4 Revision exercise.
a ‘Last night I (dream) that I (be) in a big tunnel,’ (say) Mary.
‘I (want) to go out of that horrendous place, for I (be)
frightened to death, but I couldn’t.’
‘Why couldn’t you leave that place?’ (say) her husband.
‘I don’t know. But something (make) me follow that tunnel. I
(have) the impression that a bit of myself (be) left behind
with every step
I (take). I also (have) the sensation that it (have) no end.’
‘It (be) dark?’
‘Yes, it (be); and it (be) getting narrower and narrower as
well. In the end, I (be) tired out, (sit) down, and (start) to
weep: all my strength had deserted me.’
‘You (die) in your dream?’
‘No, I (not do). I (hear) a little voice saying, “Mummy, mummy!
Wake up, please!” Immediately afterwards, I (wake) up sweating,
but (feel) very cold.’
b Last night the police (make) him stop his car and they
(breathalise)him, but he (be) stone cold sober. If he had been
over the limit, they would have fined him and withdrawn his
driving licence.
c When the television (not exist), people (use) to read and
employ their spare time better than now.
d He (have) an accident yesterday morning. He (fall) off his
horse and (break) his leg.
e She (not write) to him because she had lost his address.
f ‘You (send) her some flowers yesterday?’
‘Yes, I (do). I (want) to make it up with her.’
g His dog (bury) a bone in my garden and (spoil) some rose
bushes. This is the reason why I want him to pay me for the
damage caused by his dog in my garden.
h ‘You (ask) for a wage rise last month, and now you are
demanding a wage increase again.’
‘Well, I (get) married two weeks ago, and I need more money.’
i I (spill) some coffee over my boss’s desk, and he (become)
angry with me.
j I (be) miles away and she (steal) a kiss from me.
k ‘You (have) a nice weekend?’
‘No, we (do not). It (rain) all the time and we (suffer) a
slight setback at customs. We (get) food poisoning too, and
(have) to be taken to hospital.’
l The vice-admiral Sir Francis Drake (defeat) the Castilian Armada
in the English Channel in 1588.
m ‘Why they (fire) you?’
‘Well, I (wake) up late nearly every day and (get) to work half
an hour late.’
n It (be) only then that I (realise) what was going on.
But unfortunately, it (be) too late to do anything.
o He (abandon) his family and (go) to live on a desert island.
p ‘Why you (not do) all your homework yesterday?’
‘Because it (take) us almost two hours to solve the equations.’
‘But they (be) as easy as winking!’
q ‘You (not know) that my parents (divorce) last year?’
‘No, I (not do).’
r ‘Where you (find) the treasure?’
‘It (be) hidden behind one the living-room pictures.’
s ‘Why she (forgive) him yesterday?’
‘She (forgive) him because he (apologise) to her.’
t ‘What (happen) to you last night?’
‘One of the tyres (puncture) and (have) to change the wheel.’
‘It’s amazing! Two days ago you (get) a puncture as well.’
u I couldn’t believe my eyes when I (see) my husband dressed up
as Snow White and my children, as dwarfs.
v Last night he (see) a fairy, who (grant) him three wishes.
w As a child, she (find) living in a farmhouse very boring,
but now she loves it.
x Joan Fuster (write) Nosaltres, els valencians in 1962.
This book (establish) a precedent in Catalan culture.
He (want) the Catalan nation to reflect upon their
identity, but in an objective way, since, above all
else, he (be) a defender of the tolerance.
y Her father (use) to tell her stories about her ancestors,
which (make) her thrill. Now she wonders if they (be)
true or not.
z It is believed that the drastic climatic changes that (take)
place millions of year ago (contribute) to or (be) the cause
of the extinction of dinosaurs.
____________________
1 For the uses of verb tenses, see unit 9.
2 Mid-position adverbs are generally placed after does not or
do not. See unit 28, section 1.
3 Sometimes, there are two possibilities, depending on the
meaning. See the introduction in unit 4. If we say He doesn’t
rule the country any more?, we are surprised at this fact,
and ask for confirmation; the other alternative —that is to
say, the one you are requested to use here— is an open
question.
