Review of all pre-intermediate verb tenses (CEFR A2)

Exercises: 1 2 3

Exercise 2

Choose the correct verb tenses to complete the dialogue below.

JOHN: Hi, Leslie! How are you?

LESLIE: Oh, John! It’s nice to see you again. The last time I saw you, you 1 your PhD.

JOHN: Yes, I was very stressed out. It’s been a long time. 2 in East London with your parents?

LESLIE: No, I 3 to the West End a long time ago. I 4 a Master’s degree in Marketing last year and now I’m working for an advertising company in Soho.

JOHN: That’s great! 5 it?

LESLIE: Well, the money isn’t bad, and it’s a part-time job, so I 6 time for judo.

JOHN: Oh my god! You still do judo? How long 7 a judoka?

LESLIE: Since I was 5.

JOHN: 8 any competitions?

LESLIE: Well, I 9 a couple of trophies. And next summer I 10 (represent) England in the European Judo Championships.

JOHN: Wow! That’s great!

LESLIE: What about you? What 11 these days?

JOHN: Not much, really. I 12 a postgraduate course a few weeks ago and now I 13 for a job. I 14 to more than twenty jobs so far, but without any luck.

LESLIE: Don’t worry; I’m sure you 15 a job soon.

JOHN: Well, I’m not worried any more. Yesterday, I 16 an application form when I had a brilliant idea.

LESLIE: What is it?

JOHN: I’ve decided that I 17 my own business.

LESLIE: That’d be great!

JOHN: Anyway, what 18 this evening? I 19 Mark at 7 for a beer, and I’m sure he’d love to see you.

LESLIE: Great! I 20 a drink with you.

Exercises: 1 2 3

Present tense review

Download full-size image from Pinterest

Present simple

1 Habits or situations that happen regularly.

I wash my hair every day.
I never go to the library.
She‘s always late.

2 Permanent situations, or things that are always or usually true.

I don’t drink coffee.
She‘s very tall.
I have two brothers.

Present continuous

1 Actions in progress, happening now or ‘around now’.

I can’t talk now. I‘m brushing my teeth.
I finished your book, and I‘m reading a new one now.

2 Temporary actions.

My car’s in the garage. I‘m taking the bus this week.
I‘m not training because I have an injury.

3 Future arrangements.

I‘m meeting Sally at 7.
We are leaving early tomorrow.

Present perfect

1 Recent events –we don’t say when. (Common with already, yet, just, recently, today, this week, etc.)

She‘s had an accident.
Have you finished yet?
He‘s changed jobs recently.
Have you seen Peter today?

2 Past experiences –we don’t say when. (Common with never, ever, before, superlative + ever, number of times until now.)

We‘ve been to Italy.
Have you ever eaten insects?
This is the best food I‘ve ever eaten.
I‘ve read this book three times.

3 Unfinished situations from the past until now. (Common with how long, for, since, all + time, lately.)

How long have you been here?
We have been married for 20 years.
I‘ve liked chocolate all my life.
I‘ve been very busy lately.

Past and future tense review

Download full-size image from Pinterest

Past tenses

Past simple

1 Actions completed in the past.

I saw Jimmy yesterday.
She moved to Chester two years ago.

2 Actions in chronological order in a story.

When I arrived home, I took off my shoes and turned on the TV.

3 Past habits or situations that were true in the past.

We often played in the park after school.
He lived with his grandparents when he was a child.

Past continuous

1 Actions in progress at a certain time in the past.

What were you doing yesterday at 7?
When he arrived, I was sleeping.
They were arguing when I last saw them.

2 At the beginning of a story, to describe the scene.

It was getting dark, and I was walking to the pub when suddenly…

Future forms

Will + infinitive

1 Decisions that we take at the moment of speaking.

“We don’t have sugar.” “Don’t worry, I‘ll buy some.”
I‘ll have a burger and chips, please.

2 Predictions about what we think will happen.

I think he‘ll win the election.
You will be a good doctor.

3 Promises.

I will always love you.
Don’t worry. I will pay you back next week.

4 Suggestions (Shall we…?).

Shall we go to the cinema this weekend?

5 Offers (I will or Shall I/Shall we…?).

I‘ll carry that bag for you.
Shall I help you with those bags?

Be going to + infinitive

1 Intentions or plans.

Please, pass me the remote. I‘m going to watch TV.
This summer I‘m going to look for a job.

2 Predictions about what we see is going to happen (present evidence).

Slow down! We‘re going to have an accident.
The doctor said I‘m going to have a girl.

Present continuous

See present simple use 3 and present continuous use 3 above.

We are working on this!

We're developing a NEW LEARNING PLATFORM with a subscription plan that includes additional features at an affordable price. One of those features will be PDF downloads.

Learn more!