1. Complete the sentences using the notes in brackets.

The verbs can be present continuous (am doing),

present simple (do) or present perfect (have done).
1 Sarah finds her mobile phone very useful…………………………………… .. (she / use / it) all the time.
2 Vicky doesn't know where her watch is………………………………….. (she / lose / it).
3 We're in the middle of decorating our kitchen, so we can't cook any meals.
……………………………………..(we / get / them) from a take-away restaurant this week.
4 Claire is on a skiing holiday………………………………….. (she / enjoy / it), she says on her postcard.
5 The colour of this paint is absolutely awful .................……………………(I/hate/it).
6 These figures certainly should add up………………………….. (I / check / them) several times already.
7 Trevor and Laura like scrabble......................………………………….. (they / play / it) most evenings.
8 These flowers are dying ........................................................................ (you / not water / them) for ages.
9 We bought this picture a long time ago. …………………………………... (we / have / it) for ages.

2 Read about each situation. What else do you say? Use the verb in brackets.
1 You have just met a friend you last saw months ago. (not see)
Hello! How are you? ........................................................................................................................
2 Someone has arranged to phone you at this time, and you're ready for the call, (wait)
I have to stay by the phone...............................................................................................................
3 Your friend is wearing a very nice jacket you haven't seen before, (like)
Oh, that's nice...................................................................................................................................
4 You are watching the snow fall. It started yesterday and is still falling, (snow)
I can't believe it.................................................................................................................................
5 You can't go out with a friend because you have a Saturday job. (work)
I'm sorry. …………………………………………………………………………………………..

3 Read about each situation and then tick the right answer.
1 Mark has been a member of the golf club for two years.
a) He joined the club two years ago and is still a member.
b) He was a member of the club for two years but is not a member now.
2 Vicky is watching the weather forecast.
The weather forecast a) hasn't started yet, b) has started but not finished, or c) is over.
3 I've switched off the burglar alarm.
Do I think that the alarm a) is off, b) is on, or c) may be on or off?
4 I've been studying all afternoon, and I've got a headache.
Am I thinking of a) how much I have learned, or b) the action going on for a long time?
5 We had already travelled some distance when the sun rose.
Did our journey start a) before sunrise, b) at sunrise, or c) after sunrise?
6 I'm going to work by bus this week.
a) 1 always go to work by bus. b) My routine is different for this week.
7 When we were talking, Tom left the room.
Which took longer, a) our conversation, or b) Tom's departure?

4 Put in a pronoun and the correct form of the verb. Use the past continuous (was doing),
the past simple (did) or the present perfect continuous (have been doing).
► Mark: I rang at one, but you weren't in your office.
Sarah: No, I was having (have) lunch.
1 David: You look tired.
Melanie: Yes, I expect I do……………………………………….. (work) all day.
2 Sarah: Is Laura at home?
Trevor: No,……………………………………… (go) out about half an hour ago.
3 Vicky: I haven't finished this letter yet.
Rachel: It must be a long letter. ...................................... ……………. (write) it since lunch-time.
4 Harriet: I see you've got some new neighbors.

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Tom Yes, a young couple……………………………………….. (move) in last month.
5 David: Did Tom drive you home?
Melanie: Yes,………………………. ....................... (stop) and offered me a lift
while ...........................................................(wait) for a bus outside the town hall.

5 Complete the conversation. Choose the correct form.

Melanie: How (►) are you getting/do you get on in your new job, Nick?
Nick: Oh, so (1) you know/you're knowing about my job as a car salesman.
Melanie: (2) David's told/David told me yesterday.
Nick: Well, I (3) haven't been/wasn't in the job long. (4) I started/I've started on Monday.
Melanie: And how many cars (5) have you been selling/have you sold so far?
Nick: Well, none yet. Give me a chance. Up to now (6) I've been learning/I've learned all the time.
Melanie: David says you (7) had/were having a sports car once.
Nick: I've still got it. (8) I had/I've had it for about five years. (9) I don't often drive/I'm not often driving it
because (10) I don't like/I'm not liking getting it dirty. Normally (11) I ride/I'm riding my motor bike. And
the car is expensive to run. I (12) bought/had bought it on impulse. I (13) was working/worked on a building
site at the time. For several months before I bought it, (14) I'd done/I'd been doing overtime, and when (15)
I'd been earning/I'd earned enough to buy a car, it was a really magical moment. Maybe you'd like a ride in
it some time?
Melanie: Oh, yes please. That would be lovely.

