GRAMMAR KIT FOR THE ADVANCED COURSES.doc

VERB TENSES

In English, every verb tense has two aspects: simple and progressive/continuous.

The simple aspect generally refers to an action together with its results.

The progressive ( -ing) aspect stresses the action of the verb, focusing more on the verb than on the result or circumstance. Progressive verbs give the language more dynamism.

1. Present Simple

Present Simple generally refers to:

- facts that are always true (either so-called general truths, or things considered absolute truths by the speakers):

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Mr. Stanson works impeccably. British people drink a lot of tea.

- habits, routine events that happen regularly

We never eat pizza for dinner.She takes the bus every morning.Every time he calls, they listen up.

- states

- preferences

- mental actions, opinions, attitudes

This fabric feels so soft. The house needs some repair. The medicine does not contain alcohol.

I don’t like gangster films. They prefer movies to books. I believe in God. Do you think it will rain?

- making declarations I hereby declare this meeting open.

- headlines Ship sinks in midnight collision.Labour woos unions’ support.

- instructions, operations and itineraries

First you roll out the pastry, then you spread the filling on it.On day three we visit Stratford-upon-Avon.

- future arrangements, or events that will happen according to a schedule or timetable

-

The bus arrives at 10. The plane takes off in an hour.The school goes to the seaside next week.

- summaries andcommentaries of events, plots

of movies or books, plays, etc.

The main character goes through a lot of hardships.At the end of the play, both families realize that their hatred caused the death of the two lovers…

- “historic” present in narratives,

May 1945: The war in Europe comes to an end.

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- … suspenseful events

- … and funny stories

And all of a sudden, there is a loud thump and all people jerk out of their doze.So he breaks in the door and enters the room, takes out a gun and holds it up. It’s then that Sarah faints and Jim holds out just in time to catch her.

So then the second man asks the first one why he has a banana in his ear and the first one says…..

Adverbs and Adverb Phrases Associated with Present Simple

- usually, rarely, often, seldom (can only occur on 2-nd place in sentence, after subject and before the verb)

We usually eat out on Fridays. They rarely come to join us. She often brings ker kids to parties. It seldom snows in Texas.

- never( can also come at beginning of sentence, in case of emphatic negation) They never bring any presents. Never do I go to that place!

- always, regularly, currently, repeatedly (can only occur on 2-nd place or at the end of sentence)

They always speak so loudly. She goes with him always.

- sometimes, frequently, occasionally (can occur at the beginning, on 2-nd place and at the end of sentence)

Sometimes, the bell just rings by itself. He sometimes forgets his son’s birthday. They come and visit us sometimes.

- every now and then, every Monday, every day/month/other day, every two weeks, on weekends, all the time, in summer, at the beginning of the month, etc (can only occur either at the beginning or at the end of sentence).

Every now and then, the well dries out and we must get water from the city.She comes and says hello to us every now and then. Every fortnight Jean takes her car to the mechanic.He comes to see his aunt every fortnight.

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Active / Passive

Active Voice: Mike usually repairs the car himself.

Passive Voice Form:

The car is usually repaired by Mike.

1.1. Present Progressive (Continuous)

- actions which are in full progress at the moment of speaking

She’s leaning out of the window and staring at me.

- actions that are temporarily true for the current period of time

I’m staying at a hotel until I find an apartment.

- actions generally in progress but not actually happening at the moment

I’m learning to drive.

- feelings of irritation on behalf of the speaker

Why are you always making that awful sound?You’re never learning anything!

- firm intentions for the future We’re arriving Saturday at 10.She’s coming in tomorrow evening.

- more emphasis put on the action, insistence

… and they’re actually winning the race!Can you imagine that? She’s really doing it!

Contrast between Present Simple and Present Progressive

There is a category of verbs, called state verbs. They describe a continuing state, that is not changing in time. Therefore, logically explainable, they can not be used in the continuous form. Here is a list of most typical state verbs:

believebelongconsistcontaindoubtfeel

fithavehearknowlikelove

mattermeanneedown prefersee

seemsupposesuspecttasteunderstandwantwish

is/are + past participle

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Some verbs have a certain static meaning, but a different meaning when used in the progressive form. Compare these examples:

State

Jack is noisy.

Dan has a Volkswagen.

I think like you.

This fish tastes awful.

I feel that you are wrong.

This bag weighs a ton!

It depends what you mean.

I can see the doctor.

We hear all the noise.

Event, movement in the present moment

Jill’s being noisy.

We’re having an interesting conversation.They’re having lunch now.

David’s thinking about getting a new job.

I’m just tasting the soup.

I’m feeling terrible.

We’re weighing the baby.

Bill, I’m depending on you to win this contest.

I’m seeing the doctor.

The judge is hearing the witness.

Sometimes, in the language spoken by natives, especially in song lyrics, literature or advertising language, you may find exceptions to this rule, meant to emphasize certain feelings or attitudes. That is no reason to break the general rule (yet). Some examples may be:

I’m feeling good. Are you really believing it? She’s wishing the moon for herself. You’re belonging to me.

Active / Passive

Active Voice: Ann is teaching this class.

Passive Voice Form:

This class is being taught by Ann. The car is being driven by a beginner, that is why it is swerving so much.

Exercises with the Present Tense

is/are + being + past participle

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1. Fill in with the appropriate verb forms:

Trekking JournalNovember 12, 1997

Today (be)………………….. the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs (shake)……………………..; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) ……………………..me and my toes (bleed)………………….., but I (want, still) …………………….to continue.Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be) ……………so different, and I (try) ………………….to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) ……………………a little bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) …………………………foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand, not) ………………………….much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually)…………………………...I (travel, currently) …………………………with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be) ……………………a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always) ………………ahead of me and (complain) …………………that I am too slow. I (do) …………………..my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old.Right now, Liam (sit) ………………..with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) ………………..the differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) ………………….the real name of the owner, but everybody (call, just) ………………….him Tam. Tam (speak) ……………….English very well and he (try) ……………….to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) ………………..a new word, Liam (try) ……………………to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) …………………….to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.

(Internet, English Page)

2. Put the verbs in the right form:

1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) ……………..her kids to football practice.2. Usually, I (work) ……………..as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study) …………….

French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris. 3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep)………………………………. 4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain)……………………5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always)………………..6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) ………………….because everybody (talk)

……………………..so loudly. 7. Justin (write, currently) …………………………a book about his adventures in Tibet. I hope

he can find a good publisher when he is finished.8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?

Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) ………………………to a movie tonight with some friends.

9. The business cards (be, normally ) …………………..printed by a company in New York. Their prices (be) …………………….inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.

10. This delicious chocolate (be) ………………………made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.


STRUCTURES AND TENSES USED FOR NARRATION IN THE PAST

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Present Simple and Continuous Past Simple and Continuous

used to and would Past Perfect Simple and Continuous

2. Past Simple

Past Simple generally refers to:

- finished or completed actions in the past, at a certain moment

I got up, switched off the radio and sat down again.

I finished checking the weapons at 13.00 hours.

The mosquitoes appeared after sunset. They plagued us the whole night. It was terrible I am so glad that we are back home.

- habits and routines that happened in a past period; narration of past events

When I was on holiday in Switzerland, I went to the park every day.

- states referring to the past, no connection to the present

In those days, I didn’t like reading.

From the point of view of form in the Simple Past Tense, verbs are divided into two categories: regular and irregular.

Regular verbs do not change their root, only adding the ending –ed in the past.

Examples: learn – learned, work – worked, stop – stopped, kiss – kissed

Spelling rules: - consonants coming after short vowels are doubled (sin – sinned, hop – hopped)- y turns into –ie ( carry – carried, worry – worried)

Do not forget to consider the specific pronunciation rules for each category of sounds.

Active / Passive

Active Voice: They told him to come later.

Passive Voice Form:

He was told to come later.She was instructed not to leave the room.The chickens were fed by the little girl.

Irregular verbs change the root and behave individually different. You have no choice but learn their forms by heart. Here is a list of most common irregular verbs:

IRREGULAR VERBS GROUP 1

was/were + past participle

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1. arise – arose – arisen2. be – was - been3. bear – bore - born4. beat – beat - beaten5. become – became - become6. begin – began - begun7. bet – bet - bet8. bend – bent - bent9. bid – bid - bid10. bind – bound - bound11. bite – bit - bitten12. blow – blew - blown13. break – broke - broken14. breed – bred - bred15. bring – brought - brought16. broadcast – broadcast - broadcast17. build – built- built18. burn – burned/burnt – burned/burnt19. burst – burst - burst20. buy – bought - bought21. cast – cast - cast22. catch – caught - caught23. choose – chose - chosen24. cling – clung - clung25. come – came - come26. cost – cost - cost27. creep – crept- crept28. cut – cut - cut29. deal – dealt - dealt30. dig – dug - dug31. do – did - done32. draw – drew - drawn33. dream – dreamed/dreamt –dreamed/dreamt34. drink – drank - drunk35. drive - drove - driven36. eat – ate- eaten37. fall – fell - fallen38. feel- felt - felt39. feed – fed - fed


40. fight – fought - fought

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41. find – found - found42. fit – fit/fitted – fit/fitted43. flee – fled - fled44. fling – flung - flung45. fly – flew - flown46. forbid – forbade - forbidden47. forecast – forecast – forecast48. forget – forgot - forgotten49. forgive – forgave - forgiven50. forsake – forsook - forsaken51. freeze – froze - frozen52. get – got – got/gotten53. give – gave - given54. go – went - gone55. grind – ground - ground56. grow – grew - grown57. hang – hung – hung58. hang – hanged - hanged59. have – had - had60. hear – heard -heard61. hide – hid - hidden62. hit – hit - hit63. hold – held - held64. hurt – hurt - hurt65. keep – kept - kept66. kneel – knelt/kneeled – knelt/kneeled67. know – knew - known68. lay – laid - laid69. lead – led - led70. lean – leaned/leant – leaned/leant71. leap – leaped/leapt – leaped/leapt72. learn – learned/learnt – learned/learnt73. leave – left - left74. lend – lent - lent75. let – let - let76. lie – lay – lain77. light – lit/lighted – lit/lighted


78. lose – lost - lost79. make – made - made80. mean – meant - meant81. meet – met - met82. mislay – mislaid - mislaid

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83. mistake – mistook - mistaken84. pay – paid - paid85. put – put - put86. quit – quit - quit87. read – read - read88. rid – rid - rid89. ride – rode - ridden90. ring – rang - rung91. rise – rose - risen92. run – ran - run93. say – said - said94. see – saw - seen 95. seek – sought - sought96. sell – sold - sold97. send – sent - sent98. set – set - set99. shake – shook - shaken100. shed – shed - shed101. shine – shone/shined – shone/shined102. shoot – shot - shot103. show –showed /shown – showed/ shown104. shrink – shrank/shrunk - shrunk105. shut – shut - shut106. sing – sang - sung107. sink – sank - sunk108. sit – sat - sat109. sleep – slept - slept110. slide – slid - slid111. slit – slit - slit112. smell – smelled/smelt – smelled/smelt113. speak – spoke - spoken114. speed – sped/speeded – sped/speeded115. spell – spelled/spelt – spelled/spelt


116. spend – spent - spent117. spill – spilled/spilt – spilled/spilt118. spin – spun - spun119. spit – spit/spat – spit/spat120. split – split - split121. spoil – spoiled/spoilt – spoiled/spoilt122. spread – spread - spread

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123. spring – sprang/sprung - sprung124. stand – stood - stood125. steal – stole - stolen126. stick – stuck - stuck127. sting – stung - stung128. stink – stank/stunk - stunk129. strike – struck – struck/stricken130. strive – strove/strived – striven/strived131. string – strung - strung132. swear – swore - sworn133. sweep – swept - swept134. swim – swam - swum135. swing – swung - swung136. take – took - taken137. teach – taught - taught138. tear – tore - torn139. tell – told - told140. think – thought - thought141. throw – threw - thrown142. thrust – thrust - thrust143. understand – understood - understood144. undertake – undertook - undertaken145. upset – upset - upset146. wake – woke/waked – woken/waked147. wear – wore - worn148. weave – wove - woven149. weep – wept - wept150. win – won - won151. wind – wound - wound152. withdraw – withdrew - withdrawn153. write – wrote - written

Used to

Used to refers to actions that happened quite often in the past, and are not happening in the present any more. It also refers to states or realities that were present in the past moment you are talking about.

When I was a child, I used to go fishing with my grandfather every weekend. He used to teach me how to fish and how to cook the fish. I used to enjoy it a lot. Grandpa used to tell me a lot of things about nature.

Hank used to wear a beard and a moustache. Now he has shaven them off. You used to be such an inquisitive child.He used to work in restaurants.

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Would

Would is used to narrate past events that happened on a regular basis, repeatedly, according to a routine or schedule.

My grandpa would come to my bed very early in the morning, at 4 o’clock. He would pat me on my shoulder and wake me up gently. Then, the two of us would tiptoe downstairs, so as not to wake up the whole house. But as we would reach the last stair, my little brother would stick out his head through the door and ask in a loud voice: Where are you going? Usually, this would wake up Mom, of course, and she would open her door and mumble something about taking the child out so early on a cold morning. Both of us would ignore all this disturbance and just go ahead on our fishing escapade.

The little story above shows that the actions mentioned were happening usually like this and in the mentioned order, every time on the occasion of going fishing.

Comparison between used to and would

Both used to and would show past actions that happened on a habitual basis. However, would is more restrictive, being used just for actions that happened on a very regular, routine basis, as part of an established procedure at that time. Many times, you can use either would or used to, as long as it does not confuse the reader.

Examples: Grandpa used to/would take me fishing every Friday when I was a child.

But it is not enough if you say: Grandpa would take me fishing when I was a child. You need an adverb to show repetition, routine at exact moments.

You can say: She used to be very thin in those times.

You can not say: She would be very thin in those times.

2.1. Past Progressive / Continuous

Refers to:

- actions which were in full progress at a certain moment in the past

I was drinking my coffee at the time you were talking about.Yesterday at 9 we were sitting and enjoying the sun.Sam was sleeping when you called.

Form: was/were + vb -ing

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- background description in a narrative

I entered the office and looked around. Most people were working at their desks, but Jane was staring out of the window and pretending to be writing something at the same time.

- changing states, graduality The car was getting worse all the time. One of the headlights was gradually falling off, and the engine was making more and more funny noises.

- repeated actions – criticismWith the use of an adverb of frequency, it expresses annoyance or criticism

When Jane was at school, she was always losing things.Oh Jack, he was never picking up anything!

Active / Passive

Active Voice: The captain was ordering him around all the time.

Passive Voice Form:

He was being ordered around all the time by the captain.The car was still being worked on. I couldn’t pick it up yet.The carpets were being washed and the floors were being dusted when I visited the castle last time, so we could not have access in all the rooms.

Exercises with past simple and continuous, would and used to

3. Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence:

a) While I washed/was washing my hair, the phone rang/ringed.b) How did you felt/did you feel yesterday afternoon?c) When I got/was getting home, I received/was receiving a phone call.d) Last summer I was going swimming/went swimming every weekend.e) We sang/sung some songs and then ate/eat some sandwiches.f) When the dog bit/was biting Laura’s leg, she screamed/was screaming.g) When you fell/felt over the cliff, what happened/was happening next?h) While Mary washed up/was washing up, she broke/was breaking a cup.i) I didn’t see/saw where the bus stop was, so I was missing/missed the bus.j) What did you do/were you doing when I phoned/was phoning you last night? There was no reply.

