INTERMEDIATE TENSES 1

On Monday, just as I (TRY) _________________________ to wind down after a long working day, the
telephone (RING) _________________________: “Is that you, Helen?” someone asked on the phone. “Yes,
this (BE) _________________ me,” I replied. “Sandra speaking, my friend. I need to talk to you right now,” she
said in a desperate voice. She was a quiet girl who always tried not to call you when you (just/ ARRIVE)
_________________________ from work. She never wanted to disturb her friends, so I knew something
serious (GO) _________________________ on. “I (not/ HEAR) _________________________ from you in a
week. What (you/ DO) _________________________ lately?” I asked Sandra. “To tell you the truth,” she said
“I (HAVE) _________________________ a lot of problems with my boyfriend recently,” she continued.
“(you/WANT) __________________ to talk about it?” I asked. I (not/ FINISH) __________________ saying
the phrase that she started crying. “You (not/
BELIEVE) _______________________ what
happened to me last week,” she said. “It was
Saturday morning and my boyfriend (TELL)
_________________________ me he (PICK)
_________________________ me up at 8 pm to
go out for dinner at a fancy restaurant downtown.
Eight o’clock arrived. I was at home, ready to
(PICK) _________________________ up. It was
nine o’clock and my boyfriend (not/ APPEAR)
_________________________ or (CALL)
_________________________. I (BEGIN)
_________________________ to get worried
when my telephone (RING) ______________________: “Your boyfriend is cheating on you! You can catch him
red-handed at this very moment. Go to Rodham road and Sixth and you’ll see...” I could not believe what I
(just/ HEAR) _________________________ buy anyway, I went to the place the female voice (INDICATE)
_________________________ and there he was: he (KISS) _________________________ a girl as he
(never/ KISS) _________________________ me before. When he saw me he said that he (BE)
_________________________ sorry and promised he (never/ DO) _________________________ it again. I
don’t know what to do. I love him but he (really/ HURT) _________________________ my feelings. Tell me,
Helen, what (you/DO) _________________________ if you were me?” Sandra asked me. “Look, if I (BE)
_________________________ you, I (FORGIVE) _________________________ him temporarily until I
(GET) _________________________ a new, better candidate,” I replied. “I don’t know,” she said. “I think
everything will depend on his next move. If he (CALL) _________________________ me and apologizes for
what he (DO) _________________________, I guess I (GIVE) _________________________ him a second
chance. I love him and I want to be happy with him. What do you think, Helen?” she asked me. “I think you
(not/ NEED) _________________________ my opinion; you (already/ MAKE)
_________________________ a decision. I just hope it (BE) _________________________ the right one,” I
said.
ANSWER KEY:
1. was trying
2. rang
3. is
4. had just arrived
5. was going
6. have not heard
7. have you been doing
8. have had/ have been having
9. do you want
10. had not finished
11. will not believe
12. told
13. would pick
14. to be picked
15. had not appeared
16. called
17. had begun
18. rang
19. had just heard
20. had indicated
21. was kissing
22. had never kissed
23. was
24. would never do
25. has really hurt/ really hurt
26. would you do
27. were
28. would forgive
29. got
30. calls
31. has done/ did
32. would give
33. do not need
34. have already made
35. is/ will
 THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE.

Ex.1. You are writing a letter to a friend. In this letter you give news about yourself and other
people. Use the present perfect tense.
Dear Chris,
Lots of things have happened since I last wrote to you.
1. I / buy / a new car.
2. My father / start/ a new job.
3. I / give up / smoking.
4. Charles and Sarah / go / to Brazil.
Ex.2. Read the situation and write sentences. Choose one of the following verbs: break,
improve, lose.
1. Mike is looking for his key. He can’t find it. _______________________________________
2. Margaret can’t walk and her leg is in plaster. _______________________________________
3. Maria’s English wasn’t very good. Now it is much better. _____________________________

Ex.3 Read the situations and write sentences with just, already, yet.
1. After lunch you go to see your friend at her house. She says ”Would you like something to
eat?” You say: No, thank you. ____________________________ ( have lunch).
2. Joe goes out. Five minutes later the phone rings and the caller says “Can I speak to Joe?” You
say: I’m afraid _______________________________________ ( go out).
3. You are eating in a restaurant. The waiter thinks you have finished and starts to take your plate
away. You say: Wait a minute! __________________________ (not / finish).
4. You are going to a restaurant this evening. You phone to reserve a table. Later your friend
says “Shall I phone to reserve a table?” You say: No, _______________ it (do).
5. You know that a friend of yours is looking for a job. Perhaps she has been successful. Ask her.
You say: ____________________________? (find)

Ex.3. Put in been or gone.