6 Complete the radio news report. Put in the correct forms of the verbs.
Hello. This (►) is (be) Kitty Beamish. (1)…………………………….. (I / speak) to you from Oxford,
where the finals of the World Quiz Championships will be held tomorrow. The favorite is Claude Jennings
of Cornwall, the man who (2) ....................………… (know) everything. Twelve months ago no one
(3) ....................................... (hear) of Claude Jennings, although (4)…………………………........ (he / take)
part in quiz competitions for years. Now suddenly he is a big star. So far this year (5)………………………
(he / answer) every single question correctly. And he is popular, too. When (6)……………………………..
(he / arrive) here two days ago, hundreds of fans (7)………………………………. (wait) at the station to
welcome him. Since his arrival, Claude (8)………………………....... (read) encyclopedias in his hotel
bedroom. He is clearly the man to watch. And now back to the news desk.

7 Complete the conversations. Put in the correct form of each verb.

► A: Are you ready?
B: I won't be a moment. I'm doing (I / do) my hair.
1 A: Could you tell me your address?
B: Well,…………………………….. (I / live) in a friend's house at the moment.
Luckily..........……. .....................(I / find) a place of my own now, but I can't move in until next week.
2 A: Is this your CD?
B: No, it isn't mine………………...................(I / think)………………(it / belong) to Peter.
3 A: Can I borrow your calculator, please?
B: Well,…………………… ......... (I / use) it to work out these figures at the moment………… …
…............... (I / want) to finish doing them, now that…………………………. (I / start).
4 A: Why can't you wash your dirty plates sometimes? ...........................………. (you / leave) them in the
sink most of the time.
B: OK, sorry. The last few weeks ................................... (I / have) so little time.................... .......................
(I / rush) around all the time.

8 Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Begin with the word in brackets.
1 We've had ten hours of rain. (It...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2 It's the right thing to do in my opinion. (I ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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3 Our sofa is in a different place now. (We ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4 It was breakfast-time when Susan rang. (I ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5 Their game of badminton is always on Tuesday. (They ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6 Our trip to Africa was in October. (We ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9 Write the correct answer in each space.

► This isn't my first visit to London. I've been here before.
a) I'm b) I've been c) I was
1 I've got my key. I found it when................................ for something else.
a) I looked b) I've looked c) I was looking
2 Sorry, I can't stop now. ......................................... to an important meeting.
a) I go b) I'm going c) I've gone
3 I can't get Tessa on the phone......................................... all afternoon.
a) I'm trying b) I try c) I've been trying
4 The bank told me last week there was no money in my account ............... it all.
a) I'd spent b) I spent c) I was spending
5 There's a new road to the motorway. .......................................... it yesterday.
a) They'd opened b) They opened c) They've opened

10 Some of these sentences are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. If the
sentence is correct, put a tick (V). If it is incorrect, cross the unnecessary word out of the sentence and
write it in the space.
? Martin has changed his mind about next weekend. V
? We were enjoyed the holiday very much. were
1 Nancy is practising on the piano.
2 It was lucky that we had been decided to buy our tickets in advance.
3 We were riding our bikes when suddenly I was felt a pain in my leg.
4 We are go camping for three weeks every summer.
5 They have planted some new trees last year.
6 I suddenly realized I had been walking in the wrong direction.
7 Did you know that Anna has been won a prize?
8 No one told me that the goods had arrived the week before.