Advanced Grammar worksheet - Free Printable

Let’s go through each sentence one by one. We need to fill in the blanks with the correct verb forms — using active or passive voice, and choosing from: Present Simple/Progressive, Past Simple/Progressive, Future, Present Perfect Simple/Progressive, or Past Perfect Simple/Progressive.

We’ll think about what happened first, what was ongoing, and whether the subject is doing the action (active) or receiving it (passive).

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1. Sara couldn’t understand why her car __________ (stop). Then she __________ (realize) that she __________ (forget) to put gas in the tank.

- “Couldn’t understand” is past → so everything else should be in past too.
- The car stopped *before* she realized → use Past Perfect Passive: “had been stopped”? Wait — cars don’t stop themselves. Actually, “her car stopped” is active — but maybe it broke down? But the verb given is “stop”. Let’s think: if the car ran out of gas, it just stopped — so simple past active: stopped.
- Then she realized → simple past: realized
- She forgot to put gas → this happened *before* she realized → so Past Perfect: had forgotten

✔ So:
Sara couldn't understand why her car stopped. Then she realized that she had forgotten to put gas in the tank.

Wait — actually, “why her car had stopped” makes more sense because the stopping happened before her confusion. So better: had stopped (Past Perfect Active)

Yes — let’s fix:

→ “why her car had stopped” (because it stopped before she tried to understand)
→ “she realized” (simple past)
→ “she had forgotten” (past perfect — forgetting happened before realizing)

✔️ Final for #1:
had stopped, realized, had forgotten

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2. My parents __________ (travel) around the world in a sailboat for the past year. They __________ (already be) to Japan, Indonesia and The South Pacific. Unfortunately, I __________ (not go) with them.

- “for the past year” → suggests an action that started in the past and continues now → Present Perfect Progressive: have been traveling
- “They already been to...” → present perfect simple: have already been
- “I not go with them” → also present perfect, since it’s about experience up to now: have not gone

✔️ Final for #2:
have been traveling, have already been, have not gone

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3. Moti __________ (have) a new girlfriend. He __________ (meet) her two weeks ago while he __________ (wait) for a cab.

- “Have a new girlfriend” → current state → Present Simple: has
- “Meet her two weeks ago” → specific time in past → Past Simple: met
- “While he wait for a cab” → ongoing action at that past moment → Past Continuous: was waiting

✔️ Final for #3:
has, met, was waiting

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4. Aya __________ (wait) for years to get a promotion when her boss __________ (ask) her to come into his office and __________ (announce) that today was day she would finally get it.

- “Wait for years” → up until the moment her boss asked → so Past Perfect Progressive: had been waiting
- Boss asked → simple past: asked
- Announced → also simple past, same time as asked: announced

✔️ Final for #4:
had been waiting, asked, announced

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5. By the time I __________ (get) to the cinema, the movie __________ (already / finish)

- “By the time I got” → past event → so “got” is simple past
- Movie finished *before* I arrived → Past Perfect: had already finished

✔️ Final for #5:
got, had already finished

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6. Nobody __________ (see) in the house next door for several days. The police __________ (call) and all the neighbors __________ (question).

- “Nobody seen” → passive voice! Someone didn’t see anybody → so has been seen? Wait — “for several days” → present perfect passive: has been seen? But “nobody has been seen” = no person was observed → yes.
Actually: “Nobody has been seen” → correct.

But wait — “in the house next door” → meaning no one inside has been spotted → so has been seen (present perfect passive)

Then: “The police called” → simple past active: called

“Neighbors questioned” → passive, because someone questioned them → were questioned (simple past passive)

✔️ Final for #6:
has been seen, called, were questioned

Wait — “Nobody has been seen” — is that right? Actually, we usually say “No one has been seen” — but “nobody” is fine. And “has been seen” is singular — matches “nobody”.

Yes.

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7. Nothing __________ (decide) till next week. The issue __________ (should think) over carefully before a decision __________ (make).

- “Nothing decided till next week” → future passive: will be decided
- “The issue should think over” → passive again! The issue doesn’t think — people think about it → so should be thought
- “Before a decision make” → passive → is made (present simple passive — general truth or routine)

Wait — “till next week” → future → so first blank: will be decided

Second: “should be thought” — modal + passive infinitive

Third: “before a decision is made” — standard phrase, present simple passive for scheduled/future events in clauses

✔️ Final for #7:
will be decided, should be thought, is made

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Now let’s write all answers clearly.

Final Answer:

1. had stopped, realized, had forgotten
2. have been traveling, have already been, have not gone
3. has, met, was waiting
4. had been waiting, asked, announced
5. got, had already finished
6. has been seen, called, were questioned
7. will be decided, should be thought, is made