Tenses – Passives (Elementary / Pre-Intermediate) Test 10
Tenses – Passives
Question 1
My brother never _____ football when he was younger.
When he was younger is the past, so we use the past simple: never played. Never is already negative, so we don't use didn't with it.
Question 2
A: Do you mind if I _____ your dictionary?
B: No, that’s all right.
After Do you mind if I… we use the present simple: Do you mind if I use your dictionary?
Question 3
She always _____ about her weight when she was younger.
When she was younger is the past, so we use the past simple: always worried.
Question 4
It _____ cloudy tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the future, so we use will be.
Question 5
She is going _____ a dentist.
We say be going to + base verb: She is going to be a dentist.
Question 6
A: Would you like a cigarette?
B: No, thanks. _____.
We use the present simple for habits, things that are always true about us: I don't smoke. Not I am not smoking, because that is only about right now.
Question 7
I’m tired, so I _____ to bed.
The speaker is tired now and is going to bed now or very soon, so we use the present continuous: am going.
Question 8
When Fred _____ happy he sings.
This is something that is always true, and sings is present simple, so we also use the present simple: When Fred is happy, he sings.
Question 9
Has he ever _____ to Paris?
Present perfect: has + past participle. To talk about visiting a place, we say been to: Has he ever been to Paris?
Question 10
A: Where is your mother?
B: She’s _____ to the dry-cleaner’s.
She's gone to means she went there and is still there now. Not been, because She's been to means she went and has come back.
Question 11
We _____ to a new flat next week.
We use the present continuous for future plans that are already arranged: We are moving next week.
Question 12
I’ll wait until he _____.
After until we use the present simple for the future: until he arrives. Not will arrive.
Question 13
He’s been _____ since nine-thirty.
Present perfect continuous: has been + -ing: He's been studying since nine-thirty.
Question 14
How long _____ you _____ learning English?
How long + an action that started in the past and is still going on takes the present perfect continuous: How long have you been learning English?
Question 15
What _____ UNICEF mean?
UNICEF is one thing (he/she/it), and mean is a normal verb, so the question uses does: What does UNICEF mean?
Question 16
When they _____ she was vacuuming the house.
A short action (past simple arrived) happened in the middle of a longer action (past continuous was vacuuming).
Question 17
This time tomorrow I _____ visiting my parents.
This time tomorrow means an action in progress at a time in the future, so we use the future continuous: will be visiting.
Question 18
How many people _____ to the meeting yesterday?
How many people is the subject of the question, so we don't use did: How many people came? Yesterday tells us to use the past simple.
Question 19
When she _____ her room, she broke her reading lamp.
The longer action in progress takes the past continuous (was cleaning), and the short action that happened during it takes the past simple (broke). Not were cleaning, because she takes was.
Question 20
Our friends are going to be late, _____?
In a question tag, a positive sentence takes a negative tag with the same verb and subject: Our friends are…, aren't they?
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