4 See also the footnote in the previous section.
5 For the position of still, see unit 28, section 2.
6 For further information about the present form of the verb be,
see unit 6, part 1, section 1.
7 In American English, the consonant is not doubled: kidnaping,
worshiping. Note also handicap→handicapping, both in British
and American English.
8 Adverbs which go in mid-position are generally placed after be.
See unit 28, section 1.
9 In American English, the consonant is not doubled: kidnaped,
worshiped. Notice also handicap→handicapped, both in British
and American English.
10 For the simple past form of the verb to be, see unit 6,
part 1, section 2.
PART 4: THE PAST CONTINUOUS (OR PROGRESSIVE) TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + was/were11 + verb-ing12)
The lions were roaring when he saw them. (affirmative)
The lions were not/weren’t roaring when he saw them. (negative)
Were the lions roaring when he saw them? (interrogative)
Were the lions not/Weren’t the lions roaring when he
saw them? (negative interrogative)
She was sweeping the street when a car knocked her
down. (affirmative)
She was not/wasn’t sweeping the street when a car knocked her
down. (negative)
Was she sweeping the street when a car knocked her
down? (interrogative)
Was she not/Wasn’t she sweeping the streets when a car knocked
her down? (negative interrogative)
a They (load) the lorry when it exploded and injured two people.
b She (pierce) John’s ears when his mother came in, and scolded
her.
c When war broke out, she (live) with her boy-friend.
d She (walk) to and fro absorbed in her thoughts when she was
knocked over by a motorbike.
e Last year, my wife and I spent a few days in a hotel
near the beach. When she (have) a bath, I discovered
a peep-hole on the wall. As I (look) through it, she
caught me red-handed, and told me off.
f ‘What you (do) when I rang you up last night?’
‘I (chat) to friends.’
g I (not pay) attention to what she (say).
h When I got up, the snow (melt).
i While he (milk) a cow, his wife (read) a novel.
j ‘You (not go) to town this morning?’
‘Well, in fact, I was, but I changed my mind.
PART 5: THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + have + past participle)
She has/She’s threatened him four times. (affirmative)
She has not/She hasn’t/She’s not threatened him four
times. (negative)
Has she threatened him four times? (interrrogative)
Has she not/Hasn’t she threatened him four
times? (negative interrogative)
They have/They’ve taken everything for granted. (affirmative)
They have not/They haven’t/They’ve not taken everything for
granted. (negative)
Have they taken everything for granted? (interrogative)
Have they not/Haven’t they taken everything for
granted? (negative interrogative)
Has is used instead of have in the third person singular (he,
she, it). The past participle is formed by adding -ed to the
infinitive if the verb is regular; but if it is irregular,
we need to learnt its form by heart. For irregular verbs,
see the list provided in unit 8. For verb + ed, see part 3.
a Her father wants to know who (steal) her heart.
b ‘You ever (sprain) your ankle?’
‘No, I haven’t.’
c —He (not book) the seats yet?
—No, he hasn’t!
d We (not be) to a fashion show since we were twenty-one.
e They (postpone) the meeting.
f ‘We (not meet) before?’
‘No, I don’t think so.’
g You just (take) the words out of my mouth.
h She just (have) an argument with her sister.
i I (pass) two exams so far.
j Pam (not come) home today?
PART 6: THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (OR PROGRESSIVE)
TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + have + been + verb-ing)
They have/They’ve been learning how to play chess for the last
two days. (affirmative)
They have not/They haven’t/They’ve not been learning how to
play chess for the last two days. (negative)
Have they been learning how to play chess for the last
two days? (interrogative)
Have they not/Haven’t they been learning how to play chess
for the last two days? (negative interrogative)
He has/He’s been weeping over the death of his wife since she
died in 1970. (affirmative)
He has not/He hasn’t/He’s not been weeping over the death
of his wife since she died in 1970. (negative)
Has he been weeping over the death of his wife since she died
in 1970? (interrogative)
Has he not/Hasn’t he been weeping over the death of his wife
since she died in 1970? (negative interrogative)
Has is used instead of have in the third person singular: he,
she, it. For further information about verb-ing, see part 2.
a I (try) to concentrate for the last two hours. Would you
shut up once and for all.
b He (make) coffins since he was eighteen.
c People (use) this medicine from time immemorial.
d He (pine) for his homeland since he left it years ago.
e ‘How long they (live) here?’
