Test 7: Mixed Tenses

English Grammar Tests » Test 7: Mixed Tenses

- Mixed Tenses

Ann ___ that she ___ the visitor before.
- A) thought / saw
- B) thinks / sees
- C) is thinking / sees
- D) thought / had seen
- E) have thought / had seen
As it ___ dark we ___ to go home.
- A) gets / decided
- B) would get / shall decide
- C) had got / have decided
- D) was getting / decided
- E) will be getting / had decided
He ___ looking at her, wondering where he ___ her
- A) keep / see
- B) kept / had seen
- C) keeps / saw
- D) had kept / had seen
- E) being kept / would see
They ___ to get married last month although they ___ each other for only six weeks.
- A) decide / know
- B) decided / know
- C) decided / had known
- D) decided / knew
- E) decided / has known
___ the weather good when you ___ tennis?
- A) is / played
- B) was / were playing
- C) will be / played
- D) is / will be playing
- E) has been / will play
When he ___ to the station the train already ___ .
- A) comes / left
- B) came / leaves
- C) came / had left
- D) had come / left
- E) has come / leaves
Last Monday when I ___ the house it ___ heavily.
- A) leave / rain
- B) left / was raining
- C) left / had rained
- D) was leaving / rained
- E) leave / rains
Yesterday when Tom ___ the lesson___ .
- A) comes / already begins
- B) came / had already begun
- C) came / already began
- D) will come / already begins
- E) came / already begins
I ___ the call because I ___ a shower.
- A) didn’t answer / was taking
- B) don’t answer / take
- C) doesn’t answer / am taking
- D) will not answer / take
- E) am answering / am taking
After Mary ___ the room, she ___ the floor.
- A) tidied up / washes
- B) tidies up / has washed
- C) has tidied up / washed
- D) had tidied up / washed
- E) is tidying up / washes
Yesterday at this time when his hat ___ he ___ across the bridge.
- A) blows off / is walking
- B) blew off / had walked
- C) has blown off / is walking
- D) blew off / was walking
- E) had blown off / walks
He wanted me to go to the skating-rink together. As he ___ I ___ my skates he ___ me his brother’s.
- A) knows / broke / offer
- B) knew / broke / offers
- C) knew / had broken / offered
- D) know / had broken / will offer
- E) knew / has broken / offered
Tom looked at his hands. He ___ that those hands ___ young and strong before.
- A) knew / was
- B) know / are
- C) had known / were
- D) knew / be
- E) knew / had been
He ___ us the firm ___ wool since 1935.
- A) told / had been exporting
- B) tells / would export
- C) said / is exporting
- D) will be told / exports
- E) told / has been exporting
He didn’t ___ well though he ___ a hard day before.
- A) slept / spent
- B) sleep / spend
- C) sleeping / had spent
- D) sleep / had spent
- E) slept / had spent
He ___ at the blackboard and ___ that the English teacher ___ the word “apple” there.
- A) was looking / sees/wrote
- B) looks / sees / had written
- C) looked / saw / was writing
- D) is looking / saw / writes
- E) has looked / has seen / is writing
Mr. Brown ___ to me 2 hours ago to return the book which he ___ .
- A) comes / borrows
- B) came / had borrowed
- C) will come / borrowed
- D) came / borrowed
- E) was coming / borrowed
No sooner he ___ than he ___ ill.
- A) had arrived / falls
- B) had arrived / fell
- C) arrives / has fallen
- D) arrived / will fall
- E) is arriving / is falling
I ___ my homework by 6 o’clock yesterday and when my mother came home I ___ supper.
- A) did / have
- B) have done / had
- C) had done / was having
- D) was doing / had
- E) do / have
He said that he ___ school and he ___ to enter the academy.
- A) finished / was going
- B) has finished / is going
- C) had finished / was going
- D) finishes / are going
- E) finish / was going
It ___ dark and it ___ .
- A) is / are raining
- B) was / was raining
- C) are / was
- D) were / were
- E) were / was
The pupils ___ the sentences yet, the teacher ___ the blackboard.
- A) has not written / will clean
- B) had not written / cleaned
- C) did not write / cleans
- D) are not writing / clean
- E) had not written / had cleaned
Henry ___ Puerto Rico before he ___ to St. Thomas.
- A) visited / had gone
- B) had visited / went
- C) was visiting / went
- D) would visit / goes
- E) visited / went
The company ___ some new equipments before the strike ___ .
- A) have ordered / begin
- B) had ordered / began
- C) ordered / begins
- D) is ordering / began
- E) will order / had begun
I ___ he ___ it interesting.
