Tenses

I. Rules for Tenses

1. Present Tense

a) Simple Present Tense

Rule: Used for general truths, habits, repeated actions, and facts.

 Structure: Subject + Base Verb (add s/es for he, she, it)
 Examples:
o I go to school every day.
o The Earth revolves around the Sun.

b) Present Continuous Tense

Rule: Used for actions happening right now or around the present time. Also used for future arrangements.

 Structure: Subject + am/is/are + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o She is reading a book.
o We are going to the party tomorrow.

c) Present Perfect Tense

Rule: Used for actions that have happened at an unspecified time before now. It can also describe actions
that started in the past and continue to the present.

 Structure: Subject + has/have + Past Participle

 Examples:
o I have finished my homework.
o She has lived here for five years.

d) Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Used for actions that started in the past and are still continuing, with emphasis on duration.

 Structure: Subject + has/have + been + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o I have been reading for two hours.
o They have been working on the project all day.

2. Past Tense

a) Simple Past Tense

Rule: Used for actions completed at a specific time in the past.

 Structure: Subject + Verb (second form)

 Examples:
o She went to the market yesterday.
 o I visited London last summer.

b) Past Continuous Tense

Rule: Used for actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past or when two actions were
happening simultaneously.

 Structure: Subject + was/were + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o I was reading when she called.
o They were watching TV while I cooked dinner.

c) Past Perfect Tense

Rule: Used for actions that were completed before another action in the past.

 Structure: Subject + had + Past Participle

 Examples:
o She had finished her work before the meeting started.
o I had left when they arrived.

d) Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Used to express actions that were ongoing in the past before another action took place, with emphasis
on the duration.

 Structure: Subject + had + been + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o I had been waiting for two hours when the bus finally came.
o They had been studying before the power went out.

3. Future Tense

a) Simple Future Tense

Rule: Used for actions that will happen at a specific time in the future.

 Structure: Subject + will/shall + Base Verb

 Examples:
o I will go to the store tomorrow.
o She will study for her exams next week.

b) Future Continuous Tense

Rule: Used to describe actions that will be ongoing at a specific moment in the future.

 Structure: Subject + will + be + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o I will be working at 9 AM tomorrow.
o They will be studying at this time next week.

c) Future Perfect Tense

Rule: Used to describe actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

 Structure: Subject + will + have + Past Participle

 Examples:
o By next year, I will have graduated from college.
o She will have completed the project by tomorrow.

d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Rule: Used to describe actions that will continue up until a point in the future, emphasizing duration.

 Structure: Subject + will + have + been + Verb + ing

 Examples:
o By next month, I will have been living here for five years.
o They will have been waiting for an hour by the time the train arrives.

II. Rules for Conditionals

1. Zero Conditional (Real Conditional)

Rule: Used for general truths, scientific facts, or things that are always true when the condition is met.

 Structure: If + Present Simple, Present Simple

 Examples:
o If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
o If the sun sets, it gets dark.

2. First Conditional (Real Future Conditional)

Rule: Used for real, possible situations in the present or future. It describes what will happen if a condition
is met.

 Structure: If + Present Simple, will + Base Verb

 Examples:
o If it rains, we will stay inside.
o If you study hard, you will pass the exam.

3. Second Conditional (Unreal Present/Future Conditional)

Rule: Used for hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future.

 Structure: If + Past Simple, would/could/might + Base Verb

 Examples:
o If I were you, I would travel around the world.
o If she studied harder, she would pass the exam.

Note: Use "were" for I, he, she, it even though "was" is sometimes used in informal speech.
I. Choose the correct verb form:

1. By the time you arrive, I _______ (finish) my homework.

Answer: c) will have finished
2. I wish I _______ (speak) Spanish fluently.
Answer: b) spoke
3. He _______ (already, leave) when I called him.
Answer: b) had already left
4. If I _______ (know) about the traffic, I would have taken another route.
Answer: c) had known
5. I _______ (work) here for three years when I move to Paris.
Answer: b) will have worked

II. Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form:

1. By next month, I _______ (finish) the project.

Answer: will have finished
2. If he _______ (be) more careful, he wouldn't have made that mistake.
Answer: had been
3. I _______ (not, see) her at the party last night; she was probably busy.
Answer: did not see
4. When I was a child, I _______ (go) to the beach every summer.
Answer: went
5. At this time next year, we _______ (celebrate) our 10th wedding anniversary.
Answer: will be celebrating