(Vince, Intermediate Grammar)

Was/were + being + past participle

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4. Rewrite each sentence according to the instructions given.

a. I enjoyed the concert. (negative) b. You ate all the bread. (question)c. Did John spend a lot? (affirmative)d. I felt very well yesterday. (negative)e. Anna didn’t buy a car. (affirmative)f. They won the prize. (question)g. Paul doesn’t speak Greek. (affirmative)h. I paid all the bills. (negative)


5. Complete each sentence with a suitable time expression from the box. You can use an expression more than once.

a. A burglar broke into the house …………..we were watching TV.b. …………………..I met an old friend of mine in the city centre.c. What were you doing …………….the police officer knocked on the door?d. Jan met Sarah ………………… half-past eight outside the cinema.e. …………Rick was preparing lunch, he cut his finger badly.f. I first came to this town more than twenty years ……………..g. Jeff was studying to be a doctor ……………… he met Sally.h. Tony bought his first motorbike …………. 1992.i. ……………did you start playing basketball?j. Most of the young people left this village a long time……


6. Put each verb in brackets into either the past simple or past continuous.

a. When Harry (wake up)….., we (tell)….him the news.b. Everyone (wait)… for the concert to begin when a message (arrive)…………c. Charlotte (want) …………….. a relaxing holiday, so she (choose) ……..to stay on a

small island.d. When Roberto (study)………in America, his parents (phone) ………..him every week.e. I (find)………my pen while I (look for) ….. my bag.f. Ann (watch)…… a film on TV when Julie (arrive)………g. When the lights (go out).., I (lie)…………….. in bed reading.h. When you (go) ………………….. to the new Chinese restaurant, what (you eat)

……………?


7. Complete the sentences with the appropriate verb forms:

1. A: What (you, do) ………………..when the accident occurred? B: I (try) …………………….to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

ago in last week at when while

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2. After I (find) …………………the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) ………………to the police and (turn) ………………it in.

3. The doctor (say) ………………that Tom (be) ……………….too sick to go to work and that he (need) ………………….to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian (arrive) …………………at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not) ………………….there. She (study, at the library) …………………….for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also) ……………….television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call) …………………..you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) ……………….there. Where were you? B: I (work) ………………….out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk) ……………..into the busy office, the secretary (talk) …………on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily) …………….at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly) ……………….methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) ……………….a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be) ……………………in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not)………………..

10. It's strange that you (call) ………………..because I (think, just) ……….about you. 11. The Titanic (cross) ………..the Atlantic when it (strike) ……………….an iceberg. 12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily)

………………..and (try) …………….to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) …………….for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead) ………………..their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue) ………………..over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) ………………over to a man who (sell) …………..fruit and (buy) ………….a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) ……………..the old woman who (be) ………………trapped on the third floor of the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) ………………her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually) …………………..me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live) ……………..in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live) ……………….there when the Berlin Wall came down.


8. Fill in the blanks with the right verb forms:

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call)…………. She said she (call) ……………..me on her cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if she (wait) ………………for class, but she said that the professor was at the front of the hall lecturing while she (talk) ……………..to me. I couldn't believe she (make) ……………..a phone call during the lecture. I asked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually) ……………..in class. Some of the students (talk) ……………about their plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw) …………………….a picture of a horse. When Angela (tell) ……………….me she was not satisfied with the class, I (mention)…………that my biology professor was quite good and (suggest) …………………that she switch to my class.

While we were talking, I (hear) ………………..her professor yell, "Miss, are you making a phone call?" Suddenly, the line went dead. I (hang) ……………….up the phone and went to the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut) ………………….vegetables for a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be) ……………………..Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in class.


9. Complete each sentence, using would or used to. More than one answer is possible.

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A. Jack (have) ……… a beard but he shaved it off.B. My mother (read)……….to me every night.C. In the holidays we (meet)…. At the beach every morning.D. I (not like) ………….spinach, but now I do.E. Helen (write)……….to me often, but now she phones.F. Tina (live) …………………… in the house opposite when we were children.G. When I was young, the summers (be) ……………….. warmer.H. Whenever our teacher let us leave early, we (cheer)……………..!


10. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form.

a) I realised that someone was stealing (my wallet) when I felt (feel) their hand in my jacket pocket.

b) When I ………(phone) Helen last night, she ……….. (wash) her hair.c) Peter ……(offer) me another drink but I decided I ….. (had) enough.d) Nobody ……………. (watch), so the little boy …………. (take) the packet of sweets

from the shelf and ……….(put) it in his pocket.e) I ……………… (not realise) that I ………….. (leave) my umbrella on the bus until it

………….(start) to rain.f) At school I …………. (dislike) the maths teacher because he………….. (always/pick)

on me.g) Wherever Marion ………………… (find) a job, there was someone who …….. (know)

that she ………. (go) to prison.h) Several years later, I …. (find out) that during all the time I ….(write) to my

penfriend, my mother ….. (open) and reading the replies!i) I………. (not/understand) what …….(go on). Several people ………. (shout) at me,

and one passer-by …………(wave) a newspaper in front of my face.j) I …….. (know) I ……… (do) well in my exams even before I ………… (receive) the

official results.(Vince, Advanced Grammar)

3. Past Perfect Simple

The Past Perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.

Examples:

You had studied English before you moved to New York. Had you studied English before you moved to New York? You had not studied English before you moved to New York.

Completed action before another action or event in the Past

I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai. I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet. Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times. Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand? She only understood the movie because she had read the book. Kristine had never been to an opera before last night.

had + past participle

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We were not able to get a hotel room because we had not booked in advance.

A: Had you ever visited the U.S. before your trip in 2006?B: Yes, I had been to the U.S. once before.

Duration before something in the past (Non-Continuous Verbs, or state verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and some non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.

By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.

They felt bad about selling the house because they had owned it for more than forty years.

IMPORTANT: Specific Times with the Past Perfect

It is possible to use specific time words or phrases with the Past Perfect. Although this is possible, it is usually not necessary.

Example:She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

Moreover

If the Past Perfect action did occur at a specific time, the Simple Past can be used instead of the Past Perfect when "before" or "after" is used in the sentence. The words "before" and "after" actually tell you what happens first, so the Past Perfect is optional. For this reason, both sentences below are correct.

Examples:She had visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996. She visited her Japanese relatives once in 1993 before she moved in with them in 1996.

However

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/types.html


If the Past Perfect is not referring to an action at a specific time, Past Perfect is not optional. Compare the examples below. Here Past Perfect is referring to a lack of experience rather than an action at a specific time. For this reason, Simple Past cannot be used.

Examples:

She never saw a bear before she moved to Alaska. Not Correct She had never seen a bear before she moved to Alaska. Correct

Adverb Placement

Adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc. are placed between the auxiliary “had” and the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

You had previously studied English before you moved to New York. Had you previously studied English before you moved to New York?

Active / Passive

Active Voice: George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license.

Passive Voice Form:

Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. (Internet)

Here is a fragment of a fiction book, featuring a number of Past Perfect verbs that are used in a natural context.

I had two introductions to people in Londres, one to a journalist at one top Argentinian newspaper and one to his brother, a man of business. Through them I met a local Englishman, Arthur Bauer, who was married to an Argentinian. Bauer’s father had been the master and owner of an American windjammer and he had been born on board in 1884 in Danish territorial waters. He was certainly the most vigorous and benign eighty-nine year old I had ever met. A brilliant photographer, he had a charming house in the plaza littered with weird and wonderful cameras of bygone years. Arthur Bauer had led life to the hilt. As a young man he had studied

Had been + past participle

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at Heidelberg and then in 1907 he had gone to Spitzbergen just to see what it was like when coaling was just beginning there. On returning to England he had brought some rare books at an auction for a song and sold them for 8,000 pounds; on the proceeds he had journeyed up the Congo and down the Zambezi. An eight-month trip during which time he had employed forty negroes whom he had paid a shilling a day; good money for them in 1908. He had gone down with black water fever at Mozambique and had been amazed to survive, for the mortality was ninety-nine per cent. He’d survived to join the Royal Flying Corps in the Kaiser’s War and when that was over he’d made money out of diamonds in Johannesburg. Finally he had come to Brazil to die of dysentery.

(S. Snow, The Rucksack Man)

4.1. Past Perfect Progressive / Continuous

Past Perfect Progressive emphasizes the duration of an activity that was in progress before another activity or time in the past.

Examples:

The police had been looking for the criminal for two years before they caught him.Eric finally came at six o’clock. I had been waiting for him since four-thirty.You had been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived. Had you been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived? You had not been waiting there for more than two hours when she finally arrived.

Duration Before Something in the Past

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect

They had been talking for over an hour before Tony arrived. She had been working at that company for three years when it went out of business. How long had you been waiting to get on the bus? Mike wanted to sit down because he had been standing all day at work. James had been teaching at the university for more than a year before he left for Asia.

A: How long had you been studying Turkish before you moved to Ankara?B: I had not been studying Turkish very long.

had been + -ing

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfectcontinuous.html

Continuous; however, the duration does not continue until now, it stops before something else in the past.

Cause of Something in the Past

Using the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past is a good way to show cause and effect. This tense may also express an activity in progress close in time to another activity or time in the past.

When Judy got home, her hair was still wet because she had been swimming.I went to Jane’s house after the funeral. You could tell she had been crying the whole night before.Jason was tired because he had been jogging. Sam gained weight because he had been overeating. Betty failed the final test because she had not been attending class

.

Past Continuous vs. Past Perfect Continuous

If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Past Continuous rather than the Past Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Past Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Past Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the past. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:He was tired because he was exercising so hard.THIS SENTENCE EMPHASIZES THAT HE WAS TIRED BECAUSE HE WAS EXERCISING AT THAT EXACT MOMENT.

He was tired because he had been exercising so hard.THIS SENTENCE EMPHASIZES THAT HE WAS TIRED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN EXERCISING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE WAS STILL EXERCISING AT THAT MOMENT OR THAT HE HAD JUST FINISHED.

REMEMBER: Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Past Perfect.

Examples:“The motorcycle had been belonging to George for years before Tina bought it.” Not Correct The motorcycle had belonged to George for years before Tina bought it. Correct

Adverb Placement

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html



http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfectcontinuous.html

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:You had only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived. Had you only been waiting there for a few minutes when she arrived?

Active / Passive

Active Voice: Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. Passive Voice Form:

The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.

NOTE: Passive forms of the Past Perfect Continuous are not common. They are mostly used in very formal writing.

Exercises with Past Perfect Simple and Continuous


1) While I had waited/was waiting at the bus stop, I had noticed/was noticing/noticed a new shop which wasn’t/hadn’t been in the street the day before.

2) I had gone/went out into the garden to fetch my bike, but found/was finding that someone stole/had stolen it.

3) When George met/was meeting Diane at the party, he thought/was thinking that he saw/had seen/was seeing her somewhere before.

4) Emily got off/was getting off the bus and walked/was walking into the bank when she realized/had realized/was realizing that she left/had left/was leaving her handbag on the bus.

5) After I was buying/had bought my new computer, I discovered that I wasn’t having/didn’t have enough memory.

6) I went to the post office to ask about my package, but they had said/said that it still hadn’t arrived/didn’t arrive.


12. Identify and correct the errors in these sentences:

1. When we had ate lunch, we were sitting in the garden.2. While I looked for my keys, I remembered I left them at home.3. Anna had used to play badminton when she had been at school.4. When I got into bed, I was falling asleep immediately.5. When I as finally finding the house, I was knocking at the door.6. After Jill was giving Nick his books, she went home.7. Maria would live in Sweden when she was a child.8. I was using to get up early when I had gone sailing.9. The Vikings had sailed to North America a thousand years ago.10. Juliet was sure she was seeing the tall man before.


13. More than one answer is possible in the following blanks:

The police suspected that Brian (a)…………….(break) the window at his house because he (b)………(want) to make them think that a burglar (c)….(steal) his valuable stamp

Had been being + past participle

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collection. They (d)……(think) that Brian (e)…….(do) this because he (f)…(need) the money. However, they (g)……..(not know) that Brian (h)……..(fly) to Brazil the week before, and (i)………...(be) abroad when the burglary (j)……………………(take place).


14. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.

1) Michael took a deep breath and dived into the water. After Michael ………………….. a deep breath, he dived into the water.

2) Terry was fatter. Terry ………………… to be so thin.3) Gary was sure his keys were not in his pocket. Gary was sure ……….. his keys.4) When he was younger, David played tennis. David……….. tennis when he was younger.5) Last summer, Julia got up early every morning. Last summer, Julia ………………… ……..up early every morning.

6) We missed the bus, so we took a taxi. We took a taxi because …………….. the bus.7) In those days, we spent the summer in the mountains.

In those days, we …………………… the summer in the mountains.(Vince, Intermediate Grammar)

15. Combine the two sentences to make one sentence. Use when and the past perfect.

1. I washed and got ready. I went out to meet my friends.2. I knew much more about the job. I visited their offices.3. I looked at the new dress for ages. I asked how much it cost.4. I felt much more independent. I passed my driving test.5. Anne went on holiday. She saved enough money.6. The team finally won the match. They ran round the pitch to celebrate.


16. Use the present simple or continuous, or past simple or continuous:

1. “What (you do)…………………?” “I am an engineer.”2. The door was open, so the dog (run) …..into the living room.3. When we arrived home, Jan (sit)……….outside the door.4. Can you help me? I (not understand)………….Spanish.5. At the beginning of the film I (realize)…………I’d seen it before.6. I’m sorry, I can’t talk long. I (study)………….for an examination.7. At the moment of the earthquake, Pat (read)……………..in bed.8. I’ll phone you as soon as I (know)…………….the results.9. I (stay)……………….at the Hotel Tirol. Why don’t you call me?10. “What (you do) when you saw the snake?” “I ran!”



a. When you passed the town hall clock, did you notice/were you noticing what time it was?

b. Last night my neighbors were shouting/would shout for hours and I couldn’t get to sleep.

c. When you lived in London, did you use to travel/were you traveling by bus?d. Everyone was having a good time, although not many people danced/were dancing.e. Jill was really hungry because she didn’t eat/hadn’t eaten all day.f. Before we went to the theatre, we called in/had called in at George’s café for a

pizza.g. It took a while for me to notice, but then I did. Everyone stared/was staring at me.

What had I done wrong?h. Nobody bothered to tell me that the school decided/had decided to have a special

holiday on Friday.i. I was trying/tried to get in touch with you all day yesterday. Where were you?j. A: Excuse me, but this seat is mine.

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B: I’m sorry, I didn’t realize/hadn’t realized that you were sitting here.(Vince, Advanced Grammar)


a. Once/afterwards I’d read the manual, I found I could use the computer easily.b. It was more than a month before/until I realized what had happened.c. I managed to talk to Carol just as/while she was leaving.d. It wasn’t until/up to 1983 that Nigel could afford to take holidays abroad.e. George always let me know by the time/whenever he was going to be late.f. I was having a bath at the time/that time, so I didn’t hear the doorbell.g. We bought our tickets and five minutes after/later the train arrived.h. According to Grandpa, people used to dress formally those days/in his day.i. Everyone was talking, but stopped at that time/the moment Mr. Smith arrived. j. The letter still hadn’t arrived by/until the end of the week.

(Vince, Advanced Grammar)

19. Decide if the verb form underlined is correct or not. If it is correct, write a tick. If not, correct it.

Text 1: The train (1) ground to a halt at a small station miles from London, and it (2) became apparent that the engine (3) had broken down. Everyone (4) was getting their cases down from the luggage racks, and we (5) were waiting on the platform in the freezing wind for hours until the next train (6) was turning up.1…………….2……………..3…………….

