Present & Past Tenses worksheet - Free Printable

Task: Fill in the correct TENSE

The task requires filling in the blanks with the appropriate verb tenses based on the context of the passage. Let's go through the text step by step and determine the correct tense for each blank.

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#### Text with Blanks Filled:

"These are Sarah and Tom Miller who live in a small town in the countryside together with their parents. A couple of years ago they moved there and before that they lived a huge city with a lot of traffic and noise. So, it is no surprise that all family members enjoy small towns and the countryside. Mr. Miller works at a bank in town and Mrs. Miller is a housewife. She not only looks after the house, but she also makes sure that the huge garden is always nice and tidy. At the moment Sarah and Tom are at school, Mr. Miller has a meeting and Mrs. Miller and her neighbour, Mrs. Evasson, are sitting in the garden, drinking some coffee. Every Wednesday Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Evasson meet, but one week ago Mrs. Evasson did not visit because she did not feel well and went to the doctor’s.

In the afternoon Tom usually plays football with his best friend Peter, but today they are riding their bikes because Peter wants to try out his new one. Two days ago it was Peter’s birthday and he had a party with all his friends. He got a new racing bike from his parents, some books and computer games and lots of sweets. Tom was at Peter’s birthday party, too, and he and the other guests had a lot of fun. While his guests were watching, Peter blew out the candles of his birthday cake and made a wish. All his friends wanted to know what he wished for, but Peter did not tell anybody.

While Tom was at Peter’s birthday party, his sister Sarah stayed at home. She read all afternoon and finally finished the book at 7 p.m. Sarah is a real bookworm and she often reads two books a month. This month she has already read four books and at the moment she is reading the fifth! The book is called “Paula’s Dream” and it..."

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Explanation of Each Tense Choice:

1. "These are Sarah and Tom Miller who _______ in a small town..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("live")
- Reason: Describing a current situation or general truth about where they live.

2. "A couple of years ago they _______ there..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("moved")
- Reason: Referring to an action completed in the past.

3. "...before that they _______ a huge city..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("lived")
- Reason: Referring to a past action (living in a city before moving to the town).

4. "...all family members _______ small towns..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("enjoy")
- Reason: Describing a general preference or habit.

5. "Mr. Miller _______ at a bank in town..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("works")
- Reason: Describing a current job or occupation.

6. "Mrs. Miller _______ a housewife."
- Tense: Present Simple ("is")
- Reason: Describing a current status or role.

7. "She _______ after the house..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("looks")
- Reason: Describing a regular activity.

8. "but she _______ sure that the huge garden is always nice and tidy."
- Tense: Present Simple ("makes")
- Reason: Describing a regular responsibility.

9. "At the moment Sarah and Tom _______ at school..."
- Tense: Present Continuous ("are")
- Reason: Describing an ongoing action at the present time.

10. "Mr. Miller _______ a meeting..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("has")
- Reason: Describing a current situation (having a meeting).

11. "Mrs. Miller and her neighbour... _______ in the garden..."
- Tense: Present Continuous ("are sitting")
- Reason: Describing an ongoing action happening now.

12. "Every Wednesday Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Evasson _______..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("meet")
- Reason: Describing a regular weekly activity.

13. "but one week ago Mrs. Evasson _______ because she _______ well..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("did not visit," "did not feel")
- Reason: Referring to actions completed in the past.

14. "...and _______ to the doctor’s."
- Tense: Past Simple ("went")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

15. "In the afternoon Tom _______ football with his best friend Peter..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("usually plays")
- Reason: Describing a regular habit.

16. "...but today they _______ their bikes..."
- Tense: Present Continuous ("are riding")
- Reason: Describing an ongoing action happening now.

17. "Two days ago it _______ Peter’s birthday..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("was")
- Reason: Referring to a specific event in the past.

18. "...he _______ a party with all his friends."
- Tense: Past Simple ("had")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

19. "He _______ a new racing bike from his parents..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("got")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

20. "Tom _______ at Peter’s birthday party..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("was")
- Reason: Referring to a past event.

21. "...he and the other guests _______ a lot of fun."
- Tense: Past Simple ("had")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

22. "While his guests _______..."
- Tense: Past Continuous ("were watching")
- Reason: Describing an ongoing action in the past while something else happened.

23. "Peter _______ out the candles of his birthday cake..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("blew")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

24. "...and _______ a wish."
- Tense: Past Simple ("made")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

25. "All his friends _______ to know what he _______ for..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("wanted," "wished")
- Reason: Referring to past desires and thoughts.

26. "...but Peter _______ anybody."
- Tense: Past Simple ("did not tell")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

27. "Sarah _______ at home."
- Tense: Past Simple ("stayed")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

28. "She _______ all afternoon..."
- Tense: Past Simple ("read")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

29. "...finally _______ the book at 7 p.m."
- Tense: Past Simple ("finished")
- Reason: Referring to a completed action in the past.

30. "Sarah _______ a real bookworm..."
- Tense: Present Simple ("is")
- Reason: Describing a current characteristic.

31. "...she _______ two books a month."
- Tense: Present Simple ("often reads")
- Reason: Describing a regular habit.

32. "This month she _______ four books..."
- Tense: Present Perfect ("has already read")
- Reason: Referring to an action completed up to the present moment.

33. "...at the moment she _______ the fifth!"
- Tense: Present Continuous ("is reading")
- Reason: Describing an ongoing action happening now.

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Final Answer:

\boxed{
\text{See the filled-in text above.}
}