- A) hoped / find
- B) hoped / finds
- C) hopes / would find
- D) hoped / would find
- E) will find / find
Mark Twain ___ that they ___ about him.
- A) understand / speaks
- B) understands / speaks
- C) will understand / spoke
- D) understood / are speaking
- E) understood / were speaking
On our way home we ___ the problem if we could ___ the fine celebration of our mother’s birthday.
- A) discussed / organized
- B) were discussing / organize
- C) had discussed / organize
- D) have discussed / were organizing
- E) discuss / organizes
The greater part of London ___ of wood, but after the great fire wider streets and brick houses ___ .
- A) had been / were built
- B) was / were built
- C) is / have been built
- D) are / are built
- E) has been / is built
After my parents ___ home my life ___ better.
- A) had returned / became
- B) will return / become
- C) return / have become
- D) return / have become
- E) return / would become
Why ___ you come yesterday? We ___ a good time.
- A) don’t / can have
- B) didn’t / could have had
- C) will / might have
- D) doesn’t / will have
- E) did not / shall have
He___ even before I ___ a finger on him.
- A) screams / was laid
- B) screamed / had laid
- C) would scream / am laying
- D) screams / laid
- E) screamed / would lay
I___ never___ to Cambridge, but I once ___ Oxford.
- A) did / go / visit
- B) have / been / visited
- C) have / been / had visited
- D) was / visiting / had been visiting
- E) will / have gone / don’t visit
We ___ to wait because the man ___ .
- A) told / was questioned
- B) were told / questioned
- C) were told / is questioned
- D) told / was being questioned
- E) were told / was being questioned
They didn’t know that he ___ from the University in 1990 and then ___ abroad.
- A) had graduated / is working
- B) graduated / works
- C) graduated / was working
- D) was graduating / worked
- E) had graduated / worked
We learned that he ___ the office 5 minutes before he ___ .
- A) left / returned
- B) had left / returned
- C) would leave / returned
- D) would have left / came
- E) had left / had returned
- ___ you ___ him this week?
- Yes, I ___ him on Sunday.
- A) did / see / saw
- B) did / see / have seen
- C) have / seen / see
- D) do / see / saw
- E) have / seen / saw
I ___ my interview with the vice-president when my daughter ___ me.
- A) had / were calling
- B) was having / had called
- C) have had / called
- D) had / called
- E) was having / called
Ronald Reagan ___ president for 8 years before he ___ .
- A) had been / has retired
- B) had been / had retired
- C) was / had retired
- D) had been / retired
- E) was / retired
I went out of the house. It ___ . It ___ for two weeks.
- A) rained / was raining
- B) had rained / was raining
- C) was raining / had been raining
- D) had been raining / was raining
- E) was raining / rained
After long consideration we ___ to the conclusion our behavior ___ .
- A) came / had been justified
- B) came / will be justified
- C) will come / would be justified
- D) are coming / will justify
- E) has come / are being justified
The plan ___ for two hours when he ___ .
- A) had been discussed / came
- B) is discussed / comes
- C) will be discussed / come
- D) has been discussed / comes
- E) was discussed / would come
Christopher Columbus didn’t know where he ___. When he landed he didn’t know where he ___ when he got back to Spain he didn’t know where he ___.
- A) was sailing / was / had been
- B) had sailed / was / was
- C) is sailing / had been / has been
- D) will be sailing / will be / will have been
- E) would sail / hadn’t been / haven’t been
That day after Mr. Brown ___ the letter he ___ me to clarify some details.
- A) has studied / phoned
- B) studied / phoned
- C) had studied / phoned
- D) had studied / had phoned
- E) studied / is phoning
When Christopher Columbus ___ 14 he ___ a sailor.
- A) is / became
- B) was / became
- C) was / becomes
- D) are / become
- E) were / became
When Mr. Brown ___ to the party all the guests ___ at the table.
- A) come / sat
- B) came / are sitting
- C) came / were sitting
- D) comes / sit
- E) came / had sat
Nick ___ he ___ his homework by 4 o’clock.
- A) say / has done
- B) said / had done
- C) says / do
- D) said / does
- E) said / has done
The American ___ the question slowly so that we ___
- A) repeated / should understand
- B) repeat / understood
- C) repeats / would understand
- D) repeated / understand
- E) repeats / understands
My sister ___ in Florida for one year when we ___ to New York.
- A) has lived / came
- B) have lived / come
- C) lived / come
- D) had lived / came
- E) live / came
He came to the writing table and ___ through the letters which ___ for him.
