English Coaching Exam On Tenses! Trivia Quiz
Present perfect, past simple and past perfect
Questions and Answers
- 1.
We first _________ in a small flat.
- A.
've lived
- B.
Lived
Correct Answer
B. LivedExplanation
The correct answer is "lived". The verb "lived" is the past tense form of "live". The sentence suggests that the action of living in a small flat occurred in the past. The use of "first" indicates that there may have been subsequent living arrangements.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Yes! We ___________ for 18 years.
- A.
've been married
- B.
Were married
Correct Answer
A. 've been marriedExplanation
The correct answer is 've been married. This is because the phrase "have been married" is the correct form of the verb "to be" in the present perfect tense. It indicates that the action of being married started in the past and is still ongoing in the present.Rate this question:
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- 3.
We __________ in 1990.
- A.
Got married
- B.
've married
Correct Answer
A. Got marriedExplanation
The correct answer is "got married" because it is the past tense form of the verb "get married" which means to enter into a marriage or to become married. Since the sentence is in the past tense and the action of getting married happened in 1990, "got married" is the appropriate choice. The other option, "'ve married" is incorrect because it is a contraction of "have married" which is the present perfect tense and does not match the past tense context of the sentence.Rate this question:
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- 4.
I ________ my husband at high school.
- A.
've met
- B.
Met
Correct Answer
A. 've metExplanation
The correct answer is 've met. This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present. "I have met" implies that the speaker met their husband at some point in the past, but the meeting still has relevance or impact on their current situation.Rate this question:
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- 5.
I _____________ in Buenos Aires since I was born.
- A.
've lived
- B.
Lived
Correct Answer
A. 've livedExplanation
The correct answer is 've lived. This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that started in the past and is still ongoing in the present. The contraction 've is short for have, and it is used with the pronoun I. Therefore, the correct form is 've lived.Rate this question:
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- 6.
In the year 2000, we ________ to a house in the suburbs.
- A.
Moved
- B.
've moved
Correct Answer
A. MovedExplanation
The correct answer is "moved." This is the correct answer because the sentence is in the past tense and "moved" is the past tense form of the verb "move."Rate this question:
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- 7.
We ____________ in the same house since then.
- A.
Lived
- B.
've lived
Correct Answer
B. 've livedExplanation
The correct answer is 've lived. This is because the sentence is referring to an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. The contraction 've is a shortened form of have, which is used to indicate the present perfect tense. Therefore, 've lived is the correct form to express the idea that the speaker has been living in the same house since a past time and continues to do so.Rate this question:
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- 8.
I _______________ comics since a was a little boy.
- A.
Read
- B.
Was reading
- C.
Reads
- D.
Have read
- E.
Was read
Correct Answer
D. Have readExplanation
The correct answer is "have read." This is 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 a little boy" indicates that the action of reading comics started in the past and is still ongoing. Therefore, "have read" is the appropriate verb form to use in this context.Rate this question:
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- 9.
We really ___________ Guy Fawkes night last year.
- A.
Have enjoyed
- B.
Has enjoyed
- C.
Were enjoyed
- D.
Enjoyed
- E.
Was enjoyed
Correct Answer
D. EnjoyedExplanation
The sentence is in the past tense and the subject is "we". "Enjoyed" is the correct past tense form of the verb "enjoy" to agree with the subject "we".Rate this question:
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- 10.
It ___________ the Zaragoza Expo icon for one year.
- A.
Has been
- B.
Was
- C.
Have been
- D.
Were
- E.
Was being
Correct Answer
A. Has beenExplanation
The correct answer is "has been". This is because "has been" is the present perfect tense of the verb "to be" and is used to indicate an action that started in the past and continues up until the present. In this context, it suggests that the Zaragoza Expo icon was chosen or designated for one year and continues to hold that status.Rate this question:
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- 11.
They ____________ horrified in their exam last September
- A.
Feel
- B.
Was feeling
- C.
Felt
- D.
Were felt
- E.
Have felt
Correct Answer
C. FeltExplanation
In this sentence, the subject "they" is the one who experienced the feeling of being horrified. The verb form "felt" is the past tense of "feel" and is the correct choice to indicate their state of being horrified during their exam last September.Rate this question:
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- 12.