‘I don’t know.’
f I (serve) coffee and slices of toast since I came to this
town.
g ‘What you (do) in the last three hours?’
‘I (study).’
‘You (not study)! You (read) comics!’
h There’s a lovely smell! You (cook)?
i I (eat) scrambled eggs every day since we got married!
j We (long) to see each other since we last said goodbye.
PART 7: THE PAST PERFECT SIMPLE TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + had + past participle)
They had announced/They’d announced their engagement to
all the guests when he arrived. (affirmative)
They had not/They hadn’t/They’d not announced their
engagement to all the guests when he arrived. (negative)
Had they announced their engagement to all the guests
when he arrived? (interrogative)
Had they not/Hadn’t they announced their engagement to
all the guests when he arrived? (negative interrogative)
He had/He’d gone ashore when she woke up. (affirmative)
He had not/He hadn’t/He’d not gone ashore when she
woke up. (negative)
Had he gone ashore when she woke up? (interrogative)
Had he not/Hadn’t he gone ashore when she
woke up? (negative interrogative)
The past participle is made by adding -ed to the infinitive
if the verb is regular; but if it is irregular, we have to
learn its form by heart. For irregular verbs, see the list
given in unit 8. For verb + ed, see part 3.
a When he came in, she already (regain) consciousness.
b He (develop) the illness when he visited the doctor.
c As soon as he was introduced to that girl, he realised
that he (see) her somewhere else.
d We were going to play poker; but, unfortunately, we
(forget) to bring a pack of cards with us.
e He asked me if I (groom) a horse before.
f If he (take) into consideration my advice, they wouldn’t have
rejected him.
g When I arrived, I was told that the meeting (be) put off.
h If you (make) up your mind earlier, you would have got the
prize.
i If they (tell) the naked true, I might have forgiven them.
j Oscar told me that he never (study).
PART 8: THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS (OR PROGRESSIVE)
TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + had + been + verb-ing13)
He had/He’d been weeping. (affirmative)
He had not/He hadn’t/He’d not been weeping. (negative)
Had he been weeping? (interrogative)
Had he not/Hadn’t he been weeping? (negative interrogative)
a When I met her, I (serve) drinks for ten years.
b I just told her that she (growl) for nearly two hours.
c They (take) precautions, so they managed to run away.
d I was very angry, for my friends (tease) me.
e He (witness) their talk about assassinating the king, so they
killed him.
f The teacher told me that he would fail me, because I (cheat).
g They (eat) a very chilli soup. This is why everybody had
diarrhoea afterwards, but my grandmother was very pleased
with it, as she (suffer) from constipation for three
weeks, and (feel) very badly. She even wanted the cook
to give her the recipe.
h We (discuss) that matter for nearly ten hours when Ian
told everybody to postpone it, since we were exhausted.
i We (sweat) blood since the new boss took over the
factory, so we decided to seek for another job.
j He (learn) Russian for twenty years when he died.
PART 9: BE14 GOING TO
Examples:
I am/I’m going to buy a shawl. (affirmative)
I am not/I’m not going to buy a shawl. (negative)
Am I going to buy a shawl? (interrogative)
Am I not going to buy a shawl? (negative interrogative)
She is/She’s going to be a pauper. (affirmative)
She is not/She isn’t/She’s not going to be a pauper. (negative)
Is she going to be a pauper? (interrogative)
Is she not/Isn’t she going to be a pauper? (negative
interrogative)
They are/They’re going to find out the truth. (affirmative)
They are not/They aren’t/They’re not going to find out
the truth. (negative)
Are they going to find out the truth? (interrogative)
Are they not/Aren’t they going to find out the
truth? (negative interrogative)
His godmother was going to change from neutral into first gear
when she fainted. (affirmative→past)
His godmother was not/wasn’t going to change from neutral
into first gear when she fainted. (negative)
Was his godmother going to change from neutral into first gear
when she fainted? (interrogative)
They were going to turn out the light when Miriam’s
goddaughter came in. (affirmative→past)
They were not/weren’t going to turn out the light when
Miriam’s goddaughter came in. (negative)
Were they going to turn out the light when Miriam’s
goddaughter came in. (interrogative)
a A lot of people (perish) if we keep selling these weapons.
b Look! That lass (fall) off her bike.
c —Why are you carrying a bone?