- A) look / was waiting
- B) looked / were waiting
- C) looks / has been waiting
- D) looked / waiting
- E) looks / are waiting
Ann ___ her work by 4 o’clock and ___ shopping.
- A) finished / went
- B) finishes / will go
- C) had finished / went
- D) has finished / go
- E) will finish / went
He ___ he ___ lunch an hour before.
- A) say / had
- B) said / would have
- C) says / shall have
- D) said / had
- E) said / had had
When we ___ the station the train ___ already ___ .
- A) reach / has / left
- B) reached / had / left
- C) reach / was / leaving
- D) shall reach / - / left
- E) were reaching / were / leaving
I knew that she ___ Miss Betsy, because I remembered how my mother ___ her.
- A) was / had described
- B) is / described
- C) would be / had described
- D) had been / described
- E) has been / describes
She said that Bob ___ as he ___ research work.
- A) was busy / was doing
- B) was busy / had done
- C) was busy / have done
- D) was busy / would be doing
- E) is busy / will be doing
He says he ___ his friend whom he ___ for many years.
- A) meets / didn’t see
- B) met / hadn’t seen
- C) met / haven’t seen
- D) will meet / sees
- E) meet / doesn’t see
That day when we were in the restaurant each one ___ what he ___ .
- A) receive / orders
- B) received / had ordered
- C) is receiving / is ordering
- D) will receive / would order
- E) is received / is ordered
- What ___ you ___ here?
- I ___ for my friend.
- How long ___ you ___ for him?
- For twenty minutes.
- A) are / doing / am waiting / have / been waiting
- B) do / do / am waiting / do / wait
- C) are / doing / wait / have / been waiting
- D) have / done / am waiting / are / waiting
- E) are / doing / am waiting / are / waiting
Julia has overslept again. She is going ___ late to her work. “I had better ___ a taxi” she thinks.
- A) being / take
- B) to be / take
- C) be / to take
- D) to be / to take
- E) to be / taking
They ___ just ___ and ___ supper now.
- A) have / come / are having
- B) had / come / are having
- C) have / come / is having
- D) had / come / had
- E) have / come / have
I usually ___ there by train but this week-end I ___ by bus.
- A) go / am going
- B) went / go
- C) go / go
- D) go / are going
- E) go / was going
You ___ very thoughtful. What ___ you ___ about?
- A) looked / was / thinking
- B) look / are / thinking
- C) look / are / think
- D) looking / are / thinking
- E) have looked / had / thought
His situation ___ since spring. Now he ___ much better.
- A) has improved / feel
- B) improves / felt
- C) improve / is feeling
- D) has improved / feels
- E) improved / has felt
It’s evening. People ___ to their house and ___ TV
- A) come / are watching
- B) have come / are watching
- C) come / watch
- D) has come / are watching
- E) are coming / have watched
Please, ___ me the newspaper a postman ___ today.
- A) show / bring
- B) shows / brings
- C) showed / brought
- D) show / brought
- E) show / has brought
Do you ___ that woman in the corner? She ___ her dog walk.
- A) see / is having
- B) saw / was having
- C) to see / is having
- D) see / has
- E) seen / have
My dog ___ a lot but it ___ at the moment.
- A) is barking / doesn’t bark
- B) barked / didn’t bark
- C) barks / isn’t barking
- D) was barking / won’t bark
- E) will bark / doesn’t bark
I ___ about it at the moment and I think that I ___ how to use it now.
- A) read / knew
- B) was reading / knew
- C) am reading / know
- D) read / know
- E) shall read / have known
Tom ___ the book since yesterday morning and he ___ it.
- A) has read / just finished
- B) has been reading / has just finished
- C) had been reading / has just finished
- D) will read / just finishes
- E) read / is just finishing
I ___ I ___ you there.
- A) thought / meet
- B) thinks / meet
- C) think / have met
- D) thinks / met
- E) think / has met
He ___ a very experienced teacher. He ___ French for 15 years.
- A) to be / taught
- B) am / is teaching
- C) is / has been teaching
- D) will be / was teaching
- E) was / are teaching
I’m ___ to tell you the story I ___ at school today.
- A) go / hear
- B) going / heard
- C) to go / hear
- D) going / have heard
- E) going / had heard
Jimmy, Jane and Billy wanted ___ their grandfather who ___ to visit them.
- A) to impress / had come
- B) impressed / came
- C) will impress / comes
- D) had impressed / has come
- E) to impress / to come
On ___ the room he ___ left and ___ his way.
