– Can / can’t
– Was / were
– Could
– Was born
– Prepositions
Question 1
The homework _____ very difficult yesterday.
Yesterday tells us it is the past. Homework is one thing, so we use was.
Question 2
The children _____ very tired today. They _____ at a party yesterday evening.
Today is now, so we use are. Yesterday evening is the past, so we use were. Children means many people.
Question 3
Hello, everybody! I _____ sorry, I _____ late!
You say this when you arrive, so both verbs are about now: I am sorry, I am late! With I we use am.
Question 4
Was it hot yesterday? Yes, it _____.
The question uses was, so the short answer also uses was: Yes, it was.
Question 5
She paints _____ two hours _____ bedtime.
We use for with a length of time (for two hours). We use until for the time when something stops (until bedtime).
Question 6
Yesterday there was a party _____ my house.
We say at my house for an event at someone's home: There was a party at my house.
Question 7
I was _____ a party last night.
We say at a party: I was at a party last night.
Question 8
I could play chess when I _____ five.
Could shows the past, so we use the past of am: I was five.
Question 9
The weather _____ beautiful today. But it _____ terrible yesterday.
Today is now, so is. Yesterday is the past, so was. Weather is one thing.
Question 10
They were _____ England _____ 1998.
We use in with countries (in England) and with years (in 1998).
Question 11
“Where _____ you born?”
“I _____ born in India.”
We say be born in the past: Where were you born? – I was born in India.
Question 12
We _____ married when I _____ eighteen and Roger _____ twenty.
This is the past, so we use were with we and was with I and Roger.
Question 13
“Where _____ your sister born?”
“She _____ born in India, too.”
Be born is in the past. With your sister and she we use was.
Question 14
“_____ you drive?” “No, I can’t.”
The answer is No, I can't, so the question must use the modal verb can: Can you drive? Did is wrong because a past tense question (Did you drive?) does not match the present modal response (can't), and Do requires a No, I don't answer rather than No, I can't.
Question 15
Only Sam _____ play the piano.
Play comes after the gap, so we need can: Only Sam can play the piano.
Question 16
Can I speak _____ you?
We say speak to someone: Can I speak to you?
Question 17
Nobody _____ play the guitar.
Nobody already means 'no person', so the verb is positive: Nobody can play. Not can't: we don't use two negatives.
Question 18
I was _____ Adam’s party _____ Saturday.
We say at a party and on with days: on Saturday.
Question 19
Tom is _____ the garden _____ his friend Sam.
We say in the garden. We use with for being together with a person: with his friend.
Question 20
She was _____ the cinema _____ her brother.
We say at the cinema. We use with for being together with a person: with her brother.
Print this test
Free worksheets for class or home