Mixed Tenses Advanced Level Test – Quiz (Online Exercise With Answers) 1

The first gap is a past action yesterday, so it takes the past simple: realised. Losing the wallet happened before he realised it, so the second gap needs the past perfect: had lost. Not had realised / lost, because that reverses the order: the losing came first, not the realising.

While introduces a longer background action in progress, so it takes the past continuous: was watching. The shorter, completed action in the main clause takes the past simple: finished. The other options mix present or future forms into a past-time sentence.

The cleaning was going on for some time up to the moment of my visit, so we use the past perfect continuous: had been cleaning. The visit is a single past event, so it takes the past simple: went. The present perfect forms cannot be used with a finished past moment like when I went.

Some time ago refers to a finished time in the past, and the discovery was made by archaeologists, so we need the past simple passive: was made. Not has been made, because the present perfect cannot be used with a finished past time expression like ago.

For the time being describes a temporary situation now, so we use the present continuous: are studying. This time tomorrow refers to an action in progress at a future moment, which needs the future continuous: will be watching. Not will have watched, because that would mean the film is already finished by then.

By the time + past simple (made) sets a past reference point, and the change to wine happened before that point, so it needs the past perfect: had switched. Not switched / had made, because the past perfect must go with the earlier action (the switch), not with the later one.

By + a future time (by the end of tomorrow) shows an action that will be complete before that point, so we use the future perfect: will have eliminated. Dortmund is doing the eliminating, so the verb is active. Not will have been eliminating, because the continuous form is not used for a single completed result.

The sentence states a general fact about the present, and the main verb is in the present simple (often receive), so both relative clauses also take the present simple: do and work. The present continuous would suggest a temporary situation, which does not fit a general statement about types of jobs.

Receiving the grant is a past event with a present result and no time given, so we use the present perfect passive: has been given. Now shows an action in progress at the moment, which needs the present continuous: is seeking. Not was given / has sought, because has sought does not match now.

As a child refers to a finished period in the past, and only on Sundays describes a repeated past habit, so the past simple is used: saw. Not was seeing, because the past continuous is not used for regular past habits like this.

The sentence describes a regular situation every summer, and the other verb is in the present simple (is visited), so both gaps take the present simple: is and cross. Not has been, because nothing links the situation to a past starting point.

This is an instruction to the listener, so both verbs are in the imperative, which is the base form: Sit down and tell. Two imperatives joined by and must have the same form, so -ing forms, to-infinitives and past forms are wrong.

The reminding is a past event, so it takes the past simple: reminded. Ali's promise was made before the reminder, so in this reported structure it takes the past perfect: had promised. Not had reminded / promised, because that reverses the order of the two actions.

Two actions were in progress at the same time in the past, linked by while, so both take the past continuous. The injured did not take themselves, so the first verb is passive: were being taken. The second is active: were gathering. Not have been taken, because the present perfect does not match a past scene.

The main verb is in the past (couldn't find out), and the event happened before the attempt to find out, so the reported clause needs the past perfect: had happened. Present and future forms do not fit after a past reporting verb here.

The speaking is a short completed action, so it takes the past simple: said. As shows another action in progress at the same moment, which takes the past continuous: was throwing. Not was saying / threw, because a short greeting is a single completed act, not a background action.

It was six o'clock sets a past moment, so his feeling at that moment takes the past simple: was. For two hours shows an action continuing up to that past moment, so it needs the past perfect continuous: had been waiting. Not was waiting, because the past continuous is not used with for + a period up to a past point.

Newspaper headlines usually use the present simple to report facts and news, so the right form is lives. Headlines avoid longer forms such as the present perfect continuous (has been living). The past and future forms do not fit because the headline describes the woman's present situation.

The story is told in the past simple (life was hard), so the main action over that year also takes the past simple: remained. After as if, an unreal situation in the past takes the past perfect: had never met. In fact, they had met. Not had remained, because there is no later past event for it to come before.

Her thoughts of giving up came before she changed her mind, so the earlier action takes the past perfect: had thought. The second gap is part of the same sequence as changed, so it takes the past simple: brought. Not was thinking / has brought, because the present perfect cannot follow a finished past sequence.

By ten o'clock + a past reference (when I paid a visit) shows an action completed before that time, so we use the past perfect: had repaired. The painting was planned but had not begun, so we use was going to for a future plan seen from the past: was going to start. Not had started, because he had not yet begun painting.

A few years ago needs the past simple, and the passive is used because the finder is not mentioned: was found. The discovery is a general scientific fact that is still true, so the reported clause can stay in the present simple: die. The plural subject cells needs die, not dies.

After since, we use the past simple for the starting point: began. The main clause covers the time from then until now, so it takes the present perfect: have performed. Not have been performing, because a counted number of completed jobs (three plays, a commercial and two dramas) needs the simple form.

The sentence states a general present truth, so the main verb is the present simple: is. Before (up to now) and the passive meaning (nobody has reached it) need the present perfect passive: has not been attained. Not is / had not been attained, because the past perfect does not go with a present main clause.

Here since means because. The accident is a finished past event, so it takes the past simple: had. For three years up to now needs the present perfect: hasn't driven. Not had had / hasn't driven, because the past perfect needs a later past reference point, and this sentence is about the present.