Complete the sentences with the correct form of used to and the verbs in brackets, as in the example.

1. He used to watch (watch) a lot of TV but now he prefers to read.

2. My sister............................................ (not/like) sports but now she does.

3. My uncle Dave........................(live) in Boston but now he lives in Seattle.

4................................................(you/like) cartoons when you were a child?

5. Samuel.........................(visit) us a lot but now he doesn’t have enough time.

6. My mum..................(work) as a shop assistant, but now she stays at home to take care of my baby sister.

7........................(you/go) on holiday with your parents when you were young?

8. They..................................... (not/have) a swimming pool.

9. When we lived in the country, we.................................(go) fishing.

 

Complete the sentences with used to or would. In which sentence(s) can you use both?

1. My sister................................(eat) meat but now she’s a vegetarian.

2. She.............................(love) ice cream when she was a child.

3. We...................(walk) through the gardens every Sunday when we lived in Boston.

4. When I was in hospital, my aunt....................................(visit) me every evening.

5. My uncle.............................(work) in a nuclear power plant but now he’s retired.

6. My grandfather..................... (be) a teacher before he retired.

7. I...............(go) camping with my parents every summer when I was in high school.

8. He..................................(take) the bus to work before he bought a car.

 

Past Simple vs Present Perfect

 

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. Mary (win) the lottery last year.

2. We (prepare / already)dinner.

3. James (find) your ring in the garden yesterday.

4. He (come / just)home.

5. They (buy) their car two years ago.

6. I (see / not)anyone yet.

7. Phil (go / not) to the cinema last night.

8. We (be / not) to the zoo so far.

9. She (arrive / not) yet.

10. Emily (visit / not) me last week.

11. (you / read) the book yet?

12. How many letters (they / write) so far?

13. When (he / tell) you that?

14. (you / be) at home last night?

15. How often (you / travel) abroad till now?

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. A: (you / taste / ever) sushi?

2. B: Yes, I (eat) sushi at least five times so far.

3. A: When (you / eat) sushi for the first time?

4. B: I (eat) sushi for the first time on my dad's 50th birthday. He (invite) the whole family to a Japanese restaurant.

5. A: (you / like) it?

6. B: Absolutely. In fact, it (be) so good that we (be) to that restaurant three times yet. And on my mum's birthday, we (order)some sushi and (have) it at home.

 

Choose the right variant.

1. He _____ Chicago in 2003.

a) has visited b) visited

2. He _____ in Mexico.

a) has never been b) never was

3. She _____ in this company since 2005.

a) has worked b) worked

4. How long _____ Anna?

a) have you known b) did you know

5. When _____ Mike?

a) have you seen b) did you see

6. Wait! I _____ my story yet.

a) haven't finished b) didn't finish

7. They _____ this movie four or five times already.

a) have seen b) saw

8. _____ a bus before?

a) Have you ever driven b) Did you ever drive

9. I _____ to her just a minute ago.

a) have talked b) talked

10. So far, she _____ five books by Sidney Sheldon.

a) has read b) read

 

Choose the right variant.

1. When ________________ the company?

a) have you joined b) did you joined c) did you join d) have you ever joined

2. ___________________ in Pakistan?

a) Did you ever worked b) Have you ever worked c) Worked you d) Didn't you have worked

3. That's the best presentation ______________

a) I never heard b) I didn't hear c) I used to hear d) I've ever heard

4. He's the most difficult customer _________________

a) I never dealt with. b) I never had to deal with. c) I've ever had to deal with.

d) I've never had to deal with.

5. ___________________ to him last week.

a) I spoke b) I've already spoken c) I didn't spoke d) I speaked

6. _____ a binding contract last year and it is still valid.

a) We have signed b) We signed c) We haven't signed d) We have sign

7. The reason I look so brown is that _______________ from a business trip to Barbados

a) I come back b) I came back c) I never came back d) I've just come back

8. Sales ________ in 1995 but then _____ in 1996.

a) rised falled b) rose fell

c) have risen have fallen d) rose have fallen

9. You ____________ to a word ____________

a) listened I haven't said b) didn't listen I say

c) listened saying d) haven't listened I've said

10. It's obvious that ________________ this report.

a) you haven't read b) you didn't read c) you don't read d) you read not

Put the verb in brackets into Past Simple or Present Perfect.

1. When (you see) ____ this film?

2. I (never be) ____ to Poland.

3. I (buy) ____ my car a week ago.
4. They (already sell) ____ their nice house.

5. When I was young I (write) ____ novels.
6. I (not read) ____ today's newspaper yet.

7. He (do) ____ his homework on Saturday.
8. I (meet) ____ her English friend yesterday.
9. He lived here until this winter but he (not live) ____ here since.

10. I (never swim) ____ in the river.

11. My mother (send) ____ me a postcard last week.
12. I (have) ____ a lot of work recently.

13. I (never think) ____ about being an actor.

14. I (know) ____ Tom when he was just five years old.
15. I can't give you her address. I (forget) ____ it.

16. It (not stop) ____ snowing yet.

17. We (not have) ____ any problem when we were on holiday last summer.

18. He (take) ____ his umbrella and left.
19. This is the first time I (drive) ____ a bus.

20. She (not show) ____ us her new skirt yet.

 

Put the verb in brackets into Past Simple or Present Perfect.

