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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #55498: Tenses and verbs
    > Other English exercises on the same topic: Find the correct tense [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Past tenses - Gerund - Preterite or Present Perfect - Expressing Uncertainty : may-might-must... - How to choose your past tense? (again!) - Infinitive with/without TO - As/ However /No matter + adjective - Future perfect and past Conditional
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    Tenses and verbs


    The present simple (subject+verb) is used when we talk about a habit, a general truth, a permanent situation, a realizable hypothetis, and with some adverbs as: always, usually, sometimes, often,...

     
    -The present continuous (subject+to be in present+verb+ING) is used when we talk about something happening now, a temporary situation, something which is not yet finished at the moment of speaking, with some adverbs as: now, at the moment, today,... and the exclamations: 'listen!', 'look!'.

    -The simple past (subject+verb+ED for regular verbs or +verb in the past form for irregular verbs) is used when we talk about an action which took place in the past and which is already finished, actions that happened regularly in the past.


    -The present perfect (S+have+verb+ed for regular verbs or past participle for irregular verbs) is used to refer to the present result of an action: something which began in the past and still continues in the present, a recent past with the word 'just', when the time in the past is not important, with the adverbs: already, since, for, yet.


    -The past continuous (S+ to be in past form+verb+ING) is used when there is a long action taking place in the past, when we talk about something which had  already been in progress when something else happened.


    -The past perfect (S+had+past+verb+ED for regular verbs or past participle for irregular verbs) is used when we talk about something which happened before another action in the past, but which took place in a different time.


    -The future simple (S+will+base form of the verb) is used to talk about a decision that you make as you are speaking, something that you know or think will happen in the future.


    -The future continuous (S+will+be+verb+ING) is used to talk about an action which will continue for a period of time in the future.


    -The future perfect (S+will+have+verb+ED or +past participle for irregular verbs) is used to talk about something that you will be looking back on a particular time in the future.


    *Some other forms:
    -to be about to + verb (infinitive): to talk about a very near action
    -to be going to + verb(infinitive): to talk about an intention
    -to be to + verb(infinitive): to talk about an obligatory action to be done in the future


    *Present simple can be used as a future time to talk about a future plan where something has been 'officially' arranged, to refer to a future time after: 'when, as soon as, before, until'.
    *Present continuous can be used as a future time to talk about a plan in the near future, especially when the t
    ime is mentioned.





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    English exercise "Tenses and verbs" created by anonyme with The test builder.
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    1. What does he do? He (teach) Spanish in a secondary school.

    2. By August 2020, John (finish) his studies.

    3. I (write) an essay right now.

    4. Someone knocked on the door while they (have) breakfast.

    5. Her lips are trembling, look, she (cry) in a minute.

    6. My brother (work) in that firm since November 2008.

    7. This orange (taste) bitter! don't eat it.

    8. You are very lazy! That is sure, you (get) bad marks for the next exam.

    9. I (talk) to him the day before yesterday.

    10. Until he won at the lottery, he (be) a poor man.

    11. I (stay) at home tonight.

    12. He said that she had been sorry because she (forget) your book.










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