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High School English Quiz - Grammar 05 - Tenses - Relationship between Verbs and Time (Questions)

The English language is one of rules and conventions. Rules help the language to be as systematic as possible while conventions help the language to be more colourful and inventive. Grammar is paramount, and for people to understand language grammar has to be followed by all practitioners. English comprises different parts of speech, and verbs, along with nouns, are essential parts of any English communication. This High English quiz on tenses is all about the relationship between verbs and time.

Since verbs describe actions, and actions are dynamic and can relate to past actions, present actions or future actions, we have to understand the relationship between verb forms and time. Verbs take on three basic forms in relation to time in the past, present or future. Variations of these verb forms are possible, such as simple past, past continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous. These forms are necessary to relate to actions in different points in time.

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In addition to these verb forms the verb ’to have’ can be used to denote possession. The verbs ‘would’ and ‘used to’ can be used to convey our actions in the past or to convey actions that were done in the past but are discontinued now.

Numerous verbs are available in English that describe a variety of actions and these verbs take on different forms in different tenses. For instance, in the sentence ‘it HAS BEEN SNOWING since morning’ the verbs (in capitals) are in the present perfect continuous tense in terms of tense and, in terms of time, represent the present.

The quiz on tenses that follows exposes us to the relationship between the different verb forms and the time they represent.

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1. "We ARE PLANNING to go to America next month."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense and time in the future.
[ ] Present tense and time in the present.
[ ] Present tense and time in the past.
[ ] Present continuous tense and time in the future.
2. "All incomplete entries WILL BE REJECTED."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the future.
[ ] Future tense, time in the past.
[ ] Future tense, time in the present.
[ ] Future tense and time in the future.
3. "He WON the Inter-class tennis championship last year."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[ ] Past tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past tense, time in the future.
[ ] Present tense, time in the past.
4. "She WAS SINGING here two hours ago."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past Continuous tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past Continuous tense, time in the future.
5. "India and China HAVE MADE tremendous economic progress."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the future
[ ] Past tense, time in the future
[ ] Present Perfect tense, time in the future
[ ] Present Perfect tense, time in the present
6. "It HAS BEEN RAINING since morning."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the present.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the past.
7. "COULD you please send the document as soon as possible?"
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the future.
[ ] Future tense, time in the future.
[ ] Present tense, time in the future.
[ ] Past tense, time in the future.
8. "The plane MUST HAVE LANDED by now."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Past tense, time in present.
[ ] Present tense, time in present.
[ ] Future tense, time in present.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in present.
9. "It always RAINS here at this time of year."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in past.
[ ] Present tense, time in future.
[ ] Future tense, time in past.
[ ] Present tense, time in present.
10. "My boyfriend HAS BEEN COMING to see me for a few days."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present tense, time in the present.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[ ] Future tense, time in the present.
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High School English Quiz - Grammar 05 - Tenses - Relationship between Verbs and Time (Answers)
1. "We ARE PLANNING to go to America next month."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense and time in the future.
[ ] Present tense and time in the present.
[ ] Present tense and time in the past.
[x] Present continuous tense and time in the future.
Remember the present continuous form of the verb 'to plan' is 'are planning.' In the context of the sentence the information 'next month' tells us that the action is to take place in the future. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
2. "All incomplete entries WILL BE REJECTED."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the future.
[ ] Future tense, time in the past.
[ ] Future tense, time in the present.
[x] Future tense and time in the future.
Remember the use of 'will be' refers to time in the future. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
3. "He WON the Inter-class tennis championship last year."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[x] Past tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past tense, time in the future.
[ ] Present tense, time in the past.
Remember 'won' is the simple past of 'win' and the sentence refers to the last year's championship. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
4. "She WAS SINGING here two hours ago."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past tense, time in the past.
[x] Past Continuous tense, time in the past.
[ ] Past Continuous tense, time in the future.
Remember the past continuous form of the verb 'to sing' is 'was singing.' The sentence indicates the time which was two hours ago. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
5. "India and China HAVE MADE tremendous economic progress."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in the future
[ ] Past tense, time in the future
[ ] Present Perfect tense, time in the future
[x] Present Perfect tense, time in the present
Remember the verb form of 'to have' in present perfect is 'has.' Options 1 and 2 have both parts of their answers incorrect, while option 3 has one part of its answer incorrect. Can you find out which one?
6. "It HAS BEEN RAINING since morning."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[x] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the present.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the past.
Remember the present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the verb 'to be' (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing). The information in the sentence points to the fact that it is raining in the present and it has done so since morning.The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
7. "COULD you please send the document as soon as possible?"
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the future.
[ ] Future tense, time in the future.
[x] Present tense, time in the future.
[ ] Past tense, time in the future.
'Could' is the conditional form of 'can' and in this sentence it is a request and requests are usually in the future. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
8. "The plane MUST HAVE LANDED by now."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[ ] Past tense, time in present.
[x] Present tense, time in present.
[ ] Future tense, time in present.
[ ] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in present.
Remember past participles are used for the present as well, and here there is also a modal auxiliary (must). The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
9. "It always RAINS here at this time of year."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verb in capitals.
[ ] Present tense, time in past.
[ ] Present tense, time in future.
[ ] Future tense, time in past.
[x] Present tense, time in present.
'Rains' is a verb in the present form and the sentence talks about the present. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?
10. "My boyfriend HAS BEEN COMING to see me for a few days."
Choose the correct tense and time of the verbs in capitals.
[x] Present Perfect Continuous tense, time in the present.
[ ] Present tense, time in the present.
[ ] Past tense, time in the present.
[ ] Future tense, time in the present.
Remember the present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the verb 'to be' (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing). The information in the sentence points to the fact that the boyfriend is coming in the present and he has been coming for a few days. The other options have one part of their answers incorrect. Can you find out which one?