Verb Tenses
Which exemplifies the past progressive form of the verb cook? a. did not cook b. had been cooking c. was cooking
c. was cooking
If a question with simple past tense of a regular verb has the auxiliary verb did, then ELs must remember that the main verb will….
a. end in –ed.
b. not end in –ed.
b. not end in –ed.
And, or, and but are examples of….
a. interjections
b. pronouns
c. conjunctions
d. adverbs
c. conjunctions
Which of these are considered EFL settings for learning English?
a. U.S., England b. Australia, New Zealand
c. Korea, Saudi Arabia
c. Korea, Saudi Arabia
Which sentence has a phrasal verb?
a. Katrina took archery up in college, and she practices it now as much as she can.
b. Lauren took her bicycle up the hill in the morning.
c. Jolene took the stamps from the drawer to mail his gift, but she forgot to return the extras.
A. Katrina took archery up in college, and she practices it now as much as she can.
Explanation: A phrasal verb combines a verb with a particle (such as an adverb or preposition) to create a meaning.
took up = began a new activity or hobby. (Phrasal verb)
Which example shows present perfect tense? a. don’t like b. haven’t seen c. aren’t taking d. makes
B. haven't seen
The EL says, "Did he played tennis yesterday?" Why is played not possible?
a. We use played for ongoing past actions, not one that happened just one time.
b. Played is not possible for he.
c. Play is an irregular verb.
d. Did and -ed both mean past, and only one past marker is possible.
d. Did and -ed both mean past, and only one past marker is possible.
Which of the following contains a modal?
a. They can talk for hours about travel stories.
b. They talked for hours about travel stories.
c. They like talking for hours about travel stories.
a. They can talk for hours about travel stories.
Which of these is true with regard to ESL and EFL?
a. In EFL, students in your class are likely to have the same L1.
b. In ESL, students have little opportunity to hear English outside the class.
c. There are very few differences.
a. In EFL, students in your class are likely to have the same L1.
Which of the following sentences contains a non-separable phrasal verb?
a. I’ve filled in his health information on the form, but I don’t know his height.
b. Ali takes thorough notes; he writes down key information and examples.
c. Can you touch up the paint on the baseboards before you leave?
d. When his parents are away, he looks after his younger siblings.
D. When his parents are away, he looks after his younger siblings.
Explanation: A non-separable phrasal verb cannot have its object placed between the verb and the particle.
It's simply a feature of how particular phrasal verbs work in English. There isn't always a predictable rule that tells you which ones are separable.
Which is an example of present progressive tense?
a. She is leaving for Nashville tomorrow.
b. They arrive a few minutes early to their son’s soccer games.
c. They have been saving up for a trip to Europe for years.
d. We have invited 20 people to the party so far.
a. She is leaving for Nashville tomorrow.
“By then, I’d had too much to eat,” includes which verb tense?
a. simple past
b. past progressive
c. past perfect
c. past perfect
Which example uses on as an adjective?
a. The switch on the lamp is broken.
b. If the switch is on, please turn it off.
c. If you turn on the switch, you’ll have enough light.
d. You bought a new switch for the lamp on Monday, right?
B. If the switch is on, please turn it off.
Explanation: In this sentence, on functions as an adjective because it describes the state or condition of the switch.
A. On the lamp — preposition.
B. Is on — adjective describing the switch’s state.
C. Turn on — part of a phrasal verb.
D. On Monday — preposition indicating time.
“Although I watched the movie, but I did not enjoy it,” is a typical EL _______ error.
a. verb tense
b. adverb
c. double conjunction
c. double conjunction
For teaching three common prepositions, a diagram of a pyramid is useful to show that the preposition depends on how specific (or general) the place or time is. In the visual from the book and the lecture, which of these three prepositions is at the TOP of the pyramid?
a. at
b. in
c. on
a. at
Two actions in a sentence happened at very different times. In this sentence, one verb is in simple past tense, and the other verb is in past perfect tense. Which of these is an example of this grammar point?
a) I have traveled to many cities. For example, I visited Rio de Janeiro in 2019.
b) I was eating dinner when the doorbell suddenly startled me.
c) I enjoyed my trip to Boston last year because I had never seen the city before.
d) If I had trained more, I would have felt better during the race today.
c) I enjoyed my trip to Boston last year because I had never seen the city before.
What explanation can you give ELs as to why it is correct to say, “I’m playing. I’m looking,” but incorrect to say, “I’m needing. I’m seeming.”
a. It depends on the time expression.
b. It’s based on the meaning of the action
c. It’s historical.
d. It’s regionally determined.
B. It’s based on the meaning of the action.
Explanation: Playing and looking describe actions or activities that can happen over a period of time, so they can be used in the present progressive tense.
Need and seem usually describe states rather than actions. These are called stative verbs, and they generally aren't used in progressive forms.
“My sister and I have been thankful to see our grandparents live into their nineties.” Which is the main verb?
a. a form of have
b. a form of be
c. a form of thank
c. a form of thank
A Spanish EL translates directly from Spanish and says, “I am here since noon.” A French EL would translate the same way. The mistake is with ____.
a. the word NOON
b. the verb tense
c. the word SINCE
d. subject/verb agreement
B. the verb tense.
Explanation: In English, we typically use the present perfect for a situation that began in the past and continues now.
❌ I am here since noon.
✅ I have been here since noon.
Spanish and French speakers may transfer grammatical patterns from their first languages when speaking English, resulting in this verb-tense error.
All three of these examples contain a common EL error. Which of these is an example of an incorrect noun + preposition combination?
a. I am worried for my test tomorrow.
b. Do you have a lot of experience at computers?
c. If you listen this song, I think you’ll like it.
b. Do you have a lot of experience at computers?
Which verb tense is used for an action that began in the past and continues now?
a. present progressive
b. simple present
c. present perfect
d. past progressive
c. present perfect
In “The problems that he had had as a kid are over,” what is the 2nd had?
a. past form
b. past participle
c. auxiliary verb
d. subjunctive mood
b. past participle
For verbs, TENSE is not equal to TIME. Which pair illustrates this best?
a. I went to the park yesterday. I did not go to the park last week.
b. I am studying right now. On top of that, I am studying again tomorrow.
b. I am studying right now. On top of that, I am studying again tomorrow.
Beginning level ELs often say/write, “I wait the bus. I am looking the clouds. I listen Ariana Grande.” All three of these errors are due to a poor understanding of…
a. adjectives and adverbs.
b. confusion of the pronouns I, me, myself.
c. transitive and intransitive verbs.
d. simple present tense vs present progressive tense.
C. transitive and intransitive verbs.
Explanation: These learners are leaving out the prepositions needed with certain verbs in English.
❌ I wait the bus. → ✅ I wait for the bus.
❌ I am looking the clouds. → ✅ I am looking at the clouds.
❌ I listen Ariana Grande. → ✅ I listen to Ariana Grande.
Transitive verbs take a direct object.
I watch the movie.
The movie is the direct object of watch.
Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object.
I wait for the bus.
The bus is the object of the preposition for, not a direct object of wait.
What is the ELL error here?
Allison dropped her blazer for dry cleaning because she needs it for her interview next week.
a. The ELL did not separate the phrasal verb correctly.
B. The ELL didn't use the whole phrasal verb.
c. The ELL used the incorrect preposition for this situation.
d. The ELL did not use the correct word order.
B. The ELL didn't use the whole phrasal verb.