)
Explanation
The correct answer is "were hiking" because the phrase "this time last week" indicates a specific point in the past. The past continuous tense "were hiking" is used to describe an ongoing action that was happening at that specific time in the past.Rate this question:
- 41.
I knocked on your door but you were not at home. What _______? (you/do)
Explanation
The correct answer "were you doing" is in the past continuous tense. It is used to ask about an ongoing action that was happening at a specific time in the past. In this context, it implies that the speaker wants to know what activity the person was engaged in when they knocked on the door and found them not at home.Rate this question:
- 42.
When I lost my camera, we _______ in the sea (swim)
Explanation
The correct answer is "were swimming" because the sentence is in the past tense and the verb "swim" needs to be conjugated in the past continuous tense to indicate an ongoing action at a specific point in the past. The use of "were" indicates the past continuous tense and "swimming" is the correct form of the verb in this tense.Rate this question:
- 43.
I ____ a photo when a monkey grabbed my camera (take)
Explanation
The given correct answer is "was taking". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and requires a past continuous verb form to indicate an ongoing action in the past. "Was taking" is the correct past continuous form of the verb "take" in the first person singular form.Rate this question:
- 44.
He was sunbathing when it _____ to rain (start)
Explanation
The given sentence describes a past event where someone was sunbathing. The verb "started" is the correct answer because it is the past tense form of the verb "to start." This indicates that the action of raining began while the person was sunbathing.Rate this question:
- 45.
I was mowing the lawn when you ____ (call)
Explanation
The correct answer is "called" because it is the past tense form of the verb "call". In the sentence, the speaker is describing an action that was happening in the past (mowing the lawn) when another action (the phone call) occurred. Therefore, the past tense "called" is the appropriate choice to indicate that the phone call happened in the past while the speaker was mowing the lawn.Rate this question:
- 46.
I ______ in London. My flight landed 5 minutes ago. (arrive)
Explanation
The correct answer is "have arrived" because the sentence is in the present perfect tense. The verb "have" is used in conjunction with the past participle form of the verb "arrive" to indicate an action that happened in the past but has a connection to the present. In this case, the speaker is stating that they have recently arrived in London.Rate this question:
- 47.
I _____ California every summer since I was 8 years old. (visit)
Explanation
The correct answer is "have visited" because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that started in the past and continues up to the present. The phrase "since I was 8 years old" indicates that the speaker started visiting California at the age of 8 and has continued to do so every summer. Therefore, the present perfect tense "have visited" is the appropriate verb form to convey this ongoing action.Rate this question:
- 48.
You ____ the table. It's a mess!! (not/clean)
Explanation
The sentence suggests that the table is in a messy state, implying that it has not been cleaned. The correct answer "have not cleaned" aligns with this context, indicating that the action of cleaning the table has not been performed.Rate this question:
- 49.
John ______ the dishes (just/wash)
Explanation
The correct answer is "has just washed" because the sentence is in the present perfect tense. "Has" is the auxiliary verb used with the subject "John" to indicate that the action of washing the dishes has been completed recently. "Just" is an adverb used to emphasize the immediacy of the action. "Washed" is the past participle form of the verb "wash" which is used in the present perfect tense.Rate this question:
- 50.
I ____ a lot of great things here since I arrived (see)
Explanation
The correct answer is "have seen". The sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that started in the past and is still relevant in the present. The word "since" indicates that the action of seeing great things started in the past and continues up until now. Therefore, "have seen" is the appropriate verb form to use in this context.Rate this question:
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Mar 21, 2023Quiz Edited by
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May 18, 2021Quiz Created by
Catherine Halcomb
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