VERB TENSES PRACTICE SHEET
A)
Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the past simple
or the past continuous.
My friends and I (1) ........ (enjoy) my birthday party when suddenly the lights (2) ...... (go)
out. I (3) …...... (think) that my brother (4) ….. (try) to scare everyone. I (5) …... (shout),
‘Switch the lights on!’ but nothing (6) ……... (happen). While we (7) ….... (wait) in the
darkness, somebody (8) …......... (scream). Suddenly, I felt scared!
B) Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present
Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple or the Past Continuous.
Today, it …….( 1 )……..(seem) that everyone recognises the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh.
However, few people…….( 2 )……..(know) the sad details of his difficult life. Van Gogh was
born in 1853 in a small village in the Netherlands. He drew pictures when he was a boy, but
…….( 3 )……..(not consider) art as a career. When he was 16 years old, he …( 4 )…….. (go)
to work for a company which bought and sold art. He had periods of deep depression, which
…….( 5 )……..(affect) his work, and as a result, the company ….( 6 )……..(dismiss) him
1876. Van Gogh then …….( 7 )……..(teach) in England and later …….( 8 )……..(give) Bible
lessons in Belgium. He finally decided to become an artist. Between 1880 and 1890, while he
…….( 9 )……..(produce) his famous paintings and drawings, he suffered from frequent
periods of depression. On 27 July 1890, when he was 37, he …….( 10 )……..(shoot) himself.
He died two days later.
C) Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
- She wasn’t born in Coruña, but she ….( 1 )…(move) here when she was two.
- Sharon ….( 2 )……(think) about your idea at the moment.
- I ….( 3 )……(write) in my diary every day.
- That little boy ….( 4 )……(not enjoy) the pony ride. Look, he is crying!
- ….( 5 )…(they / know) my address? Perhaps we should call them.
- Mark ….( 6 )……(bring) soft drinks to yesterday’s meeting.
- …….( 7 )……(the wind / frighten) you last night?
- Yesterday at nine, I ……(8)…… (have dinner) at home.
- Halle Berry …….( 9 )…… (marry) Kevin Grant last year.
- …….( 10 )………(you / pay) the phone bill yesterday?
D)
Complete the text with the correct tense of the verbs in brackets. Use the present
simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous, present perfect or present
perfect continuous.
My brother, Sam, (1)......... (go) to a gallery last week to see an exhibition by a new artist.
While Sam (2) .......... (look) at one of the paintings, a man (3) ....... (appear) next to him. The
man asked, ‘(4) ...... you ........... (enjoy) the exhibition?’ Sam said, ‘It’s very good, but I (5)
..... (not understand) this painting.’ ‘Really? That’s interesting,’ the man replied. Sam said, ‘I
(6)......... (stare) at it for a long time, but I (7) ...... (not decide) if I like it yet. The subject is
interesting but the style and colours are a bit simple. What do you think? (8)........... you ever
……..... (see) this artist before?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I am the artist.’ Sam (9) ........ (blush) but
the man said, ‘Don’t worry. I like talking about my paintings and I (10).......... (prefer) people
to be honest.’