4………………5………………….6………………

Text 2: The mysterious disappearance of Professor Dawson (1) was on Inspector Gorse’s mind. Six months before the Professor’s disappearance, he (2) was receiving a letter from Jean Dawson, the Professor’s wife. In the letter, Jean (3) accused her husband of plotting to murder her. Gorse (4) considered what his next step should be when the phone (5) was ringing. It was Sergeant Adams from the Thames Valley Police force. A fisherman (6) discovered a body in the River Thames, and it (6) fitted to the description of the Professor.1…………………2……………..3…………………4…………………5……………….6…………………7………………… (Vince, Advanced Grammar)

20. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable past verb form.

This time last year, I (1) was cycling (cycle) in the rain along a country road in France with a friend of mine. We (2)…. (decide) to go on a cycling holiday in Normandy. Neither of us (3).(be) to France before, but we (4)……… (know) some French from our time at school and we (5) ……….(manage) to brush up on the basics. Now we (6) …….(wonder) if we (7)……..(make) the right decision. We (8)…(plan) our route carefully in advance, but we (9) …. (forget) one important thing, the weather. It (10) ..(rain) solidly sine our arrival and that night we (11)… (end up) sleeping in the waiting room at a railway station. Then the next morning as we (12)……. (ride) down a steep hill, my bike (13) … (skid) on the wet road and I (14) …………(fall off). I (15) …. (realize) immediately that I (16) …. (break) my arm, and after a visit to the local hospital, I (17) .. (catch) the next train to Calais for the ferry home. Unfortunately my parents (18) ………… (not/expect) me home for a fortnight, and (19)…………(go) away on holiday. So I (20) …………… (spend) a miserable couple of weeks alone, reading “Teach Yourself French”.


21. In each sentence, decide whether one or both of the alternative verb forms given are appropriate. Write O for one or B for both.

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a) In those days, I always used to get up/got up early in the morning. ……Bb) When I got to the cinema, Jack had been waiting/was waiting for me. ………..c) We would always have/were always having breakfast in bed on Sundays. …………d) Mary was always falling/always fell ill before important examinations. ………..e) My sister used to own/would own a motorcycle and sidecar. …………..f) Pay no attention to Dave’s remarks. He wasn’t meaning/didn’t mean it. ……….g) I felt awful after lunch. I ate/had eaten too much ……………..h) Brenda left/had left before I had time to talk to her……………………i) The explanation was simple. In 1781 HMS Sovereign, on her way back from India,

had sighted/sighted an empty boat drifting off the African coast………………….j) Pauline has changed a lot. She didn’t always use to look/wasn’t always looking like

that………..(Vince, Advanced Grammar)

22. Complete the text by writing one word in each space.

When I was a young man, I spent a year in France, studying French at the University of Grenoble. Every Friday I (1) would… eat at the Alps café. I didn’t (2)……….. to spend much money, as I (3)………… not afford it, but it was a little tradition of mine to eat there. Anyway, I’m going to tell you a true story which happened on one occasion when I (4)……… eating there. I remember I was having a pasta dish at (5) … time. A beautiful girl came up to me and said, “I was (6)………… if you wanted to walk with me in the park?” I had never seen her (7)……… , so I was rather taken aback. I was (8)…..……. to go with her when I noticed a tough-looking man was watching our every movement. (9) …………. My discomfort, the girl whispered to me in English, “Park – five minutes!”, and then disappeared. Well, my bill (10)……ages to arrive, and by the time I (11)……. To the park, there was no sign of the girl. I asked an old lady (12)………was sitting there if she (13)…….. seen a young girl waiting around. I described the girl to her. The old lady said that the girl (14)………….had to rush to the railway station, and that I (15)………... to follow her there urgently. She had also left me a note. It said, “I will explain everything. Meet me on platform 6”.What do you think happened after? Continue the story.


23. Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence.

a. I can’t believe it, Inspector. You mean that Smith stole/has stolen/has been stealing money from me all this time?

b. You three boys look very guilty! What did you do/have you done/have you been doing since I left/have left the room?

c. Why on earth didn’t you tell/haven’t you told me about that loose floorboard? I tripped/have tripped over it just now and hurt myself.

d. It’s a long time since I saw/have seen/have been seeing your brother Paul. What did he do/has he done/has he been doing lately?

e. I can’t believe that you ate/have eaten/have been eating three pizzas already! I only brought/have only brought them in fifteen minutes ago!

f. Don’t forget that you didn’t see/haven’t seen Mrs. Dawson. She has waited/has been waiting outside since 10.30.

g. What did you think/have you thought of Brighton? Did you stay/have you stayed there long?

h. I feel really tired. I weeded/have weeded /have been weeding the garden for the last three hours and I didn’t rest/haven’t rested for a single moment.

i. I’m having problems with David. He has called/has been calling me up in the middle of the night and told/telling me his troubles.

j. How long did you have/have you had/have you been having driving lessons? And did you take/have you taken/have you been taking your test yet?


24. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the verbs:

1. It (snow)…..all day. I wonder when it will stop.2. We (have) ….three major snowstorms so far this winter. I wonder how many more

we will have.

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3. It’s ten p.m. I (study) ….. for two hours and probably won’t finish until midnight.4. I (write)… them three times, but I still haven’t received a reply.5. The telephone (ring)… four times in the last hour, and each time it has been for my

office mate.6. The telephone (ring)… for almost a minute. Why doesn’t someone answer it?7. A: (you, be)…. able to reach Bob on the phone yet? B: Not yet. I (try)… for the last twenty minutes, but all I get is a busy signal.8. A: Hi, Jenny. I (see, not)….you for weeks. What (you, do)…lately? B: Studying.9. A: What are you going to order for dinner? B: Well, I (have, never)…. Vegetarian pizza, so I think I’ll order that.

10. A: What’s the matter? Your eyes are red and puffy. (you, cry)… ? B: No. I just finished peeling some onions.11. A: Dr. Jones is a good teacher. How long (he, be)….. at the university? B: He (teach)…. here for twenty years.12. The little girl is dirty from head to foot because she (play)… in the mud.

(Azar, UUEG Advanced)


1.Sam (be)… a newspaper reporter before he (become)… a businessman.2.I (feel)… a little better after I (take)… the medicine.3.I was late. The teacher (give, already)…a quiz when I (get)…to class.4.It was raining hard, but by the time class (be)… over, the rain (stop)…5.I (see, never)…any of Picasso’s paintings before I (visit)…the art museum.6.Yesterday at a restaurant, I (see)… Pam Donnelly, an old friend of mine. I (see, not)… her in years. At first, I (recognize, not)…….…her because she (lose)…..….a

great deal of weight.7.In 1980, my parents (emigrate)……….to the United States from China. They (travel,

never)…………..outside of China and were, of course, excited by the challenge of relocating in a foreign country. Eventually, they (settle)….in California. My sister and I were born there and (grow)………..up there. Lat year, I (go)….to China for the first time to study at Beijing University. I (want, always)…………to visit China and learn more about my own family background. My dream was finally realized.



I can't believe I (get) ………………………….that apartment. I (submit) …………………..my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) ………………..up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) ………………….before me. Most of them (fill, already) ……………………….out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.I (try) ………………………..to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) ……………………me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) ……………………some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) …………………….up listing my father as a reference.It was total luck that he (decide) …………………..to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) …………………..to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) ……………………at my credit report. I really lucked out!


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4. Present Perfect Simple

Refers to:

- actions happened at an unspecified time in the past, before now. The exact time is not important.

Also, with state verbs, it marks a state which lasts up to the present.

I have seen that movie twenty times.

I think I have met him once before.

There have been many earthquakes in California.

People have traveled to the Moon.

Have you read the book yet?

Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.

I have never been to Paris.

We’ve lived here for the past 4 years.

- actions started in the past and uncompleted to the moment of speaking.

James has not finished his homework yet.

Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.

Bill has still not arrived.

- actions started in the past and finished a very short time before the moment of speaking, or recent events without a definite time being given.

She has just entered the room.

We have just finished the cleaning.

She has just learned the news.

We’ve missed the turning.

- actions that happened repeatedly over the last period of time. The process is not complete and more actions are possible.

The army has attacked that city five times.

I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.

We have had many major problems while working on this project.

She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.

Form: has/have + past participle

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- indefinite events which may have an obvious result in the present.

I’ve twisted my ankle (that is why I am limping).

SINCE and FOR: typical signallers of Present Perfect

SINCE: shows the beginning moment of an action in the past

since

past present future

We have lived here since 1987.They haven’t seen her since she was a child.Since two years ago we’ve been on the road.INCORRECT:We have lived here since two years.She wrote her homework since 5 o’clock.

FOR: shows the duration of an action started in the past and still continuing in the present. for -------------------------------------- past present future

We have lived here for 12 years.For how long have you known her?This has continued for 2 hours.He has been in prison for 10 years.

Contrast with Past Simple

You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc.

You CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Past Simple is used with time expressions which refer to definite times. The time may be stated or understood. Compare: I’ve bought a new car. (indefinite) I bought the car after all. (implied definite: the car we talked about).

Choice between past simple and present perfect for recent events may depend on the attitude of the speaker. This in turn may depend on whether the speaker feels distant in time or place from the event.

I’ve left my wallet in the car. I’m going back to get it. (the speaker may be about to return and feels that the event is connected with the present).

I left my wallet in the car. I’m going back to get it. (the speaker may feel separated in time from the event, or be farther away).

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Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.

Examples:Have you been to Mexico in the last year? I have seen that movie six times in the last month. Never have I seen such a skillful performance. She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far. My car has broken down three times this week.

Notice

"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.

I went to Mexico last year.(I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.)

I have been to Mexico in the last year.(I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now.)

Adverb Placement

always – I have always liked this music. She has been there for me always.only – They’ve had only one child. Have you only seen that movie one time? They have been to my house one time only.never – She has never seen this movie. Never have I heard such nonsense! (emphatic)ever – Have you ever heard of him? I haven’t heard of him ever. (emphatic).still – They have still continued to visit her. just – I have just popped in here. yet – I haven’t seen the fax yet. Have you read the letter yet? He hasn’t come yet.

Active / Passive

Active Voice: Sam has always explained us all the lessons thoroughly.

Passive Voice Form:

We have always been explained all the lessons very thoroughly (by Sam).They have never been shown the place. This room has never been painted since the house was erected.

Translation - Traducere

Present Perfect nu are corespondenţă în română. După caz, se traduce cu:

Prezentul: She has lived here for a year. Ea locuieşte aici de un an.

Has/have + been + past participle

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepast.html

Perfectul compus: She has never seen that movie. Ea nu a văzut filmul ăla niciodată. I have been to Mexico in the last year. Am fost în Mexic anul trecut.

4.1. Present Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

have been -ing

Has similar meanings with the ones shown above. The difference is that Present Perfect Continuous stresses the action itself, showing that it is in full progress, developing, continuing. The progressive form brings more dynamism to the message.

- duration of an activity that began in the past and continues in the present. When the tense has this meaning, it is used with time words, such as for, since, all morning, all day, all week, emphasizing duration.

Right now I am sitting at my desk.I have been sitting here since seven o’clock.I have been sitting here for two hours.You have been studying for five straight hours. Why don’t you take a break?

It has been raining all day. It is still raining right now.

- when the tense is used without any specific mention of time, it expresses a general activity in progress recently, lately,

- or a repeated activity over a recent period of time

I have been thinking about changing my major.All of the students have been studying hard. Final exams start next week.My back hurts, so I have been sleeping on the floor lately. The bed is too soft.

I’ve been taking French lessons this year.

- states expressing irritation or exhaustion

You have been sleeping all day long! I thought you were working!I’ve been cleaning the house, but I still haven’t finished.

- a recently finished activity I’ve been running. That’s why I look hot.

- With certain verbs (most notably live, work, teach), there is little or no difference in meaning between the two tenses when since or for is used.

I have lived/ have been living here since 1995. He has worked/ has been working at the same store for ten years.

Form: have been -ing

past present

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Compare:

We have lived here for 3 years. We have been living here for 3 years.

We have seen each other several times in the last month.

We have been seeing each other several times in the last month.

The mosquitoes have attacked us for the past 2 hours.

The mosquitoes have been attacking us for the past 2 hours.

Notice

You cannot use the progressive aspect with verbs that are static, or showing short motions, or verbs of sensorial perception, or in situations that are illogical.

Examples of incorrect use:

I have just been arriving. They have been liking this music. She has never been seeing that movie. He hasn’t been finishing his work.

Prefer the progressive aspect in cases where you have to stress the effort or the activity that was done in a certain period of time.

Examples:

She has been working on the project for the last two days, rather than She has worked on the project for two days.

They have been complaining all the time about the mosquitoes, rather than They have complained all the time about the mosquitoes.

Active / Passive

Active Voice: They have been driving this car for hours at a very fast speed.

Passive Voice Form:

The car has been being driven by them for hours at a great speed. That is why the engine is so worn out.He has been being nagged by his wife about the broken sink ever since he got home.

Good news: this tense sounds rather artificial; therefore, it is very rarely used nowadays. If used, then mostly in old-fashioned books, or in very formal communication. Just take note of its existence.

have/ has + been being + past participle

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Exercises with Present Perfect Simple and Continuous and Other Past Tenses

27. Error analysis. Spot possible mistakes and correct them:

1. Since I came to this country, I am learning a lot about the way of life here.2. Before I come here, I never was buying anything from a vending machine.3. I arrive here only a short time ago. I am here only since last Friday.4. When I arrived here, I hadn’t known much about the United States. I saw many

movies about America, but that wasn’t enough.5. My understanding of this country changed a lot since I arrived.6. When I was in my country, I had coached a children’s soccer team. When I came

here, I had wanted to do the same thing. Now I am coaching a soccer team at a local elementary school. I am coaching this team for the last two months.

7. My grandfather had lived in a small village in Italy when he was a child. At nineteen, he had moved to Rome, where he had met and married my grandmother in 1947. My father had been born in Rome in 1950. I am born in Rome in 1979.

8. I am living in my cousin’s apartment since I have arrived here. I’m not able to find my own apartment yet. I look at several places for rent, but I don’t find one that I can afford.

9. How long have you been living here? I been here for almost two year.10. Why you no have been in class in the last couple of days?


28. Complete each sentence with a time word or phrase from the box:

a.Luis has lived in the city ……………. 1996.b.Thanks for the present! I’ve …………wanted a goldfish!c. Have you ……drunk pineapple juice? It’s great.d.I’ve ……….heard some fantastic news! Jenny is pregnant!e.Hurry up! Haven’t you finished …………………? You’re so slow!f. Nina has worked in this company …………. Five years.g.I’ve …………. Been on a big ship before. It’s an interesting experience!h.We’re very busy today. …………..we’ve sold over a hundred bikes.i. I’ve ……………passed this building, but this is the first time I’ve been inside.j. Can I have a different book? I’ve ……………. read this one.


29. For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using no more than three words.

1. We started working here three years ago. We……………. for three years.2. This is the first time I’ve been on a plane. I……….. on a plane before.3. That’s strange! My pen isn’t here! That’s strange! ……………………. disappeared!4. Nicky and Jan aren’t at this school any more. Nicky and Jan ………….. this school.5. I saw a friend of yours a few moments ago. I ……….. a friend of yours.6. I’m still writing my letters. I ……………… writing my letters yet.7. Is this your first visit to South America? Have …………… to South America before?8. Oh no! My wallet is still in the car! Oh no! I ……………. my wallet in the car.9. It’s a long time since we spoke to your sister. We……to your sister for a long time.