- A) entering / turned / went on
- B) having entered / has turned / goes on
- C) entered / turns / went on
- D) enter / turn / goes on
- E) entering / turns / went on
___ you read the book “The Godfather”? If yes, when ___ you read?
- A) did / have
- B) will / do
- C) have / did
- D) were / done
- E) has / does
I ___ Tom since he ___ school.
- A) have seen / leave
- B) saw / has left
- C) hadn’t seen / left
- D) haven’t seen / left
- E) see / leave
He ___ me his name but I ___ it.
- A) tell / am forgetting
- B) will tell / forgot
- C) told / have forgotten
- D) has told / shall forget
- E) was told / forgot
They ___ you the money before they ___ .
- A) send / leave
- B) sent / left
- C) will send / leave
- D) sent / had left
- E) should sent / had left
I ___ already ___ the doctor about it, but she couldn’t ___ me.
- A) has / seen / helped
- B) have / seen / help
- C) had / seen / had helped
- D) will / have seen / help
- E) is/having seen / is helping
The weather ___ as nice today as it ___ yesterday.
- A) is / was
- B) are / were
- C) is / will be
- D) was / were
- E) were / shall be
You ___ six cakes since we ___ .
- A) had / had come
- B) had had / came
- C) have / come
- D) have had / came
- E) have had / have come
The English ___ of sports and ___ themselves as good sportsmen.
- A) are fond / regard
- B) is fond / regards
- C) were fond / regards
- D) was fond / regards
- E) am fond / are regarding
The children ___ their hands and they ___ lunch now.
- A) are washing / are having
- B) have washed / are having
- C) wash / have
- D) washed / are having
- E) wash / have had
Don’t go out. It ___ . It ___ since morning.
- A) rains / rains
- B) has rained / rains
- C) was raining / was raining
- D) is raining / has been raining
- E) is raining / had rained
I ___ you the book after I ___ it.
- A) give / read
- B) shall give / had read
- C) shall give / have read
- D) have given / shall read
- E) am giving / read
She ___ all the work and now she ___ in the next room.
- A) did / rest
- B) have done / rests
- C) does / rests
- D) has done / is resting
- E) had done / is resting
She ___ this book this week and she ___ discuss it.
- A) read / can
- B) has read / could
- C) had read / can
- D) have read / can
- E) has read / can
“I hope you ___ well?”
“Yes, I ___ ill for two weeks. Now I ___ well.”
- A) felt / was / is
- B) feel / is / am
- C) is feeling / are / is
- D) are feeling / have been / am
- E) was feeling / was / am
- ___ you ___ the man for many years?
- Yes, we ___ at Cambridge together.
- A) have / known / were
- B) do / know / is
- C) were / known / were
- D) have / known / was
- E) did / know / was
I ___ an exercise now but I ___ it in some minutes.
- A) write / finished
- B) writes / will finish
- C) wrote / is finishing
- D) am writing / shall finish
- E) have written / had finished
Last year he ___ better than he ___ now.
- A) sings / did
- B) sang / is doing
- C) had sung / does
- D) would sing / did
- E) had been singing / is doing
Students ___ already their tests and now they ___
- A) had written / hand
- B) are writing / handed
- C) have written / are handing
- D) wrote / will hand
- E) write / hands
It is going to rain. I ___ glad I ___ my umbrella with me today.
- A) am/takes
- B) am/have taken
- C) is/taken
- D) are/took
- E) is/takes
Bill ___ his girl-friend now. That’s the third time he ___ her this evening.
- A) phones / phones
- B) has phoned / phones
- C) is phoning / has phoned
- D) will phone / has phoned
- E) is phoning / had phoned
Here ___ your keys. The boy ___ you up to your rooms and your luggage ___ up straight away.
- A) is/show/will bring
- B) are/show/will be brought
- C) are/will show/will be brought
- D) were/will show/brings
- E) are/has shown/will bring
- How long ___ you ___ to stay?
- I ___ we ___ here for a week at least.
- A) are/going/expect/shall be
- B) were/going/expected/shall be
- C) is/going/expect/are
- D) do/go/expected/are
- E) does/go/expect/will be
- Is this your first visit to London?
- No, I ___ here several times before and I ___ quite at home in London.
- A) was/have felt
- B) have been/feel
- C) had been/felt
- D) has been/felt
- E) were/have felt
I don’t know when she ___ but when she ___ I’ll give her your book.
- A) will come/will come
- B) will come/come
- C) come/will come
- D) will come/comes
- E) comes/will come
You ___ here until your mother ___ ready to leave.
- A) will stay/is
- B) would stay/is
- C) stayed/will be
- D) are staying/had been
- E) have stayed/would be
Many changes ___ place since I ___ in my native town 10 years ago.
