Mastering English Past Tenses: Exercises & Verb Lists

Posted on Mar 23, 2025 in Administration and Management

English Past Tenses Exercises

Complete the Sentences with the Correct Verb Form:

1. Andrew __________ 10 glasses of wine last night.
   • a) drank
2. I __________ Will Smith last summer at the Oscar Awards.
   • a) met
3. We __________ in the same house since 2012.
   • c) have lived
4. __________ anything on eBay?
   • b) Have you ever sold
5. I __________ the simple present tense lesson yet.
   • c) haven’t taught
6. When I was younger, I __________ my mother’s car.
   • a) didn’t drive
7. She is so sad; she __________ to the same song 20 times today.
   • b) has listened
8. Excuse me! I have to ask you something: __________ my mom’s vase last night?
   • a) Did you break
9. He __________ so preoccupied for the last couple of weeks.
   • b) has been

Choose the Correct Verb Form:

1. Have you ever passed (pass) an English exam?
2. What did you do (do) last night?
3. She has just arrived (arrive) from Manchester.
4. They saw (see) Mary last week.
5. Have you seen (see) Mary lately?

Select the Best Option:

1. She _____ (put on) a lot of weight recently.
   • a) has put on
2. _______ you ever _____ (have) a pet?
   • b) Have … had
   Yes, I _______ (have) a dog when I lived with my parents.
   • a) had
3. My parents ______ (live) in Paris for ten years and then they moved to Hamburg.
   • a) lived
4. They _______(live) in Hamburg for five years now.
   • b) have lived
5. Lady Di _______(visit) a lot of poor countries. The Queen ________ (visit) a lot of poor countries, too.
   • a) visited … has visited
6. When ____ you ________ (give up) smoking? Oh, a long time ago.
   • b) did … give up
   I think I _______ (not smoke) since 2000.
   • b) haven’t smoked
7. My great-grandfather ________(die) forty years ago. I never _________(meet) him.
   • a) died … met
8. I don’t know Jane’s fiancé. I have never met him.
   • a) have met
9. When we were on holiday, the weather ______ (be) awful. Since we came back, the weather ___________(be) great.
   • a) was … has been
10. How long ______ you _________(study) English? For five years now. I ________ (start) when I finished university.
    • a) have … studied … started
11. My bicycle is not here anymore. Someone ___________(take) it.
    • a) has taken

More Past Simple and Past Perfect Exercises:

1. I have lost my purse. I can’t find it anywhere.
2. Marianne earned a lot of money last month, but she has spent it all on clothes since then.
3. He studied in Amsterdam for four years and then he went on to do an M.A. in the States.
4. The match has started. They are winning 1-0.
5. Real estate prices have gone down this year. We hope to buy a new house soon.
6. He won the Pulitzer but two days later he died of a heart attack.
7. A young couple bought the house on the hill, but they didn’t live there long.
8. Jane has already read this book twice.
9. How long were you in Berlin last summer?
10. How long have you lived in Barcelona since you moved to Spain?

Mixed Tense Exercise:

Ann has lived (live) in Birmingham all her life. Yesterday when Ann was (be) on her way to the train station, it began (begin) to rain. She ran (run) back to get her umbrella, but this made (make) her late for her train. When she got (get) to the station, she asked (ask) a woman on the platform: “How long have you been (be) here, Madam?” “Not long, the train to London has just left (leave), I’m afraid.”
When Ann arrived (arrive) at the office, her boss looked (look) at her and said (say): “You have been (be) late every morning this week. What has happened (happen) this time?” “I have missed (miss) my train.”

Another Mixed Tense Exercise:

1. Have you booked (book) your hotel room yet?
2. No, I wrote (write) to the hotel last week but they haven’t answered (not answer) yet.
3. I have just had (have) my first driving lesson.
4. How did it go (go)? Did you enjoy (enjoy) it?
5. Well, I didn’t hit (hit) anything but I made (make) every other possible mistake.
6. Where have you been (be)?
7. I have been (be) shopping in Oxford Street. I found (find) a shop where shoes were (be) on sale and I got (get) 3 pairs.
8. Have you met (meet) Angelica?
9. Yes, we met (meet) last year at a conference in Austria. We have stayed (stay) in contact since then.

Final Mixed Tense Exercise:

1. Tom has seen (see) that movie three times already.
2. I read yesterday’s newspaper, but I have not read today’s.
3. The students had (have) eight exams last month.
4. The students have had (have) eight exams this month. [The month hasn’t ended yet.]
5. They have practiced (practice) for the concert for over three hours today.
6. Have you ever been to a professional football game?
7. Did you enjoy the game?
8. How long have you worked (work) here?
9. The children have grown a lot since the last time I saw (see) them.
10. We have never seen (see) snow.
11. What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had (have) a coffee and a croissant.
12. Have you sung professionally this year?
13. Have you ever eaten (eat) snails?
14. Last year she worked (work) a lot.

Irregular Verb List