III. Correct the errors in the following sentences:

1. By the time she will arrive, we will have finished our dinner.
Corrected: By the time she arrives, we will have finished our dinner.
2. If I knew the answer, I will tell you.
Corrected: If I knew the answer, I would tell you.
3. They were working here since 2010.
Corrected: They have been working here since 2010.
4. I am studying for two hours when she calls me.
Corrected: I was studying for two hours when she called me.
5. He said he had finished the task by tomorrow.
Corrected: He said he would finish the task by tomorrow.

IV. Complete the sentences using the appropriate tense:

1. By the end of this month, I _______ (complete) my certification course.

Answer: will have completed
2. If you _______ (study) harder, you would have passed the exam.
Answer: had studied
3. I _______ (never, be) to Paris before, but I plan to visit soon.
Answer: have never been
 4. She _______ (work) on the project since last week.
Answer: has been working
5. By this time tomorrow, they _______ (fly) to New York.
Answer: will have flown

V. Advanced Usage of Tenses:

1. Use the correct tense to show a future action that will be interrupted by a past event:
By the time I _______ (reach) the airport, the plane had already left.
Answer: reach
2. Express a hypothetical situation in the past that has no real result:
If I _______ (take) that job offer last year, I would be living in London now.
Answer: had taken
3. Choose the appropriate tense to show an action completed before a certain point in the future:
By the time you arrive, I _______ (complete) all the tasks.
Answer: will have completed
4. Use a mixed conditional to show a present consequence of a past event:
If I _______ (study) more in school, I _______ (be) better at my job now.
Answer: had studied, would be
5. 1. By next summer, I _______ (live) in London for three years.
6. a) will live
b) will have lived
c) live
d) will be living
7. Answer: b) will have lived
8.

9. 2. If I _______ (know) about the meeting, I would have attended.

10. a) had known
b) know
c) have known
d) knew
11. Answer: a) had known
12.

13. 3. By the time they arrive, we _______ (finish) our dinner.

14. a) finished
b) will have finished
c) have finished
d) had finished
15. Answer: b) will have finished
16.

17. 4. I _______ (never/see) a movie like that before.

18. a) had never seen
b) never saw
c) have never seen
d) will never see
19. Answer: c) have never seen
20.

21. 5. If he _______ (study) harder, he would have passed the exam.

22. a) studies
b) studied
c) had studied
d) would study
23. Answer: c) had studied
24.

25. 6. By the time we _______ (arrive), the concert _______ (start).

26. a) arrive / has started
b) will arrive / will have started
c) arrive / will start
d) will have arrived / will have started
27. Answer: b) will arrive / will have started
28.

29. 7. I _______ (not/see) him for years.

30. a) don't see
b) haven't seen
c) hadn't seen
d) won't see
31. Answer: b) haven't seen
32.

33. 8. We _______ (wait) for the bus when it started to rain.

34. a) were waiting
b) had waited
c) wait
d) are waiting
35. Answer: a) were waiting
36.

37. 9. He _______ (work) at this company since 2005.

38. a) works
b) is working
c) will work
d) has been working
39. Answer: d) has been working
40.

41. 10. By this time tomorrow, they _______ (complete) the task.
42. a) will have completed
b) have completed
c) completed
d) will complete
43. Answer: a) will have completed
44.

45. 11. I _______ (never/understand) why he behaves this way.

46. a) never understand
b) had never understood
c) have never understood
d) will never understand
47. Answer: c) have never understood
48.
49. 12. If I _______ (be) you, I would take that job offer.
50. a) am
b) was
c) were
d) had been
51. Answer: c) were
52.

53. 13. He _______ (work) on the project when I called him.

54. a) was working
b) has worked
c) is working
d) had worked
55. Answer: a) was working
56.

57. 14. By the time we _______ (finish), the sun _______ (set).
58. a) finish / will set
b) will have finished / has set
c) finish / has set
d) will have finished / will have set
59. Answer: d) will have finished / will have set
60.

61. 15. I _______ (already/complete) my assignment by the time you called.

62. a) already complete
b) already completed
c) had already completed
d) have already completed
63. Answer: c) had already completed