—I (turn) it into a flute.
d I think they (change) this shabby beggar into an elegant
gentleman.
e The clock (strike) ten when I came in the house.
f —He (divide) his fortune among the needy?
—Yes, I think so.
g We (not divide) this pudding into halves, but into thirds,
as my sister is coming to dinner.
h —They (not release) the prisoner?
—No, they aren’t.
i We (set) them free?
—Yes, we are.
j We (not make) war on them, but they attacked us first, so we
had to.
PART 10: THE FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + will + infinitive without ‘to’)
I shall/I will/I’ll give them a lot of pocket money.
(affirmative)
I shall not/I shan’t/I will not/I won’t/I’ll not give them
a lot of pocket money. (negative)
Shall I give them a lot of pocket money? (interrogative)
Shall I not/Shan’t I give them a lot of pocket
money? (negative interrogative)
They will/They’ll let you alone. (affirmative)
They will not/They won’t/They’ll not let you alone. (negative)
Will they let you alone? (interrogative)
Will they not/Won’t they let you alone? (negative
interrogative)
Shall is possible instead of will in the first persons
(I, we), and is usually required in the interrogative.
See unit 9, sections 51 and 52. Negative contractions:
shall not = shan’t; will not = won’t.
a I assure you that they (remain) silent.
b They (be) pleased if you look them up.
c If we go to London, we (drop) in on Charles.
d They never (surrender) to your soldiers.
e He (implore) your forgiveness.
f His chauvinism (give) him away.
g He (not take) these books back to the library.
h —Everyone (be) for her proposal?
—I hope not.
i He (lend) you a hand if you promise not to betray him.
j She (not be) kind to them.
PART 11: THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS (OR PROGRESSIVE) TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + will + be + verb-ing)
I shall/I will/I’ll be doing an examination tomorrow at eight.
He will not/He won’t/He’ll not be coming to our party,
since his wife is seriously ill.
Will you be coming to see us tomorrow?
Shall is possible instead of will with I and we. Will not
can be contracted to won’t; shall not, to shan’t. For further
information about verb-ing, see part 2.
a This time tomorrow, I (cross) the English Channel.
b How long you (stay) here?
c This time next month, we (spend) our honeymoon in Brazil.
d They (not go) to our wedding, as their mother is having
an operation then.
e If you want me to give him a message, I (see) him this
afternoon, since we work together.
f My bike is broken, and I’d like to go cycling this afternoon.
You (use) yours?
g I visit my parents at weekends, and today is Thursday.
Therefore, I (visit) them tomorrow.
h ‘Can we phone her in an hour’s time?’
‘No, don’t. She (do) the cooking, and she doesn’t like
being interrupted when she’s cooking.’
i This time next week, he (pick) up beautiful girls in Benidorm.
j You (come) to dinner tonight?
PART 12: THE FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE TENSE
Examples: (form: subject + will + have + past participle)
We shall/We will/We’ll have painted his bedroom by
tomorrow evening.
They will not/They won’t/They’ll not have wallpapered
everything by Monday.
Will he have done his homework when I come back?
Shall is possible instead of will with the first persons.
The past participle of regular verbs is made with -ed;
but if the verb has an irregular past participle, we need
to learn its form by heart. For irregular verbs, see the
list given in unit 8. For further information about
verb + ed, see part 3. Will not can be contracted to
won’t; shall not, to shan’t.
a By the time we get there, she (clean) my parents out.
b A lot of people (enrol) in our club by the end of the year.
c He (finish) by then.
d He (enlist) the army by then.
e By this time next month, we (fleece) about 30,000
customers of their money.
f When we have reached Rome, we (do) two hundred and fifty
miles.
g When daddy comes back at five o’clock, we (fool) a lot of
idiots.
h By the end of the century, many people (perish) from Aids.
i If you buy this car, I (sell) one thousand cars.
j When the sun rises, they (destroy) everything.
