EXPLANATION: For the past few weeks we have been comparing some different verb tenses. This week we are going to put it all together and review the tenses we have looked at so far.

Before doing these exercises, it is a good idea to go back and look at the following lessons:

Present simple or present continuous

Past simple or past continuous

Past simple or past perfect

Past simple or present perfect

EXERCISE 1:

First, fill in the gaps with the correct tense of the verbs in brackets:

1. I …………………. (go) to the market yesterday, and …………………. (buy) some flowers because it …………………. (be) my mother’s birthday today. 2. Last night they …………………. (walk) home because they …………………. (miss) the bus.

3. While she …………………. (play) tennis yesterday, it suddenly …………………. (start) raining, and she …………………. (get) very wet.

4. I …………………. (want) to take a holiday in Thailand last month, but I …………………. (have) too much work. I …………………. (not have) a holiday for a long time.

5. The teacher …………………. (write) on the board when the bell …………………. (ring), but the students …………………. (not finish) their work, so they …………………. (stay) for five extra minutes.

Answers:

1. I went (definite time, yesterday = past simple) to the market yesterday, and bought (sequential actions in the past = past simple) some flowers because it is (today = present simple) my mother’s birthday today. 2. Last night they walked (in the past = past simple) home because they had missed (the bus came before the first action “walked” = past perfect) the bus.

3. While she was playing (a long action during the past time = present continuous) tennis yesterday, it suddenly started (during the first action, a short action in the past = past simple) raining, and she got (the next action in the past = past simple) very wet.

4. I wanted (definite time, last month = past simple) to take a holiday in Thailand last month, but I had (definite time, last month = past simple) too much work. I have not had (in a period of time from the past to now = present perfect) a holiday for a long time.

5. Yesterday morning, the teacher was writing (a long action in the past = past continuous) on the board when the bell rang (a short action in the past = past simple), but the students had not finished (before the bell rang = past perfect) their work, so they stayed (the next action in the past = past simple) for five extra minutes.

EXERCISE 2:

Now let’s do the same, but for a longer story. This might be a bit more difficult!

I…………………. (live) in Vietnam for six years and I …………………. (love) it here. When I first …………………. (arrive) I …………………. (travel) around some other countries in Asia, but they …………………. (be) all very different. My plan …………………. (be) to stay here for one month, and I ………………….(be) still here now!

The reason I …………………. (stay) for so long is that I …………………. (enjoy) so many different things during my six years here. The people in Vietnam …………………. (be) extremely friendly and very easy to get along with. The food …………………. (be) amazing! I …………………. (never eat) so many different types of food in one place. And finally, there …………………. (be) many different beautiful places to visit.

Now I …………………. (have) a family here, and we …………………. (be) all very happy here. My wife …………………. (live) here for a longer time than me, and …………………. (also/visit) many places before coming to Vietnam. She also …………………. (think) that this …………………. (be) her favourite country!

Answers:

This time, think about the reasons for the answers by yourself. What tense are they? Why?

I have lived in Vietnam for six years and I love it here. When I first arrived I had traveled around some other countries in Asia, but they were all very different. My plan was to stay here for one month, and I am still here now!

The reason I have stayed for so long is that I have enjoyed so many different things during my six years here. The people in Vietnam are extremely friendly and very easy to get along with. The food is amazing! I have never eaten so many different types of food in one place. And finally, there are many different beautiful places to visit.

Now I have a family here, and we are all very happy here. My wife has lived here for a longer time than me, and had also visited many places before coming to Vietnam. She also thinks that this is her favourite country!

FURTHER PRACTICE: If there are any tenses you made some mistakes in, go back and review the lessons for these tenses, and then try again!

If you are confident, now try to write your own story using a variety of tenses. Then have a friend check it for you.

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).