She ________________ History last year.
- A.
Has studied
- B.
Have studied
- C.
Was studied
- D.
Study
- E.
Studied
Correct Answer
E. StudiedExplanation
The correct answer is "studied" because the sentence is in the past tense and the subject "she" is singular. Therefore, the verb should be in the past tense and agree with the subject. "Studied" is the past tense form of the verb "study" and matches with the subject "she".Rate this question:
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- 13.
They ______________ Matias López chocolate more than twice a day.
- A.
Ate
- B.
Has eaten
- C.
Have eaten
- D.
Were eating
- E.
Were eaten
Correct Answer
C. Have eatenExplanation
The correct answer is "have eaten." This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense and "have eaten" is the correct form of the verb for the subject "they." The word "more than twice a day" indicates a repeated action in the past, which is why the present perfect tense is used.Rate this question:
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- 14.
She __________ this computer program in 2005.
- A.
Has learnt
- B.
Learnt
- C.
Was learnt
- D.
Have learnt
- E.
Has learning
Correct Answer
B. LearntExplanation
The correct answer is "learnt." This is the past tense form of the verb "learn," which indicates that the action of learning the computer program took place in 2005.Rate this question:
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- 15.
They ___________ friends since they were two.
- A.
Are
- B.
Were
- C.
Have been
- D.
Has been
- E.
Were being
Correct Answer
C. Have beenExplanation
The sentence indicates a continuous action or state of being that started in the past and is still true in the present. The phrase "have been" is the correct answer because it is the present perfect tense of the verb "to be." It shows that the action of being friends started in the past (when they were two) and has continued up until the present moment.Rate this question:
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- 16.
He __________ in his project since May
- A.
Was worked
- B.
Have worked
- C.
Has worked
- D.
Worked
- E.
Has working
Correct Answer
C. Has workedExplanation
The correct answer is "has worked" because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about actions that started in the past and are still ongoing. The word "since" indicates that the action started in May and is continuing until the present. Therefore, the correct form of the verb is "has worked."Rate this question:
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- 17.
The teacher _________________ for half an hour.
- A.
Has explained
- B.
Explained
- C.
Is explaining
- D.
Have explained
- E.
Was explained
Correct Answer
A. Has explainedExplanation
The correct answer is "has explained". This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. In this case, the teacher started explaining something in the past and has been doing so for half an hour.Rate this question:
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- 18.
She (to thank) _____________ him for the chocolates when he gave them to her.
Correct Answer
thankedExplanation
Simple past clue - when he gave them to herRate this question:
- 19.
He (to buy) ________________ some chocolates for her.
Correct Answer
boughtExplanation
Could be present perfect but simple past is best because he is already waiting at the station for her so he must have bought the chocolates earlier.Rate this question:
- 20.
He (to like) _______________ her for a long time.
Correct Answer
has likedExplanation
Present perfect clue - for a long timeRate this question:
- 21.
She________ just (to leave) ____________ college to go home.
Correct Answer
has leftExplanation
Present perfect clue - justRate this question:
- 22.
So far she (to study) __________________ English for one year in Sydney.
Correct Answer
has studiedExplanation
Present perfect clue - so farRate this question:
- 23.
She (to live) ____________ in Tokyo 5 years ago.
Correct Answer
livedExplanation
Simple past clue - agoRate this question:
- 24.
He ______ always (to wait) ___________ for her at the train station.
Correct Answer
has waitedExplanation
Present perfect clue - always can be usedRate this question:
- 25.
She (to study) ______________ Information Technology in Tokyo.
Correct Answer
studiedExplanation
She lives in Sydney now so this is the simple past.Rate this question:
- 26.
She (to be) _______________ in Sydney for 5 years.
Correct Answer
has beenExplanation
Present perfect clue - for 5 years.Rate this question:
- 27.
He then (to ask) _________ her out and she said yes immediately!
Correct Answer
askedExplanation
Simple past clue - thenRate this question:
- 28.
6: She ... four marathons. Her first one ... in 2001 in Amsterdam.
- A.
Has run / has been
- B.
Ran / was
- C.
