Some English Past Tenses

Simple Past

100

Past tense of "see"

Saw

200

She (be) happy to see you last night.

was

300

We (move) to Florida last year. (Pronounce it correctly)

Moved

400

I (sleep) all afternoon.

Slept

500

She (work, negative) very hard today.

She didn't work very hard today.

Past Continuous

100

She (watch) TV at 7 pm last night.

She was watching TV at 7pm last night.

200

I (drive) when I (see) the accident.

I was driving when I saw the accident.

300

She (ride) her bicycle when she (fall) down.

She was riding her bicycle when she fell down.

400

They (play) soccer when it (start) raining.

They were playing soccer when it started raining.

500

I (sleep, negative) when you (call).

I wasn't sleeping when you called.

Present Perfect

100

True or False: You should use the Present perfect for a an action that started in the past is still ongoing.

True

Example: She has lived in London for three years. (and still does)

200

My parents are not home, they (go) out for dinner.

My parents are not home, they have gone out for dinner.

300

She (never, see) that movie before.

She has never seen that movie before.

400

My little sister (make) many new friends this summer.

My little sister has made many new friends this summer.

500

I (be sick) for the past 3 weeks.

I have been sick for the past 3 weeks.

Fix the mistakes

100

He never was in Italy.

He has never been in Italy.

200

He has finished his homework last night.

He finished his homework last night.

300

What!!! We have an exam today! I didn't knew!!!

I didn't know!!!

400

Is this sentence correct? If not correct it.

Shakespear has written 154 sonnets.

It is grammatically incorrect.

Shakespear wrote 154 sonnets.

• The Issue: "Has written" (present perfect) implies an action that started in the past but has relevance to the present, or is still continuing.
• The Correction: Because Shakespeare has been dead for over 400 years, his writing is a completed action in the distant past. Therefore, the simple past tense ("wrote") is required.

500

She has gone to the store two hours ago.

She went to the store two hours ago.

Mixed tenses

100

I (break) my arm 3 times. Once I (break) it while riding my bicycle.

I have broken my arm 3 times. Once I broke it while riding my bicycle.

200

I (be) so tired right now. I (not sleep) well for the past 3 nights.

I am so tired right now. I have not slept well for the past 3 nights.

300

She (loose) her ring. We (look) everywhere for it for two hours.

She lost her ring this morning. We have looked everywhere for it for two hours.

400

I (do, negative) the dishes because I (just finish) my homework.

I did not do the dishes because I have just finished my homework.

500

When she (walk) home last night, a man (come) up to her and (start) talking to her. She (get) scared!

When she was walking home last night, a man came up to her and started talking to her. She got scared!