1. I (grow) ____ up by the seaside.

2. I (grow) ____ up a lot in the last few years.

3. Yesterday I (go) ____ to the cinema.

4. I have not (see) ____ the new ballet movie yet. I might go tomorrow.

5. My brother (buy) ____ a flat when he was 22.

6. ____ you ____ (walk) all the way home by yourself last night? Please don't do that again, it's dangerous.

7. Philippa (be) ____ in her room all day, I don't think she's ever coming out!

8. I (work) ____ at a restaurant over Christmas.

9. ____ you ____ (finish) your homework yet?

10. I think I might (break) ____ my phone. I dropped it in the bath.

 

Choose the right variant.

1. I ___ to the shops at 8.30 this morning.

a) have been b) went

 

2. Where ___ last weekend?

a) have you been b) did you go

 

3. I still ___ my essay.

a) didn't finish b) haven't finished

 

4.___ to South America?

a) Have you ever been b) Did you ever go

 

5. I ___ my Grandad last week, he seemed very well.

a) have seen b) saw

 

6. I ___ my entire life.

a) have danced b) danced

 

7. ___ The Killers when they were on tour last year?

a) Did you see b) Have you seen

 

8. ___ lunch yet? I’m starving.

a) Did you eat b) Have you eaten

 

9. My brother made me watch the worst film yesterday. I ___ so terrified in my life!

a) was never b) have never been

 

10. Do you remember when we were little and you cried because I ___ your toy?

a) have broken b) broke

 

 

In the following sentences, which tense is needed?

1. She (go) ___ to Spain last year to study Spanish.

2. I (be) ___ really good friends with Philippa since I was 14.

3. I (try) ___ so many different types of chocolate, I think I'm an expert.

4. I(break) ___ my leg last year.

5. Oh no, look! Zoe (eat) ___ all the cake!

6. She (finish) ___ her degree in 2003.

7. I think I (read) ___ all the books Jodi Picoult has written so far.

8. I went to the shops yesterday and (buy) ___ lots of food for everyone.

9. I really (love) ___ my Grandmother. She was an amazing person.

10. I'm sorry, Emily isn't here. She (go) ___ to the shops.

 

 

Past Simple vs Past Perfect

Supply the Past Perfect or Past Simple in the following sentences.

1. After she......... (win) the beauty contest, she......... (invite) to take part in many

TV shows.

2. The policeman......... (read) the suspect his rights after he............ (arrest) him.

3. George.............. (wait) for half an hour before they.............. (call) the flight.

4. After I........ (do) some sightseeing in Santiago, I........ (spend) a week in the jungle.

5. As long as she........ (can) remember Pauline always........ (want) to be a Film star.

6. The things on the table......... (be) in order but not in the order I........ (leave) them.

7. When the performance............ (end), there............ (be) six curtain calls.

8. When drivers......... (discover) a wreck off the Dominican Republic, they...... (think)

it............ (be) the Tolosa.

9............... the ocean floor flat, or.............. it.............. (have) ridges?

Choose the right variant.

1. We______to the top of Holborn Hill before I______ that he was not smiling at all.

a) had got, knew c) were getting, knew

b) got, knew d) have got, have known

2. Turning from the Temple gate as soon as I______the warning, I______my way to Fleet Street, and then______ to Covent Garden.

a) was reading, made, drove b) have read, made, drove

c) had read, made, drove d) read, made, drove

3. In recent years, scientific and technological developments ______human life on our planet, as well as our views both of ourselves as individuals in society and of the universe as a whole.

a) have drastically changed c) are drastically changing

b) drastically changed d) change drastically

4. Before we______from swimming in the river near the camp, someone______our clothes, and we had to walk back with our towels around us.

a) returned, stole c) were returning, stole

b) had returned, had stolen d) returned, had stolen

5. Although the period that we call "the Renaissance" ______in Italy in the fourteenth century, this idea of re­birth in learning characterized other epochs in history in different parts of the world.

a) begins c) began

b) had begun d) will begin

6. After many long years of devoted and patient instruction, the doctor______able to get the boy to clothe and feed himself, recognize and utter a number of words, as well as write letters and form words.

a) was c) had been

b) has been d) were

7. At the first stages of the Industrial Revolution advertising ______a relatively straightforward means of announce­ment and communication and was used mainly to promote novelties and fringe products which______un­known to the public.

a) had been, were c) was, were

b) had been, had been d) was being, were

8. Towards the end of the 19th century the larger companies ______more and more on mass advertising to promote their new range of products.

a) relied, b)had relied, c) were relying, d) will rely,

9. The Neolithic Age was a period of history which______ in approximately 6000 B.C. and______until 3000 B.C.

a) began, lasted c) began, was lasting

b) had begun, lasted d) had begun, had been lasting

10. A major problem in the construction of new buildings is that windows______while air conditioning systems____

a) have been eliminated, have not been perfected

b) were eliminated, were not perfected

c) had been eliminated, had not been perfected

d) eliminate, are not perfected