VERB TENSES IN CONTEXT EXERCISE 3 (ESL)
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
This third mixed tenses exercise focuses specifically on past tense selection: distinguishing between the simple past, present perfect, past perfect, and past continuous. Each sentence contains a contextual clue that points to the right tense; the grammar review below includes a reference table to help you spot those clues.
1.I ________ for seven hours last night.
Correct answer: slept — A completed past action with a set duration → simple past: slept.
2.I ________ that you were here until Tom told me.
Correct answer: didn't know — Stative verb ("know") in a completed past context → simple past: didn't know.
3.When I came to this city, I ________ anyone.
Correct answer: didn't know — A state at a specific past moment → simple past: didn't know.
4.You know where I live. I ________ in the same place for the past three years.
Correct answer: have been living — A situation continuing from the past to now → present perfect continuous: have been living.
5.You ________ my brother, have you?
Correct answer: haven't seen — The tag "have you?" confirms the main clause uses the present perfect: haven't seen.
6.Where ________ last night?
Correct answer: did you go — A completed action at a specific past time → simple past question: did you go.
7.I ________ in bed when I heard the accident outside.
Correct answer: was lying — An ongoing background action interrupted by another → past continuous: was lying.
8._________ me a liar?
Correct answer: Did you just call — "Just" with a single completed action → simple past: Did you just call.
9.She is a mean person. I don't like ________ to her.
Correct answer: talking — "Don't like + gerund" → talking.
10.I don't know how ________.
Correct answer: to dance — "Know how + to-infinitive" → to dance.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER VERB TENSE EXERCISES:
Mixed verb tenses 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 2 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 1 (I)
Simple past or present perfect? 2 (I)
Simple past or present perfect? 3 (I)
Past continuous 1 (B)
Past continuous 2 (B)
Simple past or past continuous? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple past or past continuous? 2 (A1/A2)
Present perfect continuous 1 (B1/B2)
Past perfect 1 (I)
Mixed verb tenses 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed verb tenses 2 (B1/B2)
Simple past or present perfect? 1 (I)
Simple past or present perfect? 2 (I)
Simple past or present perfect? 3 (I)
Past continuous 1 (B)
Past continuous 2 (B)
Simple past or past continuous? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple past or past continuous? 2 (A1/A2)
Present perfect continuous 1 (B1/B2)
Past perfect 1 (I)
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