1. Jim is on holiday. He’s_______ to Italy.
2. Hello! I’ve just _________ to the shops. I’ve bought lots of things.
3. Alice isn’t here at the moment. She’s ________ to the shop to get a newspaper.
4. Tom has __________ out. He will be back in about an hour.
5. “Are you going to the bank?” – “No, I’ve already _________ to the bank”.
Ex.4. Supply either the Present Indefinite or the Present Perfect in the following sentences.
1. I can’t speak about this book. I (not read) it yet.
2. Every day I (wind up) my watch at seven o’clock in the morning.
3. It’s Friday. ___ you (see) him this week?
4. Students usually (buy) books at the House of Books.
5. It’s a pity, but I (not buy) this dictionary yet.
6. As a rule we (do) many exercises in class.
7. He (tell) this joke many times.
8. Something (go) wrong with my watch.
9. I already (translate) these sentences into English.
10. They (have) their English many hours a week.
11. She (work) much and usually (get) many good marks.
12. WE (buy) a new TV set this year.
Part A: Theory – 6 marks
Instructions: Answer each question in full sentences. Give an example for each.

1. When is Present Perfect Simple used? How is it formed? Give an example.

2. When is Present Perfect Continuous used? How is it formed? Give an example.

Part B: Situations – 8 marks

Instructions: Read the situations and write two sentences using the words in brackets

1. Tom started reading a book two hours ago. He is still reading it and now he is on page 53.
(read / for two hours) __________________________________________________________

(read/ 53 pages so far) __________________________________________________________

2. Linda is from Australia. She is traveling round Europe at the moment. She began her tour 3 months ago.

(travel/ for 3 months) ______________________________________________________________________

(visit/ six countries so far) ___________________________________________________________________

3. Jimmy is a tennis player. He began playing tennis when he was ten years old. This year he is national
champion again – for the fourth time.

(win/ the national championship four times) _____________________________________________________

(play/ tennis since he was ten)_______________________________________________________________

4. When they finished college, Mary and Sue stared making music together. They still make music.
(make/ ten songs since they finished college) ___________________________________________________
(make / music since they finished college) ____________________________________________________

Part C: Affirmative, Negative and Interrogative Sentences - 18 marks

Instructions: Complete each sentence by using the verb in the correct tense

1. Look! Someone ________________ (break) that window!

2. You look tired. ________________ (you/ work) hard?
3. “__________________________________ (you/ ever / work) in a factory?” “No, never.”
4. “Jane is away on holiday.” “Oh, where ________________________________ (she/ go)?”
5. I ________________ (practice) the piano for 30 minutes.1
6. Bob ________________ (run) 10 km per week.
7. The children ________________ (be) on holiday for six days.
8. The dog ________________ (bark) since midnight.
9. You ________________ (eat / not) up yet.
10. We ________________ (know / not) them for a long time.
11. She ________________ (hang / not) up all the pictures yet.
12. How long _______________________________ (wait / she) for us?
15. How many months ________________________________ (take / you) piano lessons?
16. ________________________________ (stay / you / ever) in a castle?
They ________________ (work / not) since 5 o'clock. They just started an hour ago.

Paul was a student in New York. His father ______(be) the boss of the family business, but he
____________(die) in a car accident. Paul’s uncle _____________(become) the boss and ________
(marry) his mother. One day, Paul____________(study) in the library, when he ______________
(receive) a note from a friend. It _______________(say) “Your uncle ____________(kill) your father.”
Paul _____________(phone) his mother on his mobile phone and she _______________(come) to
the library. They____________(argue), when Paul __________(hear) a noise behind a bookshelf.
Somebody ____________(listen) to their conversation. Paul _____________(kill) him. Unfortunately,
it _________(is) his girlfriend’s father. When his girlfriend ___________(find) out about her father,
she _________(drown) herself in the university pool. Paul ______________(sit) in a local burger bar,
when his girlfriend’s brother (come in). He _____________(carry) a gun and was very angry.

1. The winner of the competition was ___ the drawing-room. 2. Everybody sat ___ the floor, but Mr.
Spencer sat ___ a chair ___ the corner. 3. The judge poured water ___ the glass. 4. The elderly lady
was always ___ home ___ night. 5. Adriana used to swim ___ the sea and sunbathe ___ the sand. 6.
He was born ___ 8:15 ___ the morning ___ June, 18th, 1928 7. The hanging light is ___ the table. 8.
Thomas was born ___ January 9th ___ Buenos Aires.

1. I feel really tired. I think I ______ go to bed. 2. Where are you going? I ____________ visit a
customer. 3. Do you want me to help you? No thanks. John ______ help me. 4. Would you
prefer tea or coffee? I ______ have some coffee, please. 5. Would you like to come to my
house for dinner and talk about this? Good idea. I ______ bring some food.

Please, don’t stay there. I can’t see ___ television. Have something for ___ breakfast. Listen to ___
radio, watch ___TV. Tina gave me ___book for my birthday. I’m reading ___book Tina gave me. She
lives in ___ big house in the country. Brian’s house is over there. It’s ___ big one with lots of plants.
Excuse me . Is there ___Post office near here? Can you tell me where ___nearest Post office is,
please. Chris and Anne saw ___horror film last night. Tina went to the cinema last night. She enjoyed
___film, but thought it was too long. I have to go to ___bank this afternoon to pay in a cheque. Twice
___ week he has to work in London.

Write two sentences using present perfect.

Write two sentences using present perfect continuous.

Write two sentences using past continuous.