Has run / was
Correct Answer
C. Has run / wasExplanation
The correct answer is "has run / was". This is because "has run" is the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about past actions that are connected to the present. In this case, the action of running the marathons is connected to the present because it is still relevant to the person's running history. "Was" is used to indicate the past tense of the verb "to be", which is appropriate for the first marathon that took place in 2001.Rate this question:
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- 29.
4. We ... to France on holiday last year.
- A.
Went
- B.
've gone
- C.
Go
Correct Answer
A. WentExplanation
The correct answer is "went" because it is the past tense form of the verb "to go." This sentence is referring to a past action of going to France on holiday last year.Rate this question:
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- 30.
5: He ... had a lot of problems recently.
- A.
Have
- B.
's
- C.
Is
Correct Answer
B. 'sExplanation
The correct answer is 's. This is because the sentence is referring to someone who has had a lot of problems recently. The contraction 's is used to indicate possession or association, in this case indicating that the person has had the problems.Rate this question:
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- 31.
3: She's ... the boss for 6 months now.
- A.
Has
- B.
Be
- C.
Been
Correct Answer
C. BeenExplanation
The correct answer is "been." This is because the sentence is referring to an ongoing action or state that started in the past and is still continuing in the present. The word "been" is the past participle form of the verb "be," which is used to indicate this continuous action or state. Therefore, "been" is the appropriate choice to express the idea that she has been the boss for 6 months and is still the boss.Rate this question:
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- 32.
2: I ... him for ages.
- A.
Seen
- B.
Haven't saw
- C.
Haven't seen
Correct Answer
C. Haven't seenExplanation
The correct answer is "haven't seen." The sentence is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and continues into the present. The phrase "for ages" suggests a long duration, which aligns with the use of the present perfect tense. "Haven't saw" is incorrect grammar as it should be "haven't seen" to form the present perfect tense correctly.Rate this question:
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- 33.
1: ... in Trujillo since 2004.
- A.
She lived
- B.
She's lived
- C.
She's live
Correct Answer
B. She's livedExplanation
The correct answer is "She's lived." This is the correct answer because it uses the contraction "She's," which is short for "She has." The word "lived" is the past tense of the verb "live," which is the correct verb form to use in this sentence. The use of the present perfect tense "has lived" indicates that the action of living in Trujillo started in the past and has continued up until the present moment.Rate this question:
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- 34.
Research ________ that cycling can help patients overcome their illnesses.
- A.
Showed
- B.
Has shown
Correct Answer
B. Has shownExplanation
The use of "has shown" in the answer suggests that there is existing evidence or research that supports the idea that cycling can help patients overcome their illnesses. This implies that there have been studies or findings indicating a positive correlation between cycling and the improvement of patient health.Rate this question:
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- 35.
Oh, no! My car I________!
- A.
Has disappeared
- B.
Disappeared
Correct Answer
A. Has disappearedExplanation
The correct answer is "has disappeared" because the phrase "has disappeared" is in the present perfect tense, which indicates an action that started in the past and is still relevant in the present. In this case, the speaker's car disappeared at some point in the past, and the fact that it is still missing is important to the speaker.Rate this question:
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- 36.
I ________ my hands so I that I can help you with the cooking.
- A.
Washed
- B.
Have washed
Correct Answer
B. Have washedExplanation
The correct answer is "have washed." This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present. The use of "have" as an auxiliary verb followed by the past participle "washed" indicates that the action of washing the hands has been completed prior to the present moment. This implies that the speaker has already washed their hands in order to be able to help with the cooking.Rate this question:
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- 37.
She ________ about the traffic last week.
- A.
Complained
- B.
Has complained
Correct Answer
A. ComplainedExplanation
The sentence is in the past tense, indicating that the action of complaining about the traffic occurred in the past. Therefore, the correct answer is "complained." The other option, "has complained," uses the present perfect tense, which suggests that the action is ongoing or has a connection to the present, but this does not fit the context of the sentence.Rate this question:
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- 38.
Mr. Robinson _________ the election!
- A.
Just won
- B.
Has just won
Correct Answer
B. Has just wonExplanation
The correct answer is "has just won." This is because the phrase "has just won" indicates that Mr. Robinson recently won the election. The use of the present perfect tense "has" followed by the adverb "just" emphasizes the immediacy of the action.Rate this question:
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- 39.
