Verb Tenses Fill in the Blank Worksheet - Free Printable

Let's go through each sentence and determine the correct verb tense based on context, time cues, and grammatical rules. The goal is to choose the proper verb tense for each sentence.

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1. My Nana ________ us to watch some TV if we finish our homework.

- Options: allowed / allows / will allow
- Context: This is a conditional sentence ("if we finish..."). The condition is in the present/future, so the main clause should reflect a future possibility.
- "If we finish" suggests a future action → the result (Nana allowing) will happen in the future.
- Correct answer: will allow

✔ Answer: will allow

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2. I tried to build this new remote helicopter, but it was too ________.

- Options: complicate / complicated / will complicate
- Note: This is not a verb; it’s an adjective. "Complicated" is the correct form after "too."
- "Too" + adjective → "too complicated"
- "complicate" is a verb, "will complicate" is future tense — both incorrect here.

✔ Answer: complicated

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3. Next year, my school ________ new rules regarding cell phone usage.

- Options: established / establish / will establish
- Time cue: "Next year" → future
- So, we need future tense: will establish

✔ Answer: will establish

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4. My sister ________ me to touch her Barbie Dolls when she was little.

- Options: forbade / forbid / will forbid
- Time clue: "when she was little" → past
- So, use past tense: forbade

✔ Answer: forbade

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5. Please ask Katie to ________ the bell when she needs something.

- Options: rang / ring / will ring
- This is an infinitive after "ask to." We use base form of the verb after "to."
- Structure: "ask someone to do something" → "to ring"
- "rang" is past, "will ring" is future — neither fits the structure.

✔ Answer: ring

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6. Sandra, my new boss, ________ me to the staff tomorrow.

- Options: introduced / introduce / will introduce
- Time cue: "tomorrow" → future
- So, use future tense: will introduce

✔ Answer: will introduce

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7. My team has to ________ some new members before the next game.

- Options: recruited / recruit / will recruit
- "Has to" is followed by the base form of the verb.
- Structure: "has to + base verb"
- So, use recruit

✔ Answer: recruit

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8. After spending all day washing and waxing, my dad’s car ________.

- Options: shimmered / shimmer / will shimmer
- "After spending all day..." → completed action in the past
- Result: the car looked shiny → past event
- Use past tense: shimmered

✔ Answer: shimmered

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9. Be careful walking through so you do not ________ the wildflowers.

- Options: trampled / trample / will trample
- "Do not" is part of a negative imperative or warning.
- Need base verb after "do not"
- Structure: "do not + base verb"
- So, trample

✔ Answer: trample

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10. I ________ my forehead to make it look like I was thinking hard.

- Options: wrinkled / wrinkle / will wrinkle
- "Was thinking" → past tense
- So, the action of wrinkling happened in the past
- Use past tense: wrinkled

✔ Answer: wrinkled

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✔ Final Answers:

1. will allow
2. complicated
3. will establish
4. forbade
5. ring
6. will introduce
7. recruit
8. shimmered
9. trample
10. wrinkled

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🔍 Explanation Summary:

- Past tense is used for completed actions (e.g., “was little,” “was thinking”).
- Future tense is used with time clues like “next year,” “tomorrow.”
- Present tense is used for general truths or commands.
- Infinitive (base verb) follows “to” after verbs like “ask,” “have to.”
- Adjectives follow “too” (e.g., “too complicated”).

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