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Grammar Short Lessons

Identify the tenses


Jennifer Frost
2014
Identify the tenses
There are twelve tenses in English and each one of them has different verb forms. The
biggest problem that students face while using tenses is the inability to conjugate verbs.
English verbs tend to change their forms according to the number and person of the subject.
For example, in the simple present tense, the verb takes the marker s when the subject is a
singular noun or pronoun.
In the present continuous tense, the verb takes the auxiliary is when the subject is third person
singular noun or pronoun. It takes the auxiliary verb are when the subject is a plural noun or
pronoun.
hile native speakers pick up these rules easily, they cause a great deal of confusion for an
E!" student.
#se this exercise to test your ability to recogni$e the different tense forms. It is simple. %ou
just need to write the name of the tense against each sentence. !ome sentences may be in the
passive voice. In that case, you also need to mention that.
&. I have been working on my computer for six hours.
'(((((((((((((((((.)
*. !he has lived in this street for ten years. '(((((((((((((((((.)
+. I finished the project yesterday. '(((((((((((((((((.)
,. hat are you doing there- '(((((((((((((((((.)
.. !he had not reali$ed that. '(((((((((((((((((.)
/. !usan will be joining us. '(((((((((((((((((.)
0. 1ave you ever been to 2ustralia- '(((((((((((((((((.)
3. This house had been destroyed by the fire. '(((((((((((((((((.)
4. The boys were severely reprimanded by their teacher.
'(((((((((((((((((.)
&5. I had been working in the garden. '(((((((((((((((((.)
&&. !he will come with us. '(((((((((((((((((.)
&*. 6y this time tomorrow, I will have finished working on it.
'(((((((((((((((((.)
Answers
&. I have been working on my computer for six hours. '7resent perfect continuous tense 8
active)
*. !he has lived in this street for ten years. '7resent perfect tense 8 active)
+. I finished the project yesterday. '7ast simple tense 8 active)
,. hat are you doing there- '7resent continuous tense 8 active)
.. !he had not realized that. '7ast perfect tense 8 active)
/. !usan will be joining us. 'Future continuous tense 8 active)
0. Have you ever been to 2ustralia- '7resent perfect tense 8 active)
3. This house had been destroyed by the fire. '7ast perfect tense 8 passive)
4. The boys were severely reprimanded by their teacher. '7ast simple tense 8 passive)
&5. I had been working in the garden. '7ast perfect continuous tense 8 active)
&&. !he will come with us. '!imple future tense 8 active)
&*. 6y this time tomorrow, I will have finished working on it. 'Future perfect tense 8 active)

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