English grammar worksheet focusing on verb tenses, requiring students to fill in the correct verb form for each sentence.
Fill in the correct form of the verb - All tenses worksheet with 29 sentences and verb prompts for grammar practice.
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Mixed tenses worksheet for A2-B1
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Mixed tenses worksheet for A2-B1
Let's go through each sentence and fill in the correct form of the verb, based on tense and context. I'll explain the reasoning for each.
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1. They ___________ in Chicago for 20 years (be).
✔ have been
👉 *Present Perfect Continuous* – "for 20 years" indicates a duration up to now. The action started in the past and continues into the present.
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2. I ___________ a wonderful film in the cinema last night. (see)
✔ saw
👉 *Simple Past* – "last night" is a past time reference.
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3. The sun ___________ at 6:38 yesterday morning (rise).
✔ rose
👉 *Simple Past* – A specific time in the past ("yesterday morning").
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4. The sun ___________ when the climber reached Mount Everest. (shine)
✔ was shining
👉 *Past Continuous* – Describes an ongoing action in the past when another event happened ("reached"). The sun was already shining as the climber arrived.
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5. I promise that I ___________ this secret to anyone (not tell).
✔ will not tell / won't tell
👉 *Future Simple* – After "promise", we use future tense to express a commitment.
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6. Unfortunately, just as we got to the airport their plane ___________ off (take).
✔ had taken
👉 *Past Perfect* – The plane took off before they arrived. The action happened before another past action ("got to the airport").
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7. They ___________ to the movies only once in a while (go).
✔ go
👉 *Present Simple* – Habitual action. "Only once in a while" suggests a regular but infrequent habit.
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8. I was tired yesterday because I ___________ well the night before (not sleep).
✔ had not slept / hadn't slept
👉 *Past Perfect* – The lack of sleep happened before "yesterday".
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9. Sh! Someone ___________ to our conversation (listen)!
✔ is listening
👉 *Present Continuous* – An action happening right now (implied by "Sh!" — interrupting sound).
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10. When I left the house this morning, it ___________ (already rain).
✔ had already rained
👉 *Past Perfect* – The rain occurred before the speaker left the house.
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11. I think Bob ___________ for London this very moment. (leave)
✔ is leaving
👉 *Present Continuous* – "This very moment" implies an action happening now.
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12. The plane ___________ off in a few minutes. (take)
✔ will take or is taking
👉 Both are possible:
- *Will take* = prediction/future plan
- *Is taking* = scheduled future (common for flights)
✔ Best: is taking (more natural for flight schedules)
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13. I ___________ up at 7 every morning but this morning I ___________ long and I ___________ up until 8. (get, sleep, not get)
✔ get / slept / did not get
- First: *Present Simple* – habitual action
- Second: *Past Simple* – what happened this morning
- Third: *Past Simple negative* – "did not get up"
So: I get up at 7 every morning but this morning I slept long and I did not get up until 8.
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14. I ___________ my watch because it is being fixed (not wear).
✔ am not wearing
👉 *Present Continuous* – Temporary situation due to repair.
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15. This ___________ an easy quiz so far (be).
✔ has been
👉 *Present Perfect* – "so far" means from the beginning up to now.
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16. They ___________ in an apartment right now because they can't find a cheap house. (live)
✔ are living
👉 *Present Continuous* – Temporary situation ("right now", not permanent).
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17. Everyone ___________ when the earthquake hit the small town. (sleep)
✔ was sleeping
👉 *Past Continuous* – Ongoing action interrupted by the earthquake.
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18. He ___________ by herself since her divorce (live).
✔ has lived
👉 *Present Perfect* – Action started in the past ("since her divorce") and continues.
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19. I was angry that I ___________ such a stupid mistake (make).
✔ had made
👉 *Past Perfect* – The mistake happened before the feeling of anger.
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20. I predict that by 2020, man ___________ on Mars (land).
✔ will have landed
👉 *Future Perfect* – "By 2020" indicates completion of an action by a future time.
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21. He ___________ his job a couple of years ago. (quit)
✔ quit
👉 *Simple Past* – Completed action in the past.
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22. Our daughter ___________ from the university yet (graduate).
✔ has not graduated / hasn't graduated
👉 *Present Perfect* – "Yet" is used with present perfect for unfinished time.
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23. They ___________ any Christmas cards last year (not send).
✔ did not send / didn't send
👉 *Simple Past Negative* – Completed action in the past.
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24. She ___________ to a doctor once a year for an examination (go).
✔ goes
👉 *Present Simple* – Regular, repeated action.
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25. They ___________ about me when I interrupted their conversation. (talk)
✔ were talking
👉 *Past Continuous* – Action in progress when another action occurred.
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26. Nothing much ___________ when I got to the meeting (happen).
✔ had happened
👉 *Past Perfect* – The events (or lack thereof) occurred before the arrival.
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27. My parents ___________ in New York two weeks from today (be).
✔ will be
👉 *Future Simple* – Future time reference.
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28. I ___________ two mistakes in the last quiz. (make)
✔ made
👉 *Simple Past* – Completed action in the past.
---
29. Unfortunately, our team ___________ any games last year. (not win)
✔ did not win / didn't win
👉 *Simple Past Negative* – Past completed action.
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1. have been
2. saw
3. rose
4. was shining
5. will not tell / won't tell
6. had taken
7. go
8. had not slept / hadn't slept
9. is listening
10. had already rained
11. is leaving
12. is taking
13. get / slept / did not get
14. am not wearing
15. has been
16. are living
17. was sleeping
18. has lived
19. had made
20. will have landed
21. quit
22. has not graduated / hasn't graduated
23. did not send / didn't send
24. goes
25. were talking
26. had happened
27. will be
28. made
29. did not win / didn't win
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Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable worksheet or need explanations in simpler terms!