Nobody ______ever ________ that mountain. (climb)
- A.
Has ... been climbed
- B.
Has ... climb
- C.
Have... climbed
- D.
Has .... climbed
Correct Answer
D. Has .... climbedExplanation
The correct answer is "has .... climbed". This is because 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 "nobody" indicates that no one has ever climbed the mountain, and "has" is the correct form of the auxiliary verb for the third person singular subject. The word "climbed" is the past participle form of the verb "climb" that is used in the present perfect tense.Rate this question:
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- 40.
People ________ to the Moon. (travel)
- A.
Has traveled
- B.
Have been traveled
- C.
Have traveled
- D.
Had traveled
Correct Answer
C. Have traveledExplanation
The correct answer is "have traveled" because it is in the present perfect tense, indicating that the action of traveling to the Moon has occurred at some point in the past and is still relevant in the present.Rate this question:
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- 41.
I _________ that movie twenty times. (see)
- A.
Have seen
- B.
Have saw
- C.
Have been seeing
- D.
Have see
Correct Answer
A. Have seenExplanation
The correct answer is "have seen" because 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. "Have seen" is the correct form of the verb "see" in the present perfect tense.Rate this question:
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- 42.
The children ________ the Indiana Jones movie. (see)
Correct Answer
have seenExplanation
The correct answer is "have seen" because it is the present perfect tense of the verb "see." In this sentence, the word "have" is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that the action of seeing the Indiana Jones movie was completed in the past but is still relevant to the present.Rate this question:
- 43.
I _________ that book three times. (read)
Correct Answer
have readExplanation
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 phrase "have read" is the correct form of the verb "read" in the present perfect tense. It indicates that the action of reading the book has occurred multiple times in the past and has a connection to the present.Rate this question:
- 44.
We _________ to Italy before. (go)
Correct Answer
have goneExplanation
The sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that happened in the past but has a connection to the present. The phrase "have gone" is the correct form of the verb "go" in the present perfect tense to indicate that the speaker has experienced going to Italy at some point in their life.Rate this question:
- 45.
I can't believe you _______ just ________ a cake! (made)
Correct Answer
have madeExplanation
The sentence is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about an action that happened in the past but has a connection to the present. In this case, the speaker is expressing disbelief at the fact that someone made a cake. By using "have made," it indicates that the action of making the cake occurred at some point before the present moment.Rate this question:
- 46.
_________he ___________ to his boss yet? (speak)
Correct Answer
Has spokenExplanation
The correct answer is "Has spoken" because the question is asking whether or not he has spoken to his boss. The verb "has spoken" is in the present perfect tense, which is used to talk about past actions that are still relevant in the present.Rate this question:
- 47.
Tony knew Istanbul so well because he _____________the city several times. (visit)
- A.
Had visited
- B.
Have been visited
- C.
Had been visited
- D.
Has visit
Correct Answer
A. Had visitedExplanation
The correct answer is "had visited". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the word "had" indicates that the action of visiting Istanbul occurred before another past event or time.Rate this question:
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- 48.
She only understood the movie because she _______ the book. (read)
- A.
Have read
- B.
Had been read
- C.
Had read
- D.
Has read
Correct Answer
C. Had readExplanation
The correct answer is "had read". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the word "had" indicates that the action of reading the book occurred before the action of understanding the movie.Rate this question:
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- 49.
I _____never ______such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai. (see)
- A.
Had... seen
- B.
Have... seen
- C.
Had...saw
- D.
Has... been seeing
Correct Answer
A. Had... seenExplanation
The correct answer is "had... seen". This is because the sentence is in the past perfect tense, indicating that the action of seeing the beautiful beach occurred before another past action (going to Kauai). The past perfect tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb "had" followed by the past participle of the main verb, which in this case is "seen".Rate this question:
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- 50.
Joe ______ English before he moved to New York. (study)
- A.
Has studied
- B.
Have studied
- C.
Had been studied
- D.
Had studied
Correct Answer
D. Had studiedExplanation
The correct answer is "had studied". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the action of studying English occurred before Joe moved to New York. The past perfect tense "had studied" is used to indicate an action that was completed before another past action or event.Rate this question:
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Nov 08, 2023Quiz Edited by
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May 09, 2012Quiz Created by
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