What tense do we use to talk about things that have just happened?
Present Perfect
100
Past Simple of "begin"
Began
100
I _________ (just/finish) my homework.
I have just finished my homework.
100
What tense would you use with the expression "in 1999"?
Past Simple.
100
You/keep a pet/for five years.
You've kept a pet for five years.
200
What tense do we use to talk about recent past actions that still have an effect on the present time?
Present Perfect
200
Past Perfect of "broadcast"
Broadcast
200
I can't take any pictures because I _________ (not/buy) a new film yet.
I can't take any pictures because I haven't bought a new film yet.
200
When do we use "just"?
"Just" is usually used only with the present perfect tense and it means "a short time ago".
200
The receptionist/welcome/the guests/and/ask/them to fill in the form.
The receptionist welcomed the guests and asked them to fill in the form.
300
What tense do we use to talk about concrete actions in the past?
Past Simple
300
Past Simple of "hang"
Hung
300
Yesterday, I _________ (go) to the library, next I _________ (have) a swim and later I _________ (meet) Julie for coffee.
Yesterday, I went to the library, next I had a swim and later I met Julie for coffee.
300
When do we use "while"?
To describe the longer action of two events.
300
After Fred/spend/his holiday in Italy/he/want/to learn Italian.
After Fred had spent his holiday in Italy he wanted to learn Italian.
400
When there is a long action in the past which is interrupted by a shorter action, what tenses do we use?
Past Simple for the short action and Past Continuous for the long action.
400
Past Perfect of "swim"
Swum
400
When I _________ (walk) into the room, everybody _________ (work).
When I walked into the room, everybody was working.
400
What do we use "since" for?
We use "since" to refer back to a previous point in time.
400
I/drive/my new car/when/I/hear/the news.
I was driving my new car when I heard the news.
500
When there is an action that happened before another past action, what tenses do we use?
Past Perfect for the previous action and Past Simple for the last one.
500
Past Simple of "light"
Lit
500
The Pilgrims only _________ (reach) America after they _________ (sail) the Atlantic for 66 days.
The Pilgrims only reached America after they had sailed the Atlantic for 66 days.
500
What do we use "already" for?
‘Already’ is used to say that something has happened early – or earlier than it might have happened.
500
This/happen/about ten years ago./I/stay/with a college friend, in the country./They/recently/buy/an old house near Cambridge/and she/invite/me/down to see it.
This happened about ten years ago. I was staying with a college friend, in the country. They had recently bought an old house near Cambridge and she had invited me down to see it.