10. Is Anna still asleep? Has ………. up yet? (Vince, Intermediate Grammar)

30. Fill in with the appropriate verb form:

yet for since often ever never already so far just always

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a. Last week I (lose) ……. my scarf, and now I (just lose) ……………. my gloves.b. I (work) ………………. for Blue Bank at the moment but I (decide) ……. to change

jobs.c. We (be)…………..here for hours. Are you sure we (come) ………..to the right

place?d. (you see)……..my calculator? I’m sure I (leave)…….it here earlier.e. We (have)……some coffee and then (catch)……..the bus home.f. I (never eat)…..octopus, but once on holiday I (eat)………..some squid.g. I (hope)…..you aren’t a vegetarian. I (cook)………….you some lamb chops.h. Recently a lot of young people (take up)……………kite surfing.i. When we (reach)…….the cinema, there (not be)…………..any tickets left.j. Please come quickly! Nick (have)………….an accident, and he (go) ….to hospital.


31. Put the verbs in the right form:

1) A: What’s the matter? You look really tired! B: I am! I (study) ………….all day, and I (not finish)………yet.2) A: I (phone)……..Carol all day, but there’s no reply. B: I expect she (go)….swimming with her friends.3) A: (you hear)…………….the news? B: What news? A: Someone (rob)……..the bank at the end of the road.4) A: Why is your leg in plaster? B: That’s a silly question! I (break)………it, of course. A: Someone (write) ………………….”Break Time” on the plaster!


32. Rewrite the sentences to mean the same thing, using no more than three words:

A. I came to live here three months ago. I…………… .here for three months.B. Sophie is out at the shops at the moment. Sophie …….to the shops.C. I’ve had French lessons since March. I …….French since March.D. I’m still reading this book. I …………..reading this book yet.E. Paul left the room a moment ago. Paul has…………the room.F. It’s ages since I last went to the cinema. I…………. to the cinema for ages.G. This is the first time I’ve eaten snails. I …….snails before.H. I don’t remember Helen’s phone number. I’ve ………Helen’s phone number.


33. Complete each sentence with one suitable word:

We’ve had a very interesting trip (a)…….far, and we’ve had some interesting adventures.(b).the last time we wrote. We’ve (c).to some beautiful islands, and (d)……..a lot of interesting people. In fact (e)……….we’ve made friends with some people in a village, and they’ve been(f)……us the local language. I haven’t managed to learn much(g)…, but Ann (h)………picked up quite a lot, and can speak well. She’s been (i)……….every day, and she’s(j)…………..me everything she knows!


34. Pick the correct word or phrase in each sentence:

a. When I was a child, I used to ride/was riding a bicycle.

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b. That looks very heavy. Will/shall I help you?c. I’m waiting for Sue. Have you seen /did you see her?d. How long are you working/have you been working here?e. I can’t come out because I haven’t finished/didn’t finish my homework yet.f.When the phone rang, I washed/was washing my hair in the bathroom.g. Why do you stare/are you staring at me like that?h. I’ve finished my exams so I’m having/have a party tomorrow.i.We’d better wait here until the rain stops/will stop.j.When did you last go/have you last been to the cinema?


35. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate verb forms:1. It (rain) ………………….all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go

to the beach. 2. Sid: Where is Gary?

Sarah: He (study, at the library) ……………..for his German test on Wednesday. In fact, he (review) ………………for the test every day for the last week.

3. You look really great! (You, exercise) …………………at the fitness center ? 4. Frank, where have you been? We (wait) ………………..for you since 1 PM. 5. Tim: What is that sound?

Nancy: A car alarm (ring) ……………..somewhere down the street. It (drive) ………………….me crazy - I wish it would stop! It (ring) ………………….for more than twenty minutes.

6. Joseph's English (improve, really)……………….., isn't it? He (watch) ………………American television programs and (study) ……………………..his grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

7. Dan: You look a little tired. (You, get) ………………..enough sleep lately? Michelle: Yes, I (sleep) ……………………..relatively well. I just look tired because I (feel) …………….a little sick for the last week. Dan: I hope you feel better soon. Michelle: Thanks. I (take, currently) ……………………..some medicine, so I should feel better in a couple of days. (Internet, English Page)

36. Put in the right verb forms:

Mr. Smith: So tell me a little bit about yourself, Mr. Harris. I would like to find out a little bit more about your background. Mr. Harris: I (work) ………………..in the insurance industry for over ten years. I worked for Met Life for six years and World Insurance for four and a half. During that time, I heard many good things about Hollings Life Insurance and that's why I (apply) …………………for the new sales position.Mr. Smith: Tell me a little about your hobbies and interests. Mr. Harris: In my spare time, I hike in the mountains outside of town, volunteer at the Sierra Club and play tennis. In fact, I (compete) ………………….in a tennis tournament this weekend.Mr. Smith: Really, how long (you, play) …………………….tennis?Mr. Harris: I (play) ………………………since high school. I love the sport. Mr. Smith: Great! We like dedication here at Hollings Life. You mentioned you volunteer at the Sierra Club. I (work, currently) …………………….with them on the sea turtle project. We (try) ……………………to create a wildlife sanctuary near the bay. Mr. Harris: Do you know Frank Harris? He's my brother. He (work, presently) ………..on the same project. Mr. Smith: I know Frank quite well. Any brother of Frank's would be a welcome addition to Hollings Life. Just one more thing, we (look) ………………for somebody who is fluent in Spanish; many of our clients are from Mexico. Mr. Harris: No problem. I (study) …………………Spanish since elementary school. Mr. Smith: Sounds like you are the perfect candidate. (Internet, English Page)

37. Fill in the blanks with the right verb forms:

My English is really getting better. I (try) ……………………to learn the language since 1985, but only recently have I been able to make some real progress. By the time I started high school in 1988, I (study) …………………the language for almost three years; however, I was only able to introduce myself and utter a few memorized sentences. For a couple more

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years, I (struggle) …………………….through grammar and vocabulary lessons, which made absolutely no difference. Nothing worked, so I decided to study abroad. I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay) ………………with a host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit) ………………..there the whole time staring at the host mother and father hoping that therewould be some breakthrough. Nothing.When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have) ………………….problems with the language for years. He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go abroad again. I (research) …………………….exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally decided on a school in the United States.Well, it worked. I (live) …………………..and (study) …………………..in the U.S. for more than two years. I (stay) …………………..here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should be completely fluent.


38. Fill in the blanks:

1. A: Did you like the movie "Star Wars?" B: I don't know. I (see, never) ……………that movie. 2. Sam (arrive) ………………..in San Diego a week ago. 3. My best friend and I (know) ……………………each other for over fifteen years. We

still get together once a week. 4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) …………………..ten very creative short

stories in the last year. One day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway. 5. I (have, not) …………………this much fun since I (be) …………………a kid. 6. Things (change) ……………….a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first (start)

………………working here three years ago, the company (have, only) ………………..six employees. Since then, we (expand) ………………….to include more than 2000 full-time workers.

7. I (tell) ………………him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he (wander) ……………..off into the forest and (be) ……………………bitten by a snake.

8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) …………………….the bus this morning. You (be) ……………….late to work too many times. You are fired!

9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see, never) …………………the ocean. He should come with us to Miami.

10. How sad! George (dream) …………………….of going to California before he died, but he didn't make it. He (see, never) …………………….the ocean.

11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) ……………..much easier and very comfortable. In the 19th century, it (take) …………………..two or three months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip (be) ……………………….very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) ……………………a great deal in the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.

12. Johnny, I can't believe how much you (change) …………………since the last time I (see) ……………….you. You (grow) ………………at least a foot!

13. This tree (be) ……………………….planted by the settlers who (found) …………………..our city over four hundred years ago.

14. This mountain (be, never) ……………………..climbed by anyone. Several mountaineers (try) ……………….to reach the top, but nobody (succeed, ever)………………………….. The climb is extremely difficult and many people (die) …………………trying to reach the summit.

15. I (visit, never) …………………..Africa, but I (travel) ……………………..to South America several times. The last time I (go) ……….to South America, I (visit) …………………..Brazil and Peru. I (spend) …………………….two weeks in the Amazon, (hike) ……………….for a week near Machu Picchu, and (fly) ………………….over the Nazca Lines.


39. Fill in the blanks: Since computers were first introduced to the public in the early 1980’s, technology (change) ……………….a great deal. The first computers (be) …………………..simple

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machines designed for basic tasks. They (have, not) ………………much memory and they (be, not) ……………….very powerful. Early computers were often quite expensive and customers often (pay) ………………….thousands of dollars for machines which actually (do) ……………very little. Most computers (be) …………………….separate, individual machines used mostly as expensive typewriters or for playing games. Times (change)……………….. Computers (become) …………………powerful machines with very practical applications. Programmers (create) …………………….a large selection of useful programs which do everything from teaching foreign languages to bookkeeping. We are still playing video games, but today’s games (become) ………….faster, more exciting interactive adventures. Many computer users (get, also) ……………….on the Internet and (begin) ………………communicating with other computer users around the world. We (start) ……………to create international communities online. In short, the simple, individual machines of the past (evolve) ………………into an international World Wide Web of knowledge.



Robin: I think the waiter (forget) ………….us. We (wait) ……………….here for over half an hour and nobody (take) ………………our order yet. Michele: I think you're right. He (walk) ………………….by us at least twenty times. He probably thinks we (order, already)……………….. Robin: Look at that couple over there, they (be, only) ………………here for five or ten minutes and they already have their food. Michele: He must realize we (order, not) ……………….yet! We (sit) ……………..here for over half an hour staring at him. Robin: I don't know if he (notice, even) ……………us. He (run) …………….from table to table taking orders and serving food. Michele: That's true, and he (look, not) ………………in our direction once.


41. Fill in the blanks:1. Judy: How long (be) …………….in Canada? Claude: I (study) …………………here for more than three years.2. I (have) …………………the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about

buying a new one. 3. I (love) …………………chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a

"chocoholic."4. Matt and Sarah (have) …………………some difficulties in their relationship lately,

so they (go) …………………….to a marriage counselor. I hope they work everything out.

5. John (work) …………………….for the government since he graduated from Harvard University. Until recently, he (enjoy) ……………………….his work, but now he is talking about retiring.

6. Lately, I (think) ………………..about changing my career because I (become) ……………..dissatisfied with the conditions at my company.

7. I (see) …………….Judy for more than five years and during that time I have (see) ……………many changes in her personality.


42. Put each verb in brackets into the most appropriate perfect or past verb form.

a) So far we haven’t noticed (not/notice) anything unusual, but we …….. (not/pay) very close attention.

b) I’m sorry I ……… (not /come) to class lately.c) I ………(work) late in the evenings for the past fortnight.d) I wonder if Mary ……. (reach) home yet? She …. (leave) too late to catch the bus.e) Here is the news. The Home Office …. (announce) that the two prisoners who …..

(escape) from Dartmoor prison earlier this morning ……………………… (give themselves up) to local police.

f)………………………….. (you/make up) your minds? What …………. (you/decide) to do?

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g) Harry ……….. (leave) home rather suddenly and we ………….. (not/hear) from him since.

h) Recent research ……………………… (show) that Columbus ………………….(not/discover) America, but that Vikings …………….. (land) there five hundred years before him.

i)I think that people ………………….. (become) tired of the poor quality of television programs, thought they ……………….. (improve) lately.

j)………………………. (something/ happen) to the phone lines? I ……… (try) to get through to Glasgow for the past hour.

k) Bill ………………. (get) that new job, but he ………….. (complain) about it ever since.


43.Choose between present perfect and simple past.

a. I (attend, not) haven’t attended any parties since I cam here.b. Al (go)……………. to a party at Sally’s apartment last Saturday night.c. Bill (arrive)…………………….. here three days ago.d. Try not to be absent from class again for the rest of the term. You (miss, already)

………………. too many classes. You (miss)……….. two classes just last week.e. So far this week, I (have)……………….. two tests and a quiz.f. Alex is an artist. He (draw) …… many beautiful pictures in his lifetime. Last week

he (draw) ……………. a beautiful mountain scene.g. Jack really needs to get in touch with you. Since this morning, he (call)…………….

here four times trying to reach you. He (call)……….. at 9:10, 12:10 and 1:45.h. Janet (wear) ……………. her new blue dress only once since she bought it. She

(wear) ……………. it to her brother’s wedding last month.i.The night has ended and it’s daylight now. The sun (rise)………. It (rise) ……..at

6:08.j.Last January, I (see) ……………. snow for the first time in my life.k. Fatima (see, never) …………….snow in her entire lifetime.l.I (know) ……………….. Greg Adams for ten years.m. A: Is Ahmed here yet?B: Yes. He (arrive, just) ………………….n. A: I (be, not) ………….. able to reach Mr. Chang yet. So far he (respond, not)

…………..to any of my attempts to reach him. B: Oh? A: I (start) ………..trying to reach him three days ago. Since then, I (fax) ……..him

twice. I (phone)…….him four times. And I (send)……..at least six e-mails. B: I guess modern communications don’t mean much if there’s no one at the

other end.

(Azar, UUEG Advanced Grammar)

44. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) This has been my home for thirty years. lived I have lived here for thirty years.

b) Eating Chinese food is new to me. never I …………………………………... before.

c) Tony hasn’t been to Paris before. first It’s ………………………………………. to Paris.

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d) We haven’t been swimming for ages. since It’s ……………… swimming.

e) Mary started learning French five years ago. has Mary …………………………. five years.

f) I am on the tenth page of this letter I am writing. ten So far I ………………………..of this letter.

g) It’s over twenty years since they got married. for They have …………………………than twenty years.

h) The last time I saw Harry was in 1995. seen I haven’t ……………………… 1995.

i) There is a definite improvement in your work. has Lately ……………………..improved.

j) This is my second visit to Hungary. visited This is the ……………………..Hungary.


45. Underline the correct phrase in each sentence.

a. The price of petrol has risen/has been rising by 15% over the past year.b. No wonder you are overweight! You have eaten/you have been eating chocolates

all day long!c. I’ve read/I’ve been reading a really good book this morning.d. Doesn’t this room look better? I’ve put/I’ve been putting some posters up on the

walls.e. Don’t disappoint me! I’ve counted/I’ve been counting on you.f. Don’t forget your pills today. Have you taken them/have you been taking them?g. Who has worn/has been wearing my scarf?h. I think there’s something wrong with your motorbike. It’s made/it’s been making

some very funny noises.i. Jack has asked/has been asking for a pay-rise three times this year.j. I’ve been phoning/I’ve phoned Ann all evening, but there’s no reply.


46. Put each verb in brackets into either the past simple, present perfect simple or present perfect continuous.

I (1) moved (move) to London three weeks ago to take up a new post at my company’s London office. Ever since then, I (2) ………… (wonder) if I (3) …………. (make) the right decision.I (4) …………. (see) a lot of negative things about living in the capital, and I can’t say London (5) …… (make) a very favourable impression on me. It’s so polluted and expensive, and the people are so distant. You see, I (6) ……… (grow up) in a fairly small town called Devizes and I (7) ……… (spend) all of my life there.I (8)………….(always/want) to live in a big city and so when my company (9) ……(offer) me a job in London, I (10)…. (jump) at the chance.