- A) has taken/was
- B) are taking/had been
- C) took/was
- D) has taken/am
- E) have taken/was
I ___ to America five years ago. Since then, I ___ American, and ___ nearly all I ___ there.
- A) had gone/haven’t spoken/have
- B) had gone/don’t speak/forget/learned
- C) was going/haven’t spoken/forgot/had learned
- D) went/haven’t spoken/ have forgotten/learned
- E) went/hasn’t spoken/forgot/had learned
It has been long since I ___ him last. I ___ from him all these years.
- A) saw/haven’t heard
- B) had seen/haven’t heard
- C) see/don’t hear
- D) saw/don’t hear
- E) have seen/haven’t heard
He was sure they ___ the station before night ___ .
- A) will reach / came
- B) would reach / came
- C) would have reached / came
- D) would reach / would come
- E) reached / came
- “___ you ___ this film yet?”
- “Yes.”
- “When ___ you ___ it?”
- A) have / seen / have / seen
- B) have / seen / did / see
- C) are / going to see / did / see
- D) did / see / have / seen
- E) have / seen / are / going to see
- When ___ you ___ here?
- I ___ just ___ .
- A) did/come back/have/come back
- B) have/come back/have/come back
- C) will/come back/have/come
- D) do/come back/have/has come
- E) are/coming back/was/coming back
Look! There ___ nothing here. Everything ___ away.
- A) are / have been taken
- B) is / has been taken
- C) is / is taken
- D) is / is being taken
- E) is / will be taken
Everybody ___ at what ___ .
- A) was surprised/has happened
- B) was surprised/had happened
- C) is surprised/happen
- D) surprise/happen
- E) will be surprised/ happened
The famous writer Tolstoy ___ forever in our memories, in the books he ___ to us.
- A) will live / has left
- B) is living / will be leaving
- C) lived / leaves
- D) would be living / had left
- E) have been living / left
Ernest Hemingway ___ one of those people who ___ in their beds.
- A) had not been / died
- B) are / died
- C) was not / die
- D) was not / dies
- E) is being / have not died
If you ___ so rude to her she ___ to us earlier.
- A) were not / had come
- B) hadn’t been / would have come
- C) are / would have come
- D) are / will come
- E) are not being / would come
“Hello, Mr. Roberts” ___ the clerk. “What ___ you ___ home your the wife today?”
- A) greet / do / take
- B) greeting / were / taking
- C) greeted / are / taking
- D) will greet / did / taken
- E) will greet / did / take
Two years ago she ___ and now she ___ her time visiting friends.
- A) retires / spends
- B) retired / spends
- C) had retired / spends
- D) would retire / is spending
- E) will retire / spent
He might ___ the accident if he ___ more careful.
- A) avoid / was
- B) have avoided / had been
- C) avoid / had been
- D) had avoided / were
- E) avoids / is
- Hello, Ann! I ___ you for ages. Where have you been all this time?
- I ___ to Italy. I ___ back yesterday.
- A) didn’t see/was/came
- B) haven’t seen/have been/came
- C) don’t see/have been/have come
- D) saw/was/came back
- E) haven’t seen/had been/had come
- What ___ you ___ at 6 p.m. yesterday?
- I ___ my homework. After I ___ it I played chess with my friend.
- A) did/do/did/have done
- B) was/doing/was doing/had done
- C) were/doing/was doing/had done
- D) were/doing/did/have done
- E) had/done/had done/did
This book ___ quite different from the one I ___
- A) is/have read
- B) was/am reading
- C) has been/read
- D) have been/reads
- E) is/read
- ___ I ___ after the luggage or ___ you?
- If you ___ to the luggage and pay the driver I’ll go in and see about rooms.
- A) shall/look/will/see
- B) shall/look/will/will see
- C) will/look/shall/saw
- D) should/look/would/would see
- E) would/looked/will/saw
Nobody knows what ___ at this meeting but she ___ to him since.
- A) was said / hasn’t spoken
- B) is said / hasn’t spoken
- C) has said / hasn’t spoken
- D) was said / didn’t speak
- E) is being said / doesn’t speak

Answer Key

Favorite Books

Students who want help with English grammar. It is written for you to use without a teacher. Will be useful for you if you are not sure of the answers to questions like these: - What is the difference between I did and I have done? - When do we use will for the future? - What is the structure after I wish? - When do we say used to do and when do we say used to doing? - When do we use the? - What is the difference between like and as? These and many other points of English grammar are explained and there are exercises on each point.

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