---
1. They ___________ in Chicago for 20 years (be).
✔ have been
👉 *Present Perfect Continuous* – "for 20 years" indicates a duration up to now. The action started in the past and continues into the present.
---
2. I ___________ a wonderful film in the cinema last night. (see)
✔ saw
👉 *Simple Past* – "last night" is a past time reference.
---
3. The sun ___________ at 6:38 yesterday morning (rise).
✔ rose
👉 *Simple Past* – A specific time in the past ("yesterday morning").
---
4. The sun ___________ when the climber reached Mount Everest. (shine)
✔ was shining
👉 *Past Continuous* – Describes an ongoing action in the past when another event happened ("reached"). The sun was already shining as the climber arrived.
---
5. I promise that I ___________ this secret to anyone (not tell).
✔ will not tell / won't tell
👉 *Future Simple* – After "promise", we use future tense to express a commitment.
---
6. Unfortunately, just as we got to the airport their plane ___________ off (take).
✔ had taken
👉 *Past Perfect* – The plane took off before they arrived. The action happened before another past action ("got to the airport").
---
7. They ___________ to the movies only once in a while (go).
✔ go
👉 *Present Simple* – Habitual action. "Only once in a while" suggests a regular but infrequent habit.
---
8. I was tired yesterday because I ___________ well the night before (not sleep).
✔ had not slept / hadn't slept
👉 *Past Perfect* – The lack of sleep happened before "yesterday".
---
9. Sh! Someone ___________ to our conversation (listen)!
✔ is listening
👉 *Present Continuous* – An action happening right now (implied by "Sh!" — interrupting sound).
---
10. When I left the house this morning, it ___________ (already rain).
✔ had already rained
👉 *Past Perfect* – The rain occurred before the speaker left the house.
---
11. I think Bob ___________ for London this very moment. (leave)
✔ is leaving
👉 *Present Continuous* – "This very moment" implies an action happening now.
---
12. The plane ___________ off in a few minutes. (take)
✔ will take or is taking
👉 Both are possible:
- *Will take* = prediction/future plan
- *Is taking* = scheduled future (common for flights)
✔ Best: is taking (more natural for flight schedules)
---
13. I ___________ up at 7 every morning but this morning I ___________ long and I ___________ up until 8. (get, sleep, not get)
✔ get / slept / did not get
- First: *Present Simple* – habitual action
- Second: *Past Simple* – what happened this morning
- Third: *Past Simple negative* – "did not get up"
So: I get up at 7 every morning but this morning I slept long and I did not get up until 8.
---
14. I ___________ my watch because it is being fixed (not wear).
✔ am not wearing
👉 *Present Continuous* – Temporary situation due to repair.
---
15. This ___________ an easy quiz so far (be).
✔ has been
👉 *Present Perfect* – "so far" means from the beginning up to now.
---
16. They ___________ in an apartment right now because they can't find a cheap house. (live)
✔ are living
👉 *Present Continuous* – Temporary situation ("right now", not permanent).
---
17. Everyone ___________ when the earthquake hit the small town. (sleep)
✔ was sleeping
👉 *Past Continuous* – Ongoing action interrupted by the earthquake.
---
18. He ___________ by herself since her divorce (live).
✔ has lived
👉 *Present Perfect* – Action started in the past ("since her divorce") and continues.
---
19. I was angry that I ___________ such a stupid mistake (make).
✔ had made
👉 *Past Perfect* – The mistake happened before the feeling of anger.
---
20. I predict that by 2020, man ___________ on Mars (land).
✔ will have landed
👉 *Future Perfect* – "By 2020" indicates completion of an action by a future time.
---
21. He ___________ his job a couple of years ago. (quit)
✔ quit
👉 *Simple Past* – Completed action in the past.
---
22. Our daughter ___________ from the university yet (graduate).
✔ has not graduated / hasn't graduated
👉 *Present Perfect* – "Yet" is used with present perfect for unfinished time.
---
23. They ___________ any Christmas cards last year (not send).
✔ did not send / didn't send
👉 *Simple Past Negative* – Completed action in the past.
---
24. She ___________ to a doctor once a year for an examination (go).
✔ goes
👉 *Present Simple* – Regular, repeated action.
---
25. They ___________ about me when I interrupted their conversation. (talk)
✔ were talking
👉 *Past Continuous* – Action in progress when another action occurred.
---
26. Nothing much ___________ when I got to the meeting (happen).
✔ had happened
👉 *Past Perfect* – The events (or lack thereof) occurred before the arrival.
---
27. My parents ___________ in New York two weeks from today (be).
✔ will be
👉 *Future Simple* – Future time reference.
---
28. I ___________ two mistakes in the last quiz. (make)
✔ made
👉 *Simple Past* – Completed action in the past.
---
29. Unfortunately, our team ___________ any games last year. (not win)
✔ did not win / didn't win
👉 *Simple Past Negative* – Past completed action.
---
✔ Final Answers:
1. have been
2. saw
3. rose
4. was shining
5. will not tell / won't tell
6. had taken
7. go
8. had not slept / hadn't slept
9. is listening
10. had already rained
11. is leaving
12. is taking
13. get / slept / did not get
14. am not wearing
15. has been
16. are living
17. was sleeping
18. has lived
19. had made
20. will have landed
21. quit
22. has not graduated / hasn't graduated
23. did not send / didn't send
24. goes
25. were talking
26. had happened
27. will be
28. made
29. did not win / didn't win
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Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable worksheet or need explanations in simpler terms!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of tenses worksheet.
