Grammar » A2 Grammar lessons and exercises » Review of all pre-intermediate verb tenses (CEFR A2) » Page 3
Exercises Explanation Downloads
  • Review of all pre-intermediate verb tenses (CEFR A2)

    Exercise 3

    Choose the correct verb tenses to complete the dialogue below.

    AUTUMN: Hello?

    SARAH: Hi, Autumn; it’s Sarah.

    AUTUMN: Hi, Sarah. Everything OK?

    SARAH: Yes, I 1 to tell you about Patrick. Do you know what 2 to him yesterday?

    AUTUMN: No, what?

    SARAH: Well, he 3 some money, so he 4 to a cash machine. And when he 5 the money out, he 6 that there was an envelope on the floor. He 7 it and there were 20,000 pounds!

    AUTUMN: Really? 8 ?

    SARAH: No! It's true.

    AUTUMN: What 9 now with the envelope?

    SARAH: He 10 . But he thinks that the owner of the money 11 to the police soon.

    AUTUMN: And then?

    SARAH: He says then he 12 the money back.

    AUTUMN: Maybe it’s money from crime or drugs!

    SARAH: In that case I don't think anybody 13 it.

    AUTUMN: If nobody reclaims it, we 14 Patrick to pay for a nice and expensive dinner!

    SARAH: Yes, definitely! By the way, what 15 when I rang you.

    AUTUMN: I 16 the house.

    SARAH: 17 anything when you finish cleaning?

    AUTUMN: No. Why? Would you like to go for a beer?

    SARAH: Yes, please! I think the last time I 18 for a beer, I 19 with Jeremy.

    AUTUMN: OK then, I 20 you up in about twenty minutes then.

    SARAH: Excellent! See you later.

    AUTUMN: See you!


     

  • Review of all pre-intermediate verb tenses (CEFR A2)– Summary table

    Revision verb tenses A2
     

    Present tenses

    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 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 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 tenses

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

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

    4 Promises.

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

    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 continuous uses 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!

  • Personalized English Lessons

    Test-English is delighted to announce our partnership with Gymglish to deliver short, personalized and fun online English lessons.

    Learn more!