PART 13: THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS (OR PROGRESSIVE)
TENSE
Example: (form: subject + will + have + been + verb-ing)
I shall/I will/I’ll have been teaching Swahili for ten
years in May.
Shall is possible instead of will in the first persons. For
further information about verb-ing, see part 2. For the
interrogative and the negative, see the previous parts.
a They (train) her for twelve years next month.
b By the end of the year, she (parachute) for twenty months.
c In May, she (sell) oysters for seven years.
d This time tomorrow, I (walk) through this forest for thirty
years.
e She (take) these tablets for eleven months next week.
f She (sleep) for two days in two hours’ time.
g In October, he (work) for the same firm for twenty-eight
years.
h We (live) in this old house for sixty years on Wednesday.
i On 15th September, I (study) Italian for five years.
j He (play) the cello for two years tomorrow.
PART 14: CONDITIONAL TENSES
Examples:
He retorted that he would not give them the money.
(conditional simple)
She said that she would be doing an examination the following
day at eight.
(conditional continuous)
She asked him if he would have finished his homework when she
came back. (conditional perfect simple)
I told her that I should/would15 have been teaching Swahili
for ten years in May. (conditional perfect continuous)
The past or conditional form of will is would; and,
of shall, should.
a He presupposed that she (live) with him for good.
(conditional continuous)
b He told me that he (see) her the next day, as they both
worked together. (conditional continuous)
c He thought that they (destroy) it by then, which is why he
didn’t go there. (conditional perfect simple)
d They imagined that John (go) to the United Kingdom to brush
up his English. (conditional simple)
e Ian supposed that Erica (come) that afternoon. (conditional
simple)
f He didn’t think they (drop) off like flies. (conditional
simple)
g They assumed he (finish) by then. (conditional perfect simple)
h He said that he (serve) his master for twenty years on
New Year’s Eve. (conditional perfect continuous)
i They presumed that they (take) it away by then. (conditional
perfect simple)
j He told me that he (suffer) from indigestion for a week
the next day. (conditional perfect continuous)
____________________
11 For the past form of the verb be, see unit 6, part 1,
section 2.
12 When -ing is added to a verb, there are often some changes.
For further information about verb-ing, see part 2.
13 For further information about verb-ing, see part 2.
14 For further details about the verb be, see unit 6, part 1.
15 Would and should may be contracted to ‘d: I told her that I’d
have been teaching Swahili for ten years in May.
VERB TENSES: FORMS
PART 1 1 a does b normally fishes c teaches d never mixes e misses 2 a flies b relies c says d enjoys e studies 3 a waters b never raises c runs d blows e looks 4 a want b always mistake; look c always treat d reckon e disapprove 5 a go b gets; always makes c keep d flies e need f comes g spreads1 h lays i sees; kisses j goes k catches l costs m sell n gets, slams o wishes p hate q annoys r propose s tease t never calls u upsets v think; conveys w talks x belong; always tell y scares z says; needs 6 a does not2 praise b does not rain c does not avoid; does not have; does not want to d does not collect e does not usually buy 7 a do not3 usually show b do not carry c do not show d do not tell e do not dream 8 a Does he call b Does she make c Does it snow d Does he have e Does he not rule/Doesn’t he rule 9 a Do they wish b Do you have c Do your parents defend d Do you fancy e Do they not use/Don’t they use 10 a Do you like b wants c get; stay d Do you not like/Don’t you like e Does she not avoid/Doesn’t she avoid f do you do; watch; read g Do you want h do not/don’t have; still do not/don’t see; save; think i reads; do not/don’t believe j only purchase k looks l Do you want; drink m do not/don’t give; serves n loathes o mop p occurs q does he not do/doesn’t he do; do not know/don’t know r do not/don’t often use s never buys; upset t tries; puts u ask; replies v always turns w do you not come/don’t you come x Does he keep y do not/don’t use; say z conjures PART 24 1 a are always plotting b is getting c am having d is all the time lying e are putting 