English Verb Tense Practice: Past, Present, and Continuous

K) Postcard Verb Tense Exercise

Fill in the blanks to complete the postcard. Use the PAST TENSE form of the verbs given:

Dear Mom,

I’m having a wonderful time. Last night I went (go) to the Hollywood Bowl with some friends. We TOOK (take) a special bus and GOT (get) there easily. A friend BOUGHT (buy) some wine and we also BROUGHT (bring) a picnic basket. So we FOUND (find) our seats and ATE (eat) our picnic. Then the concert BEGAN (begin). It WAS (be) excellent. What a night!

Love, Kris

Dear Betty,

Thank you for dinner last night. We ate (eat) like kings and HAD (have) a wonderful time. Charles PUT (put) so much effort into the meal.

M) Sentence Completion Exercise

Complete the sentences using the PAST TENSE form of the verbs given:

• 1. A: Tom and I WENT (go) to see it.
  B: We SAW (see) it last weekend. Jackie THOUGHT (think) it was horrible.
  A: So did we.
• 2. A: Look, Uncle Tom GOT (get) me a violin.
  B: Last year he BOUGHT (buy) me a drum.
  A: Last Christmas he BROUGHT (bring) me a doll from Japan.
  B: Yeah, and you BROKE (break) it the day after.

N) Mixed Tense Practice

Complete the sentences using the words in parentheses. Use SIMPLE PRESENT, PRESENT CONTINUOUS, or SIMPLE PAST:

1. I GOT (get) up at eight o’clock yesterday morning.
2. Mark TALKED (talk) to John on the phone last night.
3. Mark IS TALKING (talk) to John on the phone right now.
4. Mark TALKS (talk) to John on the phone every day.
5. Jim and I ATE (eat) lunch at the cafeteria two hours ago.
6. We EAT (eat) lunch at the cafeteria every day.
7. I WENT (go) to bed early last night.
8. My roommate STUDIED (study) Spanish last year.
9. Sue WROTE (write) a letter to her parents yesterday.
10. Sue WRITES (write) a letter to her parents every week.
11. Sue is in her room right now. She IS SITTING (sit) at her desk. She IS WRITING (write) a letter to her boyfriend.
12. Marianne DID (do) her homework last night.
13. Yesterday I SAW (see) Dick at the library.
14. I HAD (have) a dream last night. I DREAMT/DREAMED (dream) about my friends. I SLEPT (sleep) for eight hours.
15. Alice SMOKED (smoke) a cigarette after class yesterday.
16. My wife COMES (come) home around five every day.
17. Yesterday she CAME (come) home at 5:15.
18. Our teacher IS STANDING (stand) in the middle of the room right now.
19. Our teacher STOOD (stand) in the front of the room yesterday.
20. John usually SITS (sit) in the back of the room, but yesterday he SAT (sit) in the front row. Today he IS (be) absent. He WAS (be) absent two days ago too.