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Verb tenses practice: present perfect, past and future

The right tense depends on the time words in the sentence and on how two actions relate to each other: since and for with the present perfect, an interrupted action in the past progressive, an earlier action in the past perfect, a fixed timetable in the present simple.

New to this topic? Read the lesson first: Verb tenses.

Try these 10 questions, then open the answer to check yourself. The trainer has all 86 questions on this topic, mixed in a new order each time, with your mistakes saved for review.

  1. The convoy ______ the checkpoint when the ambush started.

    • Aapproaches
    • Bwas approaching
    • Chas approached
    • Dapproach
    Show the answer

    B. was approaching

    An action in progress that is interrupted takes the past progressive.

  2. By the time the reinforcements arrived, the enemy ______.

    • Awithdraws
    • Bwithdrew
    • Chad withdrawn
    • Dhas withdrawn
    Show the answer

    C. had withdrawn

    An earlier action in the past takes the past perfect.

  3. Our unit ______ joint exercises with NATO since 2019.

    • Aconducts
    • Bconducted
    • Chas been conducting
    • Dis conducting
    Show the answer

    C. has been conducting

    since + an action that is still going on: present perfect progressive.

  4. Water ______ at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level.

    • Aboil
    • Bboils
    • Cis boiling
    • Dhas boiled
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    B. boils

    A general truth takes the present simple.

  5. I ______ my report before the briefing starts tomorrow.

    • Afinish
    • Bwill have finished
    • Cam finishing
    • Dfinished
    Show the answer

    B. will have finished

    Completed before a future moment, so future perfect.

  1. The ship ______ port at 0600 tomorrow, according to the schedule.

    • Aleaves
    • Bis leaving
    • Cwill have left
    • Dleft
    Show the answer

    A. leaves

    An official timetable takes the present simple, even for the future.

  2. He ______ in the operations centre for three years before he was transferred.

    • Aworks
    • Bhas worked
    • Chad been working
    • Dis working
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    C. had been working

    A duration leading up to a past event.

  3. This time next week we ______ across the Mediterranean.

    • Asail
    • Bwill sail
    • Cwill be sailing
    • Dhave sailed
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    C. will be sailing

    An action in progress at a future moment.

  4. She ______ the radio when the alarm sounded.

    • Arepairs
    • Bwas repairing
    • Chas repaired
    • Drepair
    Show the answer

    B. was repairing

    A past setting interrupted by another action.

  5. I ______ him since the last staff meeting.

    • Adon't see
    • Bdidn't see
    • Chaven't seen
    • Dam not seeing
    Show the answer

    C. haven't seen

    since -> present perfect.

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