2 a am not dying b Aren’t you/Are you not going c Is she phoning d is not shining e are you doing 3 a is flying b Are you trying c am unloading d are you doing; am wrapping e is blowing f is sleeping g are always playing h are barking i is not still working/still is not working/is still not working j am sweating k are always playing l is making m am going n are arguing o Aren’t you/Are you not watching; am watching p is coming q is fixing r Are they polluting s are saving t are not paying; am saying u is not handling v are always reading; are wasting w Are you taking; am visiting x are you dialling; is having y is being z are you doing; am trying PART 3 1 a turned b gambled c admitted d spied e dashed 2 a went b took c was; fell d were; struck e kept 3 a did not/didn’t sleep b Did he promise c did not/didn’t try d did not/didn’t do e Didn’t they even consider/Did they not even consider 4 a dreamt/dreamed; was; said; wanted; was; said; made; had; was; took;; had; had; Was it; was; was; was; sat; started; Did you die; did not/didn’t; heard; woke; felt b made; breathalised; was c did not/didn’t exist; used d had; fell; broke e did not/didn’t write f Did you send; did; wanted g buried; spoilt/spoiled h asked; got i spilt/spilled; became j was; stole k Did you have; did not/didn’t; rained; suffered; got; had l defeated m did they fire; woke; got n was; realised; was o abandoned; went p didn’t you do/did you not do; took; were q Didn’t you know/Did you not know; divorced; didn’t/did not r did you find; was s did she forgive; forgave; apologised t happened; punctured; had; got u saw v saw; granted w found x wrote; established; wanted; was y used; made; were z took; contributed; were PART 4 a were loading b was piercing c was living d was walking e was having; was looking f were you doing; was chatting g was not/wasn’t paying; was saying h was melting i was milking; was reading a Weren’t you/Were you not going PART 5 a has/’s stolen b Have you ever sprained c Hasn’t he/Has he not booked d have not/haven’t/’ve not been e have/’ve postponed f Haven’t we/Have we not met g have/’ve just taken h has/’s just had i have/’ve passed j Hasn’t Pam/Has Pam not come PART 6 a have/’ve been trying b has/’s been making c have been using d has/’s been pining e have they been living f have/’ve been serving g have you been doing; have/’ve been studying; have not/haven’t/’ve not been studying; have/’ve been reading h Have you been cooking i have/’ve been eating j have/’ve been longing PART 75 a had already regained b had developed c had seen d had forgotten e had groomed f had taken g had been h had made i had told j had never studied PART 86 a had been serving b had been growling c had been taking d had been teasing e had been witnessing f had been cheating g had been eating; had been suffering; had been feeling h had been dicussing i had been sweating j had been learning PART 97 a are going to perish b is going to fall c am going to turn d are going to change e was going to strike f Is he going to divide g are not going to divide h Aren’t they/Are they not going to release i Are we going to set j were not going to make PART 108 a will remain b will be pleased c will/shall drop d will never surrender e will implore f will9 give g will not take h Will everyone be i will lend j will not be PART 1110 a will/shall be crossing b will you be staying c will/shall be spending d will not be going e will/shall be seeing f Will you be using g will/shall be visiting h will be doing i will be picking j Will you be coming PART 1211 a will have cleaned b will have enrolled c will have finished d will have enlisted e will/shall have fleeced f will/shall have done g will/shall have fooled h will have perished i will/shall have sold j will have destroyed PART 1312 a will have been training b will have been parachuting c will have been selling d will/shall have been walking e will have been taking f will have been sleeping g will have been working h will/shall have been living i will/shall have been studying j will have been playing PART 14 a she would/she’d be living b he would/he’d be seeing c they would/they’d have destroyed d would go e would come f they would/they’d drop g he would/he’d have finished h he would/he’d have been serving i they would/they’d have taken j he would/he’d have been suffering