I think I’m not alone in my aversion to the big city. According to a programme I (11)……(just/hear) on the radio, more and more people (12) … (stop) working in London recently, and a lot of large companies (13).(choose) to move away from the centre. Oh well, it’s too late to change my mind now, because the job is up and running, and

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I(14)……..(already/sell) my house in Devizes. But I must admit, over the past few days, I (15) ………(secretly/hope) that the company would relocate me back to my old town.



b. It’s a long time since/when I last saw you.c. I’ve seen Bill quite often lately/from time to time.d. Have you spoken to the director beforehand/already?e. I’ve lived in the same house for years/for ever.f. I’ve read the paper now/still.g. Diana has bought a computer two years ago/since then.h. Nothing much has been happening by now/so far.i. I’ve finished reading her new book at last/this evening.j. Sue bought a CD player last week and she’s been listening to music ever since/for a

while.k. Sorry, but I haven’t got that work finished already/yet.


48.Match the expressions a-j with the explanations of when they might be said.

b) Have you heard the one about…?c) I haven’t seen you for ages!d) I’ve had enough of this!e) Sorry, you’ve lost me!f) I’ve had a brainwave!g) It’s been one of those days!h) I’ve had enough, thanks.i) I haven’t had a chance yet.j) I’ve been having second thoughts.k) Oh, haven’t you heard?

1. Saying you don’t follow what someone is saying.

2. having doubts about a big decision3. having a brilliant idea4. introducing a joke5. declining more food6. spreading gossip7. seeing an old face from the past8. having a frustrating time, when

everything is going wrong9. wanting to stop doing something

because it’s annoying you10.apologizing for not doing

something you said you’d do


49. Complete the sentences with any appropriate time expressions.

a. Today is the 14-th of June. I bought this book two weeks ago.I have had this book since the first of June.I have had this book for two weeks.

b. I have a pen. I bought it ……………….ago.I have had this pen for………………..I have had this pen since …………….

c. Today is ……………I moved to this city ……………I have been in this city since………….I have been here for………

d. It is the year……….I started going to school in the year……………..I have been a student for……………I have been a student since…………………

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e. I first met our teacher …………. I have known him/her for…………………..I have known him/her since………………….

(Azar. UUEG Advanced)


1. We (wait)….for Nancy for the last two hours, but she still hasn’t arrived.2. We (wait)… for Nancy for over three hours before she finally arrived yesterday.3. It is midnight. I (study)…for five straight hours. No wonder I’m getting tired.4. It was midnight. I (study)….for five straight hours. No wonder I was so tired.5. Jack suddenly realized that the teacher was asking him a question. He couldn’t

answer because he (daydream)…for the last ten minutes.6. Wake up! You (sleep)… long enough. It’s time to get up.


51. Analyze the pairs of sentences and find the right answer for each question:

1. a. Dan was leaving the room when I walked in. b. Sam had left the room when I walked in. Question: Who did I run into when I walked into the room?

2. a. When the rain stopped, Gloria was riding her bicycle to work. b. When the rain stopped, Paul rode his bicycle to work. Question: Who got wet on the way to work?

3. a. Ken went to the store because he was running out of food. b. Ann went to the store because she had run out of food. Question: Who is better at planning ahead?

4. a. Ms. Lincoln taught at this school for nine years. b. Mr. Sanchez has taught at this school for nine years. Question: Who is teaching at this school now?

5. a. Alice was walking to the door when the doorbell rang. b. George walked to the door when the doorbell rang. Question: Who had been expecting the doorbell to ring?

6. a. When I got there, Marie had eaten. b. When I got there, Joe ate. Question: Who was still hungry when I got there?

7. a. Donna lived in Chicago for five years. b. Carlos has been living in Chicago for five years. Question: Who still lives in Chicago?

8. a. Jane put some lotion on her face because she had been lying in the sun. b. Sue put some lotion on her face because she was lying in the sun. Question: Who put lotion on her face after she finished sunbathing?

9. a. I looked across the street. Mr. Fox was waving at me. b. I looked across the street. Mrs. Cook waved at me. Question: Who began to wave at me before I looked across the street?


52. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.

1. When I (arrive) ………….home last night, I discovered that Jane (prepare) …………a beautiful candlelight dinner.

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2. Since I began acting, I (perform) ………….in two plays, a television commercial and a TV drama. However, I (speak, never even) …………….publicly before I came to Hollywood in 1985.

3. By the time I got to the office, the meeting (begin, already) ………….without me. My boss (be) ………….furious with me and I (be) …………..fired.

4. When I (turn) ……….. on the radio yesterday, I (hear) …………a song that was popular when I was in high school. I (hear, not) …………the song in years, and it (bring) ………….back some great memories.

5. Last week, I (run) ……………into an ex-girlfriend of mine. We (see, not) …………..each other in years, and both of us (change) ………….a great deal. I (enjoy) ………….talking to her so much that I (ask) …………….her out on a date. We are getting together tonight for dinner.

6. When Jack (enter) ……………….the room, I (recognize, not) ……………..him because he (lose) ……………so much weight and (grow) ……………..a beard. He looked totally different!

7. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the Yucatan; however, their culture (disappear, virtually) ………..by the time Europeans first (arrive) …………….in the New World.

8. I (visit) …………….so many beautiful places since I (come) ……………to Utah. Before moving here, I (hear, never) …………..of Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, or Canyonlands.

9. I'm sorry I left without you last night, but I told you to meet me early because the show started at 8:00. I (try) ………..to get tickets for that play for months, and I didn't want to miss it. By the time I finally left the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet, I (have) …………five cups of coffee and I (wait) ……………..over an hour. I had to leave because I (arrange) …………….to meet Kathy in front of the theater.

10. When I arrived at the theater, Kathy (pick, already) …………..up the tickets and she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait) …………for more than half an hour. She said she (give, almost) …………….up and (go) …………..into the theater without us.

11. Kathy told me you (be) ……………..late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss) …………..several movies because of your late arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time!



1. It is already 9:30 PM and I (wait) ……………here for over an hour. If John does not get here in the next five minutes, I am going to leave.

2. I was really angry at John yesterday. By the time he finally arrived, I (wait) …………….for over an hour. I almost left without him.

3. Did you hear that Ben was fired last month? He (work) ………….for that import company for more than ten years and he (work) ………………..in almost every department. Nobody knew the company like he did.

4. I (see) …………………many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt. Pictures of the monuments are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.

5. Sarah (climb) ……….the Matterhorn, (sail) …………………around the world, and (go) …………………on safari in Kenya. She is such an adventurous person.

6. Sarah (climb) ……………the Matterhorn, (sail) ……………..around the world and (go) ……………..on safari in Kenya by the time she turned twenty-five. She (experience) ………………………….more by that age than most people do in their entire lives.

7. When Melanie came into the office yesterday, her eyes were red and watery. I think she (cry)……………………………..


54. Find the right form of the verbs in brackets:

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1.a. Look, I (have) ………..two tickets for the circus.b. Look, I (hold) ………….two tickets for the circus.

2.a. We (be) ……………there for more than half an hour by the time the show began.b. We (wait) ………………there for more than half an hour by the time the show began.

3.a. Sam (sit) ……………..in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.b. Sam (be) ………………..in the seat next to me when the clown threw a bucket of water at me.

4.a. One clown was juggling while he (balance) ………………a glass of wine on his head.b. One clown was juggling while he (have) ………………..a glass of wine on his head.

5.a. I (love) ………………….the circus ever since I was a child.b. I (go) ……………….to the circus ever since I was a child.

6.a. Right now, I (see) ………………..two elephants doing tricks in the ring.b. Right now, I (look) ………………..at two elephants doing tricks in the ring.


55. Put the right form of the verbs:

Lars: Excuse me, which movie are you waiting for? Tony: We (wait) …………………for the new Stars Wars movie. In fact, we (wait) …………here for more than five hours. Lars: Five hours? When did you arrive? Tony: We (get) ………………….here at 6:00 o'clock this morning. More than forty people (stand, already) …………………..here waiting for tickets when we arrived.Lars: I can't believe that! Are you serious?Tony: Yeah, people (take) …………………Star Wars movies seriously. In fact, this particular showing has been sold out for over a week. We (wait, just) …………………in line to get a good seat in the theater. Lars: When did you buy your tickets?Tony: I (buy) ……………….them last week by phone. I (know) …………………tickets would be hard to get because I (see) …………..a news interview with a group of people standing in line to get tickets. They (wait) ………………in line for almost a month to buy tickets for the first showing.Lars: I don't believe that! Tony: It's true. They (camp) ………………out in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles for about a month because they (want) ………………to be the first people to see the movie.


56. Decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits the space:

When the bus (1)……..in a small square, Maria(2)……….her magazine and didn’t realize that she(3)……..at her destination. “This is Santa Teresa”, Martin said. “(4) …………home! I suppose your cousin (5)…….for us. Come on. (6)……………….the bags”. Maria thought, “all those years when I (7)…………in New York, I(8) ……………..of this moment. And now it’s

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real, I can’t believe it! Here I am,(9)………………in the square.” Santa Teresa was Maria’s birthplace, but she (10)……………the town at the age of six. She had some memories of the town, and some photos, but(11)………………..here still? She(12)………………. nobody(13)…………….in the square. Perhaps her cousin Pablo(14)……………….Maria’s letter. “What(15)……..now?” asked Martin. “There isn’t even a hotel here!”

A1) has stopped2) was reading3) arrived4) you arrive5) waits6) I’ll carry7) live8) dream9) I really stand10)was leaving11)will she belong12)wasn’t knowing13)was waiting14)wasn’t receiving

are we 15) are we going to do

Bstopsreadarrivesyou’re arrivingwill be waitingI carryhave livedam dreamingI was really standinghad leftdid she belonghasn’t knownis waitingdidn’t use to receivehave we done

Cstoppedhad readhas arrivedyou’ve been arrivinghas waitedI’ve carriedwas livingused to dreamI had really stoodused to leavehas she belongedhadn’t knownwaitshadn’t receiveddid we do

Dwas stoppedused to readhad arrivedyou’ve arrivedis going to waitI carriedam livingwill dreamI’m really standinghas leftdoes she belongdidn’t knowwaitedhasn’t receivedare we doing


57. Put one word in each space.

Just a quick note (a)……………………I leave for the airport. Sorry I haven’t been in touch(b)………….Wednesday, but I’ve been busy getting ready(c)……………, and I haven’t collected my ticket(d)…………….from the travel agency. (e)………I get to Sydney, I’ll write you a letter. I’ve (f)………………….been to Australia before but I’ve been reading a lot about it(g)………….. It sounds great! I’ll be in Sydney (h)…………the end of next week, and then I’m travelling to Melbourne. I’ll be there(i)……………………a month. (j)………..I get back all my friends will have forgotten me!


58. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a. I intended to call you yesterday, but I forgot. going I was going to call you yesterday, but I forgot.

b. Sylvia asked if I wanted more pudding, but I said I couldn’t eat any more. had When Sylvia offered ……………………………………………… enough.

c. Owing to illness, Sally was unable to sing solo, as arranged. have Sally was………………………………… but she fell ill.

d. Diana wasn’t always as rude as that. be Diana ……………………………………………..rude.

e. We’ve changed our minds about going to Rome, as originally intended. intending We …………………………………….. we’ve changed our minds.

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f. When I lived in London, cycling to work was part of my daily routine. used When I lived in London I …………………………. day.

g. I might possibly go to the theatre tonight. wondering I ……………………………………… going to the theatre tonight.

h. I had to go past your house so I decided to drop in. passing I …………………………………………… so I decided to drop in.

i. About 100 people were waiting for the late bus. arrived By …………………………………. about 100 people waiting.

j. What were you doing at the moment of the explosion? occurred When ……………………………………………… what were you doing?

(Vince, Advanced Grammar

59. Look carefully at each line. Some lines are correct, but some have a word that should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space.

Dear Emma,

I’m sorry I haven’t been written to you lately, but I’ve 1……been……………..been working hard. When I received your last letter 2……………………………..I was acting in a play at school, and when 3……………………………I have finished that, I went on holiday with some friends. 4……………………………..I meant to send you a postcard, but I had forgot to take 5………………………………your address with me. How are you getting on at 6……………………………….college? You didn’t say very much about this in 7……………………………your letter. I hope you are still like it, and don’t 8………………………….been work all the time! Do you still want to come 9…………………………..and will stay for a few days? I’m starting work in 10……………………………London after I shall leave school in July, and I want 11……………………………..to see you before then. I have know you’re busy, 12…………………………..by the time your term finishes, I’ll have 13……………………………..started my job. I’ve been done so many things 14………………………………lately! I’ve just learned to drive and my parents 15……………………………….have sometimes lend me their car, so I often go out 16………………………………with friends. Maybe I’ll be drive to Nottingham and 17……………………………see you one day. Best wishes, Luisa


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5. Expressing Future

5.1. Present Tense Simple

Present simple is used to describe fixed events that are not simply the wishes of the speaker. They may be calendar references or other events that are objective.

Tom retires in three years. Christmas is on a Tuesday this year.

5.1. Present Tense Continuous

We use this tense to talk about things we have arranged to do. There is nearly always a time expression mentioned.

I’m meeting my mum at one for lunch.He’s going to the dentist tomorrow at this time.Are you doing anything on Friday evening?

This tense used for future has a quite personalized nuance. Therefore, it is not used normally with non-human subjects.

Examples like:The bus is coming soon. A storm is coming. The plane is taking off in two hours. …are normally rejected by conservative grammarians. However, in everyday speech, especially in American English, such structures are still used and not considered oddities.

5.2. Simple Future

Is formed with the auxiliary „will” + Infinitive. In classical British English, the first person future is formed with „shall” (I shall come tomorrow. We shall do this next week). . However, this form tends to be dropped in contemporary English, and replaced with „will” for all persons.

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- events that will happen in the future

You will help him later. Will Tom come tomorrow?He will not/won’t buy that car.

- “will” to express voluntary action, intention, readiness

A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use „will” to respond to someone else’s complaint or request for help. We also use „will” when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use „will not” or „won’t” when we refuse to voluntarily do something.

I will send you the information when I get it.

I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.

Will you help me move this heavy table?

Will you make dinner?

I will not do your homework for you.

I won’t do all the housework myself!

A: I’m really hungry.B: I’ll make some sandwiches.

A: I’m so tired. I’m about to fall asleep.B: I’ll get you some coffee. A: The phone is ringing.B: I’ll get it.

- making promisesI will call you when I arrive.

If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.

I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.

- making sound predictions about the future, or anticipating events

The year 2222 will be a very interesting year. John Smith will be the next President. The movie “Zenith” will win several Academy Awards.

- no future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.

When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct

5.3. Future Progressive or Continuous

Expresses an action that will be in full progress at some time in the future.

I will begin to study at seven. You will come at eight. I will be studying when you come.

Right now I am sitting in class. At this time tomorrow, I will be sitting in class.

Don’t call me at nine because I won’t be home. I am going to be studying at the library.

It can also describe events which are going to happen

I won’t bother to fix a time to see you, because I’ll be calling into the office anyway several times next

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http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepresent.html

anyway, rather than events which we choose to happen.

week.

In some contexts future continuous also sounds more polite than will.

Will you be going to the shops later? If you go, could you get me some milk?

It can also be used to refer to fixed arrangements and plans

The band will be performing live in Paris this summer.

Active and Passive

Active Voice: John will write the letter tomorrow.Passive Voice: The letter will be written (by John) tomorrow.

Active Voice: She will be performing this beautiful song by this time tomorrow evening.Passive: This beautiful song will be being performed by her at this time tomorrow evening.

