Test Your Tenses

Ex. 301.

A TV correspondent is interviewing a famous woman author, Who is eighty-five years old. Use the right form of the verbs in brackets.

C: I'd like to ask you some questions about the changes you (see) in your lifetime. What is the biggest change you (notice) in the way people live?

A: That's a difficult question to answer. I guess it is the change in the younger generation. Young people (change) a lot recently. In my day, young people (be) very different.

C: In what way they (change)?

A: To my way of thinking, they (become) too casual and much too liberal in language, in dress, and in attitude in general. I guess I'm just old-fashioned.

C: Would you give me an example of what you mean?

A: Here's a small example. For the last fifteen years, since my youngest granddaughter (leave) high school, students (wear) blue jeans and T-shirts to school. Even some women-teachers (wear) pants in the classroom recently. In my day, they (kick) you out of school when you not (dress) properly.

C: What you're saying is true. Even professors at the universities (lecture) in blue jeans nowadays.

A: It also seems to me that young people (tend) to start dating at an earlier and earlier age. They start dating at thirteen, and, as you know, many couples (live) together without being married. That (be) unthinkable in my day.

C: And what is the biggest change that you personally (experience)?

A: I suppose getting married was the biggest change.

C: How long ago you (get) married?

A: I (get) married sixty years ago. My husband and I (live) happily together ever since.

C: Congratulations. It's nice to meet someone who (be) married for so long and (be) still happy.

Ex. 302. Make the right choice

1. George is on holiday. He... to Barbados, a. is gone b. has gone c. has been 2. Everything is going well. We... any problems so far. a. didn't have b. don't have c. haven't had 3. Nelly has lost her passport again. It's the second time this.... a. has happened b. happens c. happened 4. You're out of breath....? a. Are you running b. Have you run c. Have you been running 5. Where's the letter I gave you? What... with it? a. have you done b. have you been doing c. are you doing 6. We're good friends. We... each other for a long time, a. know b. have known c. knew 7. Sindy has been writing this programme.... a. for a month b. since six months c. six months ago 8. "... this week?" "No, he's on holiday." a. Is Bill working b. Does Bill work c. Does work Bill 9. John... tennis once or twice a week. • a. is playing usually b. is usually playing c. usually plays 10. How... now? Better than before? a. you are feeling b. do you feel c. are you feeling 11. Tracey... her hand when she was cooking dinner, a. burnt b. was burning c. has burnt