5Grammar: Verbal Tenses

1. Write sentences to logically precede or follow the sentences below. Use the given words
and the Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous.
1. Im confident Ill do well in the exam.
I / study / since January / .
.....................................................................................................................
2. As usual, Thomas was late.
by the time / he / arrive / the band / play / for an hour / .
.....................................................................................................................
3. No. I turned it on two minutes ago, just before you walked in.
you / watch / TV / all evening / ?
.....................................................................................................................
4. Yes, especially after theyd come back from their holiday.
they / argue / a lot / before / break up / ?
.....................................................................................................................
2. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use gerunds or infinitives. There may be
more than one correct answer.
1. I regret (introduce) Sam and Kim to each other. Now they dont want
(spend) time with any of their other friends.
2. Mary doesnt enjoy (travel). She prefers (stay) at home.
3. Ashley suggested (write) a letter of complaint, but Im considering
(contact) them by phone instead.
4. Football practice ended early today. We stopped (play) shortly after it began
(rain).
3. Complete the sentences. Make any necessary changes. Do not change the original meaning
of the sentences.
1. Sue first felt ill two weeks ago. She didnt go to the doctor until yesterday.
By the time ........................................................................................................................ .
2. I was six years old when I learned how to ski. I still ski every winter.
Since ................................................................................................................................. .
3. Lilly was afraid to go on the motorway for about a year after she had started driving.
Until ................................................................................................................................... .
4. John ran for an hour. Then his right foot began to hurt.
When ................................................................................................................................. .
4. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. I was going home when I (realise) that I (forget) my coat.
2. We usually (have) band practice on Monday evenings, but we
(not meet) tonight.
3. I (see) Jeremy this morning while I (shop).
4. They (play) loud music since ten tonight. I (go) next door to
complain!
5. I (think) there was cola in the fridge, but there wasnt, so I
(drink) water with my sandwich.
6. It didnt start (rain) until we (walk) for an hour.

1 Unit Test Level 1

5. Rewrite the sentences with the words in brackets. Do not change the original meaning of the
sentences.
1. I worked on my essay for an hour. I started at 10. (at 10.30 this morning)
.....................................................................................................................
2. David started to smoke when he was 20. He quit when he was 25. (by the time)
.....................................................................................................................
3.
Lola has decided to take flying lessons. (going)
.....................................................................................................................
4. When did you start to think about getting your own flat? (how long)
.....................................................................................................................
6. Complete the passage with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
By the time Tommy Scullion 1. (die) at the age of 72, he 2.
(collect) autographs for over 50 years. By 3. (write) letters to more than 20 people a
week, requesting their autographs, he gradually 4. (build) one of the worlds most
interesting collections. It included autographs of American Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., the
Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, and 40,000 other people, from Nobel Prize winners to royalty. In the
summer of 2008, his family 5. (sell) the collection in order to pay for a museum
dedicated to Scullion. It hasnt been built yet, but when it is, it 6. (have) copies of
many of the autographs and of Scullions letters.

1 Unit Test Level 1

ANSWERS
1. 1.
2.
3.
4.
2. 1.
2.
3.
4.
3. 1.
2.
3.
4.

Ive been studying since January.

By the time he arrived, the band had been playing for an hour.
Have you been watching TV all evening?
Had they been arguing a lot before they broke up?
introducing, to spend
travelling, to stay / staying
writing, contacting
playing, raining / to rain
Sue went to the doctor, shed been feeling ill for two weeks
I was six years old, Ive been skiing every winter
a year after Lily had started driving, she was afraid to go on the motorway
Johns right foot began to hurt, he had been running for an hour

4. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
5. 1.

realised, had forgotten

have, didnt meet / arent meeting
saw, was shopping
have been playing, am going
thought, drank
raining / to rain, had been walking
At 10.30 this morning, I was working on my essay. /
I was working on my essay at 10.30 this morning.
By the time he was 25, David had quit smoking. / David had quit smoking by the time he was 25.
Lola is going to take flying lessons.
How long have you been thinking about getting your own flat?
died
4. built
had been collecting 5. sold
3.writing
6. is going to have

2.
3.
4.
6. 1.
2.