Note: the passive voice of future progressive is only used rarely.

5.4. Future Perfect Simple

This tense expresses an activity that will be completed before another time or event in the future. Note: by the time introduces a time clause; the simple present is used in a time clause.

I will graduate in June. I will see you in July. By the time I see you, I will have graduated.

I will have finished my homework by the time I go out on a date tonight.

5.5. Future Perfect Progressive

This tense emphasizes the duration of an activity that will be in progress before another time or event in the future.

I will go to bed at ten. Ed will get home at midnight. At midnight I will be sleeping. I will have been sleeping for two hours by the time Ed gets home.

When Professor Jones retires next month, he will have taught for 45 years.When Professor Jones retires next month, he will have been teaching for 45 years.

5.6. „going to” – Future

I am going to meet Jane tonight. Are you going to go fishing tomorrow? He is not going to see a doctor any more.

Expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It

He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii. She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii. A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?B: We are going to meet at 6 PM. I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

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does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not. Decisions expressed with going to refer to a more distant point in the future.

Michelle is going to begin medical school next year. They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.Who are you going to invite to the party?

- prediction about something external that may happen in the future

Do you think it’s going to rain?He’s going to tell her what I said. I am sure of that.

Comparison between “will” and “going to”

The “going to” future gives more emotional and personal participation to the message than the “will” future.

Compare:

Tim and Gina will get married next month. (very simple and neutral information, could be a newspaper announcement) Tim and Gina are getting married next month. (simple information for friends or an informal environment).Tim and Gina are going to get married next month. (they intend, or want to get married next month, they have scheduled this event).

Active / Passive

Active Voice:John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.

Passive Voice:

A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight.

The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.

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Summary Chart of Verb Tenses

SIMPLE PRESENTTom studies every day.

SIMPLE PASTTom studied last night.

PRESENT PERFECTTom has already studied Chapter One.

PAST PERFECTTom had already studied Chapter One before he began studying Chapter Two.

SIMPLE FUTURETim will study tomorrow

FUTURE PERFECTTom will already have studied Chapter Four before he studies Chapter Five.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVETom is studying right now.

PAST PROGRESSIVETom was studying when they came.

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVETom has been studying for two hours

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVETom had been studying for two hours before his friends came.

FUTURE PROGRESSIVETom will be studying when you come.

FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVETom will have been studying for two hours by the time his roommate gets home.


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Exercises with Future

59. Put each verb in brackets into a form of will, going to or present continuous. More than one answer may be possible.

a. Have you heard the news? Harry (join) ………………. the army!b. Sorry to keep you waiting. I (not be)……………..long.c. According to the weather forecast, it (snow)………….tomorrow.d. I’m sorry I can’t meet you tonight. I (go out)…..with my parents.e. Careful! You (knock)……………….that jug off the table!f. In fifty year’ time, most people (probably ride)…………..bicycles to work.g. Our teacher (give)…………….us a test tomorrow.h. I (go) …………..to Manchester at the end of the week.i. Look out! You (hit)…………that tree!j. I think our team (probably win)…………


60. In the following exercise, identify the incorrect sentences and rewrite them.

1. I go swimming next Saturday. Would you like to come?2. The boat is turning over! I think it will sink!3. Sue is going to lend me her roller-skates.4. The weather forecast says it’s definitely sunny tomorrow.5. There is a lot to do. Is anyone going to help you?6. Sorry, I’m not seeing you tomorrow. I have to go to London.7. Bye for now. I see you later this evening.


61. Use “will” and/or “be going to” with the verbs in parentheses:PART I. EXPRESING PREDICTIONS

1. Sue (graduate)………………..in June. After that, she (begin)………….work at an electronics firm.

2. Fred (be) ………….at the meeting tomorrow. I think Jane (come)..too.3. A: Can you give Ed a message for me? B: Sure. I (see, probably)……………….him at the meeting this evening.4. A: Mr. Swan (be, not)………..here next term. He has resigned. Who (be)…………….the

new teacher? Do you know? B: Yes. Ms. Mary Jefferson. She (teach)…….the same courses Mr. Swan taught:

Algebra and Geometry. I (be)…..in her algebra class.5. In what ways (the damage we do to our environment today, affect)………..the quality

of life for future generations?

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PART II. EXPRESSING PRIOR PLAN VS. WILLINGNESS6. A: This letter is in French, and I don’t speak French. Can you help me? B: Sure. I (translate)…………………..it for you.7. A: Do you want to go shopping with me? I (go) ………to the shopping mall downtown. B: Sure. What time do you want to leave?8. A: Who wants to erase the board? Are there any volunteers? B: I (do)……..it!9. A: How about getting together for dinner after work? B: Sounds good. Where? A: How about Alice’s Restaurant or the Gateway Café? You decide. B: Alice’s Restaurant. I (meet)…you there around six. 10. A: Do you have plans for dinner? B: Yes. I (meet)……a co-worker) for dinner at

Alice’s Restaurant. Want to join us?11. A: This light doesn’t work. The bulb is probably burned out. Do we have any new

light bulbs? B: I (get)………….one for you.12.A: I (enroll)……………..in the community college next spring. B: Oh? I didn’t know

you wanted to go back to school. A: I need to sharpen my skills so I can get a better job. I (take)……………..a course in word processing.

13.A: Uh, oh! I’ve spilled coffee on my shirt! B: Just a minute. I (get)………..a damp cloth for you.14.A: Janice, do you want to come with us? B: I can’t. I have to study. A: Oh, come on! You can’t study all day long! B: All right. I (go)………..with you. 15. I (sell)………my bicycle. I have to, because I need the money.16.A: How do you spell this word? B: I’m not sure. I (look)…………it up for you.


62. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate “will” or “going to” phrases:

1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? B: I (write)……………..a letter to my friends back home in Texas. 2. A: I’m about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! B: I (get)……………….you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up.3. A: I can’t hear the television! B: I (turn) ……………it up so you can hear it. 4 We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) ……………………Paris, Nice and Grenoble.5. Sarah (come) …………………..to the party. Oliver (be) ……………there as well. 6. Ted: It is so hot in here! Sarah: I (turn) ……………………the air-conditioning on. 7. I think he (be) …………………..the next President of the United States. 8. After I graduate, I (attend) …………………….medical school and become a doctor. I have wanted to be a doctor all my life.9.A: Excuse me, I need to talk to someone about our hotel room. I am afraid it is simply too small for four people. B: That man at the service counter (help) ……………………..you. 10. As soon as the weather clears up, we (walk) ………..down to the beach and go swimming.

(Internet, English Pages)

63. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses:

1. Mark: What are you doing with those scissors? Beth: I (cut) …………………..that picture of the ocean out of the travel magazine. Mark: What (you, do) …………………..with it? Beth: I (paint) ……………………a watercolor of the ocean for my art class, and I thought I could use this photograph as a model.

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2. Mark: (you, do) ………………..me a favor, Sam? Sam: Sure, what do you want me to do? Mark: I (change) ………………the broken light bulb in the lamp above the dining room table. I need someone to hold the ladder for me while I am up there. Sam: No problem, I (hold) …………………..it for you.

3. Gina: Where are you going? Ted: I (go) …………….to the store to pick up some groceries. Gina: What (you, get)………………..? Ted: I (buy) ……………….some milk, some bread, and some coffee.

4. John: Wow, it's freezing out there. Jane: I (make) ……………….some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well? John: Coffee sounds great! But I (have) ……………dinner with some friends later, so I'd better skip the pie.Jane: I (go) …………………to dinner tonight too, but I'm having a piece of pie anyway.

5. Frank: I heard you're taking a Spanish class at the community college. Tom: Yeah, I (go) ……………….to Guatemala next spring and I thought knowing a little Spanish would make the trip easier. Frank: I (visit) ……………..my brother in Marseilles next year. Maybe I should take a French class. Tom: I have a course catalog in the other room. I (go) ………………..get it, and we can see whether or not they're offering a French course next semester.


1. Michael: Do you think the Republicans or the Democrats (win) ………………….the next election? Jane: I think the Republicans (win) ……………….the next election. John: No way! The Democrats (win)…………….

2. Susan: We (go) ………………..camping this weekend. Would you like to come along? Sam: That sounds great, but I don't have a sleeping bag. Susan: No problem. I (lend) …………………you one. My family has tons of camping gear.

3. Barbara: I (buy) ……………….a new car this weekend, but I'm a little worried because I don't really know much about cars. I'm afraid the salesman (try) ……………….to take advantage of me when he sees how little I know. Dave: I used to work for a mechanic in high school and I know a lot about cars. I (go) ………….with you to make sure you are not cheated.

4. Gina: Fred and I (visit) ………………Santa Fe next summer. Have you ever been there? Margaret: My family lives in Santa Fe! I (give) ……………….you my parents' phone number. When you get to Santa Fe, just call them and they (give) …………..you a little tour of the town. They can show you some of the sights that most tourists never see.

5. Pam: Can you see my future in the crystal ball? What (happen) ……………….next year?

Fortune Teller: You (meet) …………………a man from the East Coast, perhaps New York or maybe Boston. You (marry) ………………..that mystery man. Pam: Forget the man! I want to know if I (get) ………………..a new job.

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65. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses,

1. Today after I (get) ………………..out of class, I (go) ……………….to a movie with some friends.

2. When you (arrive) ……………..in Stockholm, call my friend Gustav. He (show) ……………you around the city and help you get situated. 3. A: Do you know what you want to do after you (graduate)………………….? B: After I (receive) ……………….my Master's from Georgetown University, I (go) …………..to graduate school at UCSD in San Diego. I (plan) …………….to complete a Ph.D. in cognitive science. 4. If it (snow) …………..this weekend, we (go) …………….skiing near Lake Tahoe. 5. Your father (plan) …………..to pick you up after school today at 3:00 o'clock. He (meet) ………………..you across the street near the ice cream shop. If something happens and he cannot be there, I (pick) ……………….you up instead. 6. If the people of the world (stop, not) ………………..cutting down huge stretches of rain forest, we (experience) ………………..huge changes in the environment during the twenty-first century. 7. If Vera (keep) …………drinking, she (lose, eventually)…………..her job.

8. I promise you that I (tell, not) ………………your secret to anybody. Even if somebody (ask) ……………….me about what happened that day, I (reveal, not) ………………..the truth to a single person.

9. She (make) ……………….some major changes in her life. She (quit) ……………………..her job and go back to school. After she (finish) ………………studying, she (get) …………………..a better-paying job and buy a house. She is going to improve her life!10. Tom (call) ……………..when he (arrive) …………….in Madrid. He (stay) ………………….with you for two or three days until his new apartment (be) ……………..available.



1. Michael: After you (leave)……………work, will you please drop by the grocery store and pick up some milk and bread? Marie: No problem, I (pick) ……………….up the groceries and be home by 6 o'clock. Michael: Great. You will probably get home before I (do)……………….

2. Ari: By the time we (get) ………………to the movie theater, the tickets are going to be sold out. Sarah: Don't worry. I told Jane we might be arriving just before the movie (start)………………. She (buy) ………………..our tickets and meet us in the lobby. Ari: That place is huge! We (find, never) ……………….her in that crowded lobby. Sarah: Calm down, we (meet) ……………….each other near the entrance.

3. Terry: If the weather (be) ……………..good tomorrow, maybe we should go to the beach. Jennifer: I have a better idea. If it (be) ……………nice out, we'll go to the beach; and if it (rain)………………., we'll see a movie. Terry: I guess we will have to wait until we (get) ……………………up in the morning to find out what we are going to do.

4.

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Max: What are you going to do tomorrow after work? Sean: I (meet) ……………….some friends at the cafe across the street. Would you like to come along? Max: No thanks! My brother is coming to town and I (pick) ………………..him up from the airport at 7 o'clock. Sean: We (be, probably) ………………at the cafe until 9 o'clock. Why don't you join us after you (pick) ……………him up. Max: Sounds good. We (see) ………………..you around 8 o'clock.

5. Lucy: I (call) ……………….you as soon as I arrive in Dublin. Dwain: If I am not there when you (call)…………….., make sure to leave a message. Lucy: I will. And please don't forget to water my plants and feed the cat. Dwain: I promise I (take) ……………….care of everything while you are in Ireland.



1. Sandra: Where is Tim going to meet us? Marcus: He (wait) …………………for us when our train arrives. I am sure he (stand) …………………on the platform when we pull into the station. Sandra: And then what? Marcus: We (pick) ………………..Michele up at work and go out to dinner.

2. Ted: When we get to the party, Jerry (watch) ……………….TV, Sam (make) ……………drinks, Beth (dance) ……………by herself, and Thad (complain) ……………….about his day at work. Robin: Maybe, this time they won't be doing the same things. Ted: I am absolutely positive they (do) ,……………..the same things; they always do the same things.

3. Florence: Oh, look at that mountain of dirty dishes! Who (wash) ………………all of those? Jack: I promise I (do) ………………….them when I get home from work. Florence: Thanks. Jack: When you get home this evening, that mountain will be gone and nice stacks of sparkling clean dishes (sit) ………………in the cabinets.

4. Doug: If you need to contact me next week, I (stay) ……………..at the Hoffman Hotel. Nancy: I (call) ………………..you if there are any problems. Doug: This is the first time I have ever been away from the kids. Nancy: Don't worry, they (be) ………………be fine.

5. Samantha: Just think, next week at this time, I (lie) ………………..on a tropical beach in Maui drinking Mai Tais and eating pineapple. Darren: While you are luxuriating on the beach, I (stress) ………………out over this marketing project. How are you going to enjoy yourself knowing that I am working so hard? Samantha: I 'll manage somehow. Darren: You're terrible. Can't you take me with you? Samantha: No. But I (send) …………………..you a postcard of a beautiful, white sand beach. Darren: Great, that (make) ………………..me feel much better.


1. Right now, I am watching TV. Tomorrow at this time, I (watch) …………………TV as well. 2. Tomorrow after school, I (go) ……………………to the beach.

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3. I am going on a dream vacation to Tahiti. While you (do) ………………paperwork and (talk) ………………..to annoying customers on the phone, I (lie) ………………on a sunny, tropical beach. Are you jealous?

4. We (hide) ……………..when Tony (arrive) ……………..at his surprise party. As soon as he opens the door, we (jump) …………….out and (scream)…………, "Surprise!" 5. We work out at the fitness center every day after work. If you (come) ……………..over while we (work) ……………….out, we will not be able to let you into the house. Just to be safe, we (leave) ……………….a key under the welcome mat so you will not have to wait outside. 6. While you (study) ………………at home, Magda (be) ………………in class.7. When I (get) ………………..to the party, Sally and Doug (dance)………………, John (make) ……………….drinks, Sue and Frank (discuss) ……………..something controversial, and Mary (complain) ………………about something unimportant. They are always doing the same things. They are so predictable. 8. When you (get) ……………..off the plane, I (wait) ……………..for you. 9. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake) ………………..up tomorrow morning, the sun (shine)…………………... 10. If you (need) ……………to contact me sometime next week, I (stay) …………….at the Sheraton in San Francisco.


69. Use the future progressive or simple present.

a. Right now I am attending class. Yesterday at this time, I was attending class. Tomorrow at this time, I (attend)……….class, too.

b. Tomorrow I’m going to leave for home. When I (arrive)………..at the airport, my whole family (wait)……………for me.

c. When I (get)……………up tomorrow morning, the sun (shine)………., the birds (sing)………….and my roommate (lie, still)……..in bed fast asleep.

d. A: When do you leave for Florida? B: Tomorrow. Just think! Two days form now I (lie)……on the beach in the sun.

A: Sounds great! I (think)……..about you.e. A: How can I get in touch with you while you’re out of town?

B: I (stay)……..……at the Pilgrim Hotel. You can reach me there.f. Next year at this time, I (do)……exactly what I am doing now. I (attend)…..school

and (study)…….hard just like this year.g. Look at those dark clouds. When class (be)……over, it (rain, probably)…………h. A: Are you going to be in town next Saturday?

B: No. I (visit, in Chicago)…………my aunt.i. A: Where are you going to be this evening?

B: I (work, at the library)… on my research paper.j. A: Do you think life will be very different 100 years from now?

B: Of course. I can picture it in my mind. People (live)……….in modular mobile residential units that they can take with them if they have to move, and they (drive)……air cars that can go at tremendous speeds. A: That sounds pretty far-fetched to me. Why would people want to take their houses with them when they move?


70. Identifying time clauses. Draw brackets around the time clauses in the following sentences:

1) We’ll be here when you arrive tomorrow.2) After the rain stops, I’m going to sweep the front porch.3) I’m going to start making dinner before my wife gets home from work today.4) I’m going to wait right here until Jessica comes.5) As soon as the war is over, there will be great joy throughout the land.6) Right now the tide is low, but when the tide comes in, the ship will leave the harbor.7) While I’m driving to work tomorrow, I’m going to listen to my Greek language tapes.


71. Future in time clauses:

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a. Peter is going to leave in half an hour. He (finish)………all of his work before he (leave)…………….

b. I’m going to eat lunch at 12:30. after I (eat)…, I (take, probably)…………….a nap.c. I’ll get home around six. When I (get)……...home, I (call)……….Sharon.d. I’m going to watch a TV program at nine, but before I (watch)………the program, I

(write)…………….a letter to my parents.e. Gary will come soon. I (wait)…….here until he (come)…………….f. I’m sure it will stop raining soon. As soon as the rain (stop)…., I (walk)…….to the

store to get some film.g. I’m a junior in college this year. After I (graduate)…………………with a B.A. next

year, I (intend)………………..to enter graduate school and work for an M.A. perhaps I (go)……..on for a Ph.D. after I (get)………my Master’s degree.

h. I (listen)……..to English language tapes while I (sleep)……tonight. Do you think it will help me learn English faster?

i. A: How long (you, stay)……in this country? B: I (plan)……..to be here for about one more year. I (hope)…..to graduate a year from this June. A: What (you, do)………after you (leave)….? B: I (return)………..home and (get)…….a job. How about you? A: I (be)………..here for at least two more years before I (return)…….home and (get)………………a job.


72. Identifying meaning. Indicate the meaning expressed by the italicized verbs by writing in the future, now, or habitually in the blanks.

1. I am taking four courses next semester. _________________2. I am taking four courses this semester. _________________3. Students usually take four courses each semester. _______________4. I’ll mail this letter at the corner when I take Susan home. ___________5. My brother’s birthday is next week. I am giving him a sweater.6. Shhh. The broadcaster is giving the latest news about the crisis in England. I want

to hear what she’s saying.____________________7. when I graduate, I’m going to return home. _______________8. When students graduate, they receive diplomas. __________________9. I’m tired. I am going to bed early tonight. _________________10. When I am in New York, I’m going to visit the Museum of Modern Art. __________11. When I am home alone in the evening, I like to read or watch television. _________12. A: Are you busy?

B: Not really. A: What are you doing? ____________ B: I’m writing a letter to my folks. _____________ A: When you finish your letter, do you want to play a game of chess? ______

13. A: What are you doing after work today? ___________ B: I’m playing tennis with Brown at the health club. And you? ____________ A: I’m meeting Smith for a round of golf.____________

14. Tony will arrive at eight tomorrow evening. _________15. Tony is going to arrive at eight tomorrow night. ____________16. Tony is arriving at eight tomorrow evening. ________________17. Tony arrives at eight tomorrow evening. ___________18. When Tony arrives, we’ll have a party. ______________


73. Perfect and perfect progressive tenses

a. Ann and Andy got married on June 1st . Today is June 14th. They (be)………………………married for two weeks. By June 7th, they (be)………………………….married for one week. By June 28-th, they (be)…………………..……..married for four weeks.b. This traffic is terrible. We’re going to be late. By the time we (get)……………..…to

the airport, Bob’s plane (arrive, already)…………………and he’ll be wondering where we are.

c. The traffic was very heavy. By the time we (get)…………..to the airport, Bob’s plane (arrive, already)…………..

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d. This morning I came to class at 9:00. Right now it is 10:00 and I am still in class. I (sit)…………..at this desk for an hour.

By 9:30, I (sit)…………………….here for a half an hour. By 11:00, I (sit)……………….here for two hours.e. I’m getting tired of sitting in the car. Do you realize that by the time we arrive in

Phoenix, we (drive)……..for twenty straight hours?f. Margaret was born in 1975. By 1995, she (live)……………on this earth for 20 years.

By the year 2025, she (live)…………on this earth for 50 years.g. Go ahead and leave on your vacation. Don’t worry about this work. By the time you

(get)……..back, we (take)…….care of everything.h. I don’t understand how those marathon runners do it! The race began more than an

hour ago. By the time they reach the finish line, they (run)…………steadily for more than two hours. I don’t think I can run more than two minutes!

i. What? He got married again? At this rate, he (have)…………a dozen wives by the time he (die)………….

j. We have been married for a long time. By our next anniversary, we (be)…………married for 43 years.


74. Present perfect, present, future, present perfect continuous, future perfect, simple past.

1. You look really great! (you, work) ……………….out at the fitness center recently? 2. A: What (you, do) ……………..when the accident occurred?

B: I (try) …………….to change a light bulb that had burnt out. 3. I (have) ……………..the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying

a new one. 4. If it (snow) ……………..this weekend, we (go) …………………skiing near Lake Tahoe. 5. A: What do you call people who work in libraries?

B: They (call) …………….librarians. 6. I came to England six months ago. I started my economics course three months

ago. When I return to Australia, I (study) …………..for nine months and I (be) …………….in England for exactly one year.

7. Sam (arrive) .in San Diego a week ago.8. Samantha (live) ………………..in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)

………………..there when the Berlin wall came down. 9. If Vera (keep) ………………drinking, she (lose, eventually) …………………her job. 10. The Maya established a very advanced civilization in the jungles of the Yucatan;

however, their culture (disappear, virtually) ……………….by the time Europeans first (arrive) ………………….in the New World.

11. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep)……………………. 12. It (rain) ………………………all week. I hope it stops by Saturday because I want to go

to the beach. 13. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) …………………..the bus this morning. You

(be) ………………..late to work too many times. You are fired! 14. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake) …………………up

tomorrow morning, the sun (shine)……………………….15. I have not traveled much yet; however, I (visit) ………………..the Grand Canyon and

San Francisco by the time I leave the United States. 16. I (see) ………………….many pictures of the pyramids before I went to Egypt.

Pictures of the monuments are very misleading. The pyramids are actually quite small.

17. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) …………………….much easier and very comfortable. In the 19th century, it (take) …………………….two or three months to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip (be) ………………..very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) ……………a great deal in the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.

18. Joseph's English (improve, really)…………., isn't it? He (watch) ……………….American television programs and (study) …………………..his grammar every day since he first arrived in San Diego. Soon he will be totally fluent.

19. If you (need) ………………..to contact me sometime next week, I (stay) …………………at the Sheraton in San Francisco.


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75. Simple past, past continuous, present perfect, present simple, present continuous, past perfect, future continuous, future perfect.

1. When Carol (call) ……………………last night, I (watch) ………………………….my favorite show on television.

2. I (work) ………………………….for this company for more than thirty years, and I intend to stay here until I retire!

3. Sharon (love) ………………………to travel. She (go) ………………………..abroad almost every summer. Next year, she plans to go to Peru.

4. Thomas is an author. He (write) …………………………….mystery novels and travel memoirs. He (write) …………………………since he was twenty-eight. Altogether, he (write) ………………………seven novels, three collections of short stories and a book of poetry.

5. We were late because we had some car problems. By the time we (get) ………………………….to the train station, Susan (wait) …………………………..for us for more than two hours.

6. Sam (try) ………………………to change a light bulb when he (slip) ………………and (fall)………………………………..

7. Everyday I (wake) ………………….up at 6 o'clock, (eat) ……………………breakfast at 7 o'clock and (leave) ……………………for work at 8 o'clock. However, this morning I (get) …………………….up at 6:30, (skip) ……………………..breakfast and (leave) ………………….for work late because I (forget) ………………………to set my alarm.

8. Right now, Jim (read) ……………………….the newspaper and Kathy (make) ………………….dinner. Last night at this time, they (do) ………………………….the same thing. She (cook) ……………………..and he (read) …………………………the newspaper. Tomorrow at this time, they (do, also) ……………………….the same thing. She (prepare) ……………………dinner and he (read)……………………………. They are very predictable people!

9. By this time next summer, you (complete) ………………..your studies and (find) ………………….. a job. I, on the other hand, (accomplish, not) …………………………………..anything. I (study, still) …………………………….and you (work) ………………….in some new high paying job.

10.The students (be, usually) ………………………taught by Mrs. Monty. However, this week they (teach) ……………………..taught by Mr. Tanzer.

11.Jane talks on the phone.

Bob has been talking on the phone for an hour. Mary is talking on the phone.

Who is not necessarily on the phone now?

12. I'm going to make dinner for Frank. I'm making dinner for Judy. I'll make dinner for Mary. I make dinner for Ted.

I will be making dinner for Tony. Who are you offering to make dinner for?

13. Jane left when Tim arrived. Bob left when Tim had arrived. Tim arrived when Mary was leaving. John had left when Tim arrived. After Tim arrived, Frank left.

Who did not run into Tim?

14. Jane is talking in class. Bob always talks in class. Mary is always talking in class.

Whose action bothers you?

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15. Jane never left Jamestown. Bob has never left Jamestown.

Who is still alive?

76. Put each verb in the brackets into a suitable form:

a. In twenty-four hours’ time, ………………………….(I/relax) on my yacht.b. There’s someone at the door. That ………………………(be) the postman.c. By the time you get back Harry ……………………(leave).d. It’s only a short trip. I ………….(be) back in an hour.e. What ……….(you/do) this Saturday evening? Would you like to go out?f. By the end of the week we ……….(decide) what to do.g. It………..(not/be) long before Doctor Smith is here.h. We’ll go to the park when you …………………(finish) your tea.i. It’s very hot in her. I think I……………(faint).j. What……….(you/give) Ann for her birthday? Have you decided yet?

(Vince, Advanced Grammar p.9)

77. In most lines of this text there is an extra word. Write the extra word or put a tick if the line is correct.

In August Gordon will then have been at this company for 25 years,and he’s getting for a bonus of three weeks paid holiday. So we’vedecided to hire a car and drive around Eastern Europe. We’ll beleaving towards the end of August, and our aim there is to visit asmany countries as we can. We’re flying out to Budapest – soon we’redue to catch a plane on the 28th day – and then we’ll be stopping over at a friend’s house, before starting our grand tour. We’ll most probablyspend the best part of a week in Hungary. When we’ve just finishedthere, we’ll probably be go to Romania, but beyond that we haven’tplanned too much arrangements. We will know a bit more by the endof this week, when we’re getting a whole load of brochures from thetourist board. We’d like to get to as far as Russia, but realistically I doubt whether we’ll have time. I hope it won’t be too expensive –from till now on we’ll really have to tighten our belts! I can’t wait!In just over two months’ of time we’ll be having the time of our lives!

1…………………..2…………………..3…………………..4…………………..5………………….6……………………7………………….8……………………9…………………..10………………..11………………..12………………..13……………….14……………….15……………….

(Vince, Advanced Grammar p.9)

78. Choose the most appropriate continuation for each sentence.

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1. According to the latest forecast, the tunnel ………… A. will be finished next year B. will have been finished next year C. is finishing next year

2. Paula’s flight is bound to be late although…………… A. it arrives at 6.00 B. it’s due at 6.00 C. it’s arriving at six

3. It’s no use phoning Bob at the office, he… A. will be leaving B. is leaving C. will have left.

4. Everyone says that this year City…… A. are going to win the cup B. are winning the Cup C. win the Cup.

5. I don’t feel like visiting my relatives this year, so……. A. I won’t go B. I’m not going C. I don’t go.

6. You can borrow this calculator, I……… A. am not going to need it B. won’t have been needing it C. am not needing it.

7. I’m sorry dinner isn’t ready yet, but it……. A. is going to be ready in a minute B. will have been ready in a minute C. will be ready in a minute

8. Can you send me the results as soon as you…….. A. hear anything? B. are hearing anything? C. will have heard anything?

9. You can try asking Martin for help but…… A. it won’t do you any good B. it’s not doing you any good C. it won’t be doing you any good

10. Don’t worry about the mistake you made, nobody ………. A. is noticing B. will notice C. will be noticing

(Vince, Advanced Grammar, p.10)

79. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) I don’t suppose you have heard the news. won’t You won’t have heard the news.

b) The Prime Minister expects an easy victory for his party in the election. believes

The Prime Minister ……………………………..the election easily.

c) I’ve been in this company for almost three years. will By the end of the month …………..in this company for three years.

d) This book will take me two years to write. have In two years’ …………………….this book.

e) Scientists are on the point of making a vital breakthrough. about Scientists are …………………………………………..a vital breakthrough.

f) Maria is pregnant again. have Maria is ………………………baby.

g) I’ll be home late. until

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I…………………………………………………late.

h) No one knows what the result of the match is going to be. who No one knows…………………………………………….…………….the match.

i) Don’t worry; David won’t be late. here Don’t worry; David…………………………………………………….time.

j) Mary and Alan’s wedding is next weekend. getting Mary and Alan ………………………………….………….next weekend.


80. Look at the three options A, B and C for each question. Decide which two are correct.

1. We’ve run out of fuel. …………… A. What will we do now? B. What do we do now? C. What are we going to do

now?

2. You can’t leave early, …………………. A. we’re having a meeting B. we’re going to have a meeting C. we will have a

meeting

3. Oh dear, I’ve broken the vase. ………………… A. What will your mother say? B. What is your mother going to say? C. What is

your mother saying?

4. According to the weather forecast, ……………………………. A. it’ll rain tomorrow B. it’s raining tomorrow C. it’s going to rain tomorrow

5. I’d like to call round and see you …………………………… A. What will you have done by the morning? B. What’ll you be doing in the

morning? C. What are you doing in the morning?

6. I’ve got nothing to do tomorrow, so………….. A. I’ll get up late B. I am to get up late C. I’m going to get up late

7. It’s my eighteenth birthday next month so…………………….. A. I’m on the point of having a party B. I’m having a party C. I’ll be having a party

8. Why don’t you come with us? ……………….. A. It’ll be a great trip. B. It’s going to be a great trip. C It’s a great trip.

9. When you get to the airport …………… A. someone is going to be waiting for you. B. someone is due to wait for you. C. someone will be waiting for you.

10. Shut up, will you! …………… A. I’m getting really angry. B. I’m going to get really angry in a minute. C. I’m

getting really angry in a minute.(Vince, Advanced Grammar, p.12)


a. I’ll be back after a few minutes/in a few minutes.b. I’m sure that everything will be all right at the end/in the end.c. Please call me the moment/exactly when you hear any news.d. I should be back by the time/at the time the film begins.

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e. I’m sure Fiona will be here before long/after a while.f. I can’t leave on Tuesday. I won’t be ready until then/by then.g. By twenty four hours/this time tomorrow I’ll be in Bangkok.h. Diana will be retiring soon/already.i. There will be no official announcements forthwith/from now on.j. Bye for now. I’ll see you in two weeks’ time/two weeks later.


82. Complete the common expressions using the words from the box.

let give be go see come have go be see

1) I’ll ………………………….what I can do.2) I’ll …………………………a look and get back to you.3) I’ll………………………………it some thought.4) I’ll……………………you know by tomorrow.5) I’ll just……………………and get it.6) I’ll ………………………………halves with you.7) I’ll…………………………………to it.8) I’ll………………………………back in a minute.9) I’ll…………………….about five minutes.10) I’ll……………………………and show you.


Verb Tense Review Exercises

Fill in with the appropriate mood, voice and tense of the verbs given in brackets; make use of any auxiliaries or modals you need. Mind the word order particularly in cases of emphasis.

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84. I work at Jackson Ltd. I (1)…………………….(to work) there since 1986. last week the manager asked me to see him if I (2)……(to have) time. He was new, so I wondered what he (3)…………..(to be) like. When I went to see him, he said “I’d like you to help me with a special project. I (4)…………(to hear) that you speak German.” Ha said that a factory in Germany (5)…………………………(to want) a specialist for six months. “Tell me if you can go”. I (6)…………………..(to like) a few days to think about it. “All right. Here are the papers with all the details. Let me have them back after you (7)………………(to read) them”. When I told my friends about it, they all said it (8)……………………….(to seem) marvellous. “I (9)………………………(to say) yes yet.” But next day I told the manager I wanted to go, and he said: “I hoped that you (10)………………………(to agree).

(Chilarescu, Paidos. Proficiency in English, 1996)

85. Here I am (1)………………..(to reply) to your letter, which (2)………………….(to arrive) two days ago, before (3)……………………….(to leave) for Rome. I (4)……………………….(to tell) yesterday that the company (5)………………..(to send) me there next week for a business conference. If I (6)…………..(to know) about it earlier, I would have told you. Anyway, I’ll ring you up as soon as I (7) ……………….. (to get) there. By the way, I met John Marshall who told me that he (8)…………………….(to work) for the previous two months on the plans for the new factory you are interested in. He (9)………………..(to work) very hard because he looked deadly tired. By the time I come to Rome he (10)……………………(to finish) them, so I’ll bring them with me.


86. I (1)……………..(to fall asleep) while I was working because it took me a long time to realise that the telephone (2)……………………(to ring). When I answered it, my girlfriend said: “(3)………………………..(to forget) that we (4)………………………..(to go) to the cinema tonight? I(5)…………..(to wait) here for half an hour. If you (6)…………………..(to come) soon, we’ll miss the film.” I suddenly remembered that Sally (7)……………………(to give) some tickets for the first performance of a new film. If I hadn’t had so much work to do, I (8)………………(to take) her out to dinner before going to the cinema. “By the time I get there, the film (9) ………………(to start). Let’s go out to dinner instead.” “You are a nuisance. I (10)……………………..(to accept) the tickets.”


87. I went to the doctor’s yesterday. I (1)……………………..(to have to) wait for an hour before he (2)…………………….(can) see me. “I (3)…………….(to go) abroad next week. But I (4)…………..(to have) a pain for two days. (5)…………………(to think) I’ll be well enough to go?” “When I (6)………………………..(to examine) you, I’ll be able to tell you,” the doctor said. “I (7)………..(to work) in the garden when I suddenly felt the pain,” I told the doctor. “If I (8)……………………….(to stop) immediately, it would have been all right, I suppose. But I hardly ever (9)……………………..(to get) any exercise in my job, so I went out working.” After examining me carefully, the doctor said: “You (10)……………….(to hurt) a bone in your back.


88. My wife and I went to the airport to meet some friends. The plane landed but they (1)………………..(to be) on it. “(2)………..(to see) if there is a message for us, “my wife said”. They (3)…………………(to miss) the plane or perhaps they (4)…………………………(to prevent) from coming for some reason. “After (5)………………………….(to ask for) some information at the information desk

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without success, I had an idea. “You (6)……….(to have got) still their letter?” I asked my wife. She found it in her handbag. “Here you are”, she said. “We (7)……………………..(to arrive) at 10 o’clock on the 9-th and we wish you(8)…………………(to meet) us”. “But today’s the 8th”, I said. “We should have looked at the date before. If we had, we (9)…………………………….(to have) this journey for nothing. “How silly!”, my wife said. “I (10)………………………(to carry) this letter around for days without looking at it.”


89. My wife’s mother was taken ill two days ago, so my wife had to go and look after her. Before (1)………………(to leave) my wife said> “I’d better tell you where everything is, or you(2)………………(to know) what to do. But my train (3)……………….(to leave) in half an hour’s time and I must get to my mother’s house as soon as I (4)…………………..(can)”. “(5)……………(to worry)”, I said, “I can look after myself.” Now I realise I (6)…………………(to ask for) a map of the house. I I had, I (7)…………(to find) all the food I needed. But when my wife (8)………………………..(to come) back tomorrow, she (9)…………………………….(to have) any dirty dishes to wash up because I (10)………………….(to eat) in restaurants since she went away.


90. “Slow down, darling. You (1)……………(to drive) much too fast.”“I know, but by the time we (2)…………….(to get) to the church, the marriage service (3)……………….(to start). If you (4)…………………………(to take) such a long time to get dressed, we’d have been there by now. I finished (5)…………..(to dress) an hour before you did.” “It’s not my fault. You (6)……………………..(not tell) me we were in a hurry.”“Now there’s a police car behind us. It (7)…………(to signal). I (8)………….(to stop).“Would you mind (9)…………………(to show) me your driving license, sir? You realise you (10) …………………………(to drive) at a hundred miles an hour, don’t you?”


91. “Now, sir, you (1)……………………………(to see) the accident, I believe. Would you mind (2)……………………….(to tell) me what happened?”“Not at all, constable. The driver of the red car was parked there. He just (3)……………………(to move) out when a black Mini came up very quickly. If he (4)……………………….(to look) in the mirror he would have seen the Mini (5) …………………(to come). But he (6)……………..(to be) in a hurry. The Mini hit him but (7)……………(to stop).”“(8)…………………… (to take down) the Mini’s number?”“No, I wish I (9)………………………..(to do) so. In my opinion the Mini (10)……………(to steal). That (11)…………………….(to explain) it, sir. Anyway, I never (12)…………………………(to see) a driver (13)……………………………(to leave) the place of the accident”.“All right. I (14) ………………………………..(to take down) your name and address in case you (15)………………………….(to need) as a witness.”


92. By now, a rocket (1)…………………………..(to set off) on its 35 million mile trip to Mars and scientists (2)………………………..(to wait) anxiously for the results. The rocket (3)………………………..(to travel) for six months before it (4)……………………(to reach) the planet.It (5)……………………(to be) a long time before any landing on Mars (6)……………..(to attempt). This will only be possible when scientists (7)……………..(to learn) more about the atmosphere that surrounds the planet. If a

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satellite can one day (8)……………..(to put) into orbit round Mars, scientist (9) …………………..(to be able) to find out a great deal. An interesting suggestion for measuring the atmosphere around Mars (10)………………..(to put forward). A rubber ball containing a radio transmitter (11)……………………………(to drop) from a satellite so that it (12)………………(to fall) towards the surface of the planet. The radio (13)…………………………..(to signal) the rate at which the ball was slowed down and scientists would be able to say how dense the atmosphere is. Only when a great deal more information (14)…………………………..(to obtain), it (15)………………………(to be) possible to plan a manned trip to Mars.


93. When I boarded the train, I could not help (1)………………………..to notice that a great many local people got on as well. At the time, this (2)……………………………………..(not to strike) me as odd. I reflected that there must be a great many people besides myself who wished to take advantage of this excellent service. Neither I (3)…………………………………..……….(to be) surprised when the train can(4)………………………….…………(to hold up) by signals. The it suddenly (5)………………………………….……….(to dawn) on me that this express (6)…………………………………………….(not to roar) down the line at ninety miles an hour, but barely chugging along at thirty. One hour and seventeen minutes passed and we (7)………………………………..………………(to cover) even half the distance. I asked a passenger if this was the Western Express, but he (8)…………………………….……….(not to hear) even of it. I determined to make a complaint as soon as we (9)…………………………………………………..(to arrive). Two hours later, I (10)…………………………………….…………..(to talk) angrily to a bored station master. When he (11)…………………………….………..(to deny) the train’s existence, I showed him a copy of the time-table. (12)……………………………(to glance) at it briefly, he told me to look again. A tiny asterisk (13)………………….…………….(to conduct) me to a footnote at the bottom of the page: “This service (14)………………………………………….(to suspend). Never I (15)……………………………………..(to experience) such a frustrating thing before!

(Chilarescu, Paidos. Proficiency in English, 1996)94. My father had described over and over again what we (1)………………………….(to see) at every milestone, after leaving the nearest town, so that I was positive I (2)……………………………………………….(to recognize) it as familiar territory. Well, I (3)………………………………………(to be) wrong, for I was now lost. I looked at the map, then at the milometer. I (4)……………………….(to come) ten miles since leaving the town, and at this point, according to my father I (5)…………………….(to look) at farms and cottages in a valley with the spire of the church of our village (6)……………………….(to show) in the distance. I (7)………………………(can) see no valley, no farms, no cottages and no church – only a lake. I decided that I (8)………………………………..(to take) a wrong turning somewhere. So I (9)…………….(to drive) back to the town and began to retrace the route, taking frequent glances at the map. I landed up at the same corner. The curious thing was that the lake was not marked on the map. I felt as if I (10)……………………………..(to stumble) into a nightmare country, as you sometimes do in dreams. Fortunately for me, as I (11)……………….(to wonder) what to do next, there (12)…………………..(to appear) on the horizon a man on horseback. I waited till he came near and asked him the way to our village. He said there (13)…………………………………..(to be) no village. This time he pointed to the lake. The village no longer existed because it (15)……………………………..(to submerge), and all the valley, too.


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95. When I opened the door, I (1)………………………….(to see) a man on his knees. He clearly (2)…………………(to listen) to our conversation, and I wondered how much he (3)…………….(to hear). When I asked him what he (4)………….(to do), he said that he (5)………………………………………(to drop) a 50 p piece outside the door and (6)……………..(to look) for it. I (7)……………..(to see) any sign of the money, but I (8)……………….(to find) a small notebook which he probably (9)……………………………….(to drop) when the door (10)……………………………..(to open) suddenly. So he (11)………………………………(to take) notes of our conversation! The notes (12)……………………(to be) written in a foreign language, so I (13)…………………….(to turn) to the stranger and asked him to translate. But he (14)………………(to pull) my hat over my eyes and ran off down the corridor. By the time I (15)………………….(to recover) from the shock, he (16)……………………………………..(to disappear) round the corner. Curiously enough, when I (17) ………………………………………(to move) my foot, I (18)…………………………….(to find) that I (19)………………………………………(to stand) on a 50 p piece. Perhaps he (20)……………………………………….. (to tell) the truth after all.


96. “Let us meet today a man who recently (1)…………………………………………(to return) from Mount Everest. Not only he (2)……………………………………………….(to climb) the mountain, but he also went diving in the lakes on Everest. Dr John Leach (3)……………………………………(to hold) the world record for diving at the highest altitude and (4) ………………………………………(to be) on many expeditions. Now, John, why you (5) …………………………………………(to climb) Mount Everest?”“For the sheer pleasure. But also there (6)…………………………(to be) the pioneering side. We (7)………………..(to try) to see if the new diving techniques and methods (8)………………………………………………………(to work). We also went to completely new geographical areas – nobody ever (9)………………………………………. (to be) there before, they (10)………………………………….(not to be) on any maps.”“What you (11)……………………………….(to mean) by geographical areas? Mountains? Glaciers?”“No, in our case it (12)……………………………….(to be) lakes at high altitudes. Nobody ever (13)…………………………………….(to dive) in them and we, that is, the team of three I (14)…………………………..(to lead) (15)…………………………..(can) quite understand why not… Well, the first thing you do is you begin (16)………………………………..(to break) the ice to get into the lake and we all (17)…………………………………..( to suffer) from frostbite, so you can imagine that it (18)…………………………………..(to take) us quite a long time to break four-and-a-half feet of ice. So you can really understand why no one (19)…………………(to be) there before. They (20)……………………………(to have) more sense.”


97. One day I got a letter from a film producer who was interested in my first novel and (1)…………………………….(to think) about (2)…………………(to buy) the film rights. His name was Mr. Liebe and he (3)……………………..(to want) to meet me, so I asked him to dinner. We decided to buy steak, although it was terribly expensive, and we (4)……………….(can not) afford it. We wanted to give him a really good evening, especially as he (5)…………….(to drive) all the way from London. Well, on the great day my wife spent all day cooking; I bought some good wine. I (6)………………………..(to hope) to impress him. We (7)…………………….(to lay) the table when the doorbell rang. We rushed to the door and (8)………………………(to welcome) him with open arms. He was a charming man and knew a lot of stories. Dinner was a great success. He (9)……………………(not talk) about my book, so I (10)…………………………………(not mention) it, either. We (11)………………………………….(to eat) the pudding

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when the doorbell rang again. I went to answer it. There (12)………………………(to stand) a short, fat man. “I’m Rolf Liebe,” he said, “I’m sorry I’m late. The roads were terrible. “I stared at him. I (13)……………………(not to believe) him. “No, you’re not Mr. Liebe who (14)……………………….(to have) dinner with us. “Yes, that’s right. I (15) …………………………(to have) dinner with you today at 8 o’clock.” I nearly died. I went back into the dining room and asked the man who he (16)……………………………(to be). He was a plumber. I asked him: “Why you (17)……………………………………………………….(to tell) me who you (18)………………………(to be)?” “You (19)……………………………….(not to ask),” he said. Since then I never (20)……………………………………..(to be able) to meet a plumber without wanting to hit him!


98. “I believe you really put your life on the line this morning, Marc, to save a man who (1)…………………………………..(to jump) in front of a tube train. I hear you (2)…………………..(to crawl) along the so-called suicide pit under the train to give the man first aid.”“Well, I knew that seconds (3)…………………………….(can) mean the difference between life and death for him, so I (4)………………………………………(to take) control of the situation. When I (5)………………….(to reach) him he was unconscious. Some bandages (6)…………………….(to be handed) to me which I used to stop the bleeding. If I (7)……………………………………… (to stop) the bleeding, I’m sure he (8)……………..(to die).”“After you (9)…………………………(to give) him first aid, I believe the electricity (10)………………………….(to have to) be switched on again, so that the train (11) ………………………..(to move) out of the way. How you (12)……………………(to feel) lying under the train when that happened?”“Absolutely terrified. As the train started to move, the man (13)……………………………..(to begin) to regain consciousness. I (14)……………..(to hold on) tightly to him and shouted at him: ‘(15)………………………………………………(no to move)! One move and we (16)………………………………(to frazzle)!’“Well, all the station staff here (17)………………………………………..(to think) you’re a real hero, as none of them (18)…………………………………….(to be prepared) to stay down there while the tracks (19)…………………………………….(to be) live. Anyway, the man is in hospital now and apparently he (20)………………………………………..(to recover).”


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Documents

GRAMMAR KIT FOR THE ADVANCED COURSES.doc