This first gap fill test contains 25 multiple choice questions on the topic of mixed verb tenses (present-past-future) of English grammar. Both English learners and ESL teachers can use this online exercise as a revision to check the knowledge of English tenses.
Mixed Tenses Advanced Level Test 1
Question 1  | 
Tim was very upset yesterday because he _____ that he _____ his wallet.
A  | realised / will lose  | 
B  | had realised / lost  | 
C  | realised / had lost  | 
D  | realises / loses  | 
E  | has realised / lost  | 
Question 2  | 
While mum __ the VCD I hired, I __ my assignment.
A  | was watching / finished  | 
B  | is watching / had finished  | 
C  | watches / would finish  | 
D  | will watch / am finishing  | 
E  | was going to watch / finish  | 
Question 3  | 
She __ the house when I __ to her after a long time.
A  | will be cleaning / go  | 
B  | had been cleaning / went  | 
C  | has been cleaning / have gone  | 
D  | is cleaning / am going  | 
E  | has cleaned / have been  | 
Question 4  | 
Some time ago, an interesting discovery __ by archaeologists on the Aegean Island of Kec.
A  | had to be made  | 
B  | has been made  | 
C  | was made  | 
D  | is made  | 
E  | used to be made  | 
Question 5  | 
For the time being, we _____ for the exam, but this time tomorrow we _____ the best movie of this year.
A  | study / will watch  | 
B  | are studying / will be watching  | 
C  | have been studying / are watching  | 
D  | are studying / will have watched  | 
E  | have studied / will be watching  | 
Question 6  | 
James Bond always drank champagne in the novels although he _____ to wine by the time he _____ it to the silver screen.
A  | had switched / made  | 
B  | has switched / has made  | 
C  | switched / had made  | 
D  | was switching / would make  | 
E  | switched / was making  | 
Question 7  | 
By the end of tomorrow, Dortmund __ Chelsea Champions League Cup.
A  | is eliminating  | 
B  | will have been eliminating  | 
C  | has been eliminated  | 
D  | will have eliminated  | 
E  | eliminates  | 
Question 8  | 
These days, people who _____ manual work, often receive far more money than clerks who _____ in offices.
A  | are doing / are working  | 
B  | were doing / were working  | 
C  | have done / have worked  | 
D  | do / work  | 
E  | have been doing / work  | 
Question 9  | 
The theatre company __ a grant of £6.000 and it __ a further £2.000 from elsewhere now.
A  | will be given / seeks  | 
B  | has been given / is seeking  | 
C  | is given / has been seeking  | 
D  | was given / has sought  | 
E  | would be given / is seeking  | 
Question 10  | 
She _____ me at the meetings only on Sundays as a child.
A  | was seeing  | 
B  | has seen  | 
C  | saw  | 
D  | had seen  | 
E  | is seeing  | 
Question 11  | 
During the summer months, the monastery _____ very busy, for it is visited by thousands of people who _____ the pass in cars.
A  | was / crossed  | 
B  | is / crossed  | 
C  | has been / cross  | 
D  | is / cross  | 
E  | has been / have crossed  | 
Question 12  | 
_____ and _____ me about your trip to Denver.
A  | Sitting down / tell  | 
B  | To sit down / told  | 
C  | Sit down / tell  | 
D  | Having sat down / told  | 
E  | Sitting down / telling  | 
Question 13  | 
Mother _____ Ali that he _____ to clean the garage after school.
A  | reminded / will promise  | 
B  | has reminded / promises  | 
C  | had reminded / promised  | 
D  | will remind / promises  | 
E  | reminded / had promised  | 
Question 14  | 
The injured _____ to the ambulance while the people _____ around the crime scene.
A  | were being taken / were gathering  | 
B  | have been taken / gathered  | 
C  | have been taken / gather  | 
D  | were taken / would gather  | 
E  | would be taken / had gathered  | 
Question 15  | 
I couldn't find out what _____.
A  | happens  | 
B  | will happen  | 
C  | had happened  | 
D  | has happened  | 
E  | is happening  | 
Question 16  | 
“Hi, mum!” _____ Peter, as he _____ himself down on the floor with a groan.
A  | said / had thrown  | 
B  | says / has thrown  | 
C  | has said / is throwing  | 
D  | said / was throwing  | 
E  | was saying / threw  | 
Question 17  | 
It was six o’clock and he _____ bored because he _____ for two hours.
A  | was / was waiting  | 
B  | had been / had waited  | 
C  | is / has been waiting  | 
D  | was / is waiting  | 
E  | was / had been waiting  | 
Question 18  | 
The headline of the Guardian was quite impressive; “Saddam Hussein _____ in Tikrit”.
A  | had lived  | 
B  | lives  | 
C  | would live  | 
D  | will live  | 
E  | has been living  | 
Question 19  | 
In those times, life was hard and bitter for both of them. For a whole year, they _____ as complete strangers to each other as if they _____.
A  | remained / had never met  | 
B  | had remained / had never met  | 
C  | remained / never meet  | 
D  | would remain / would never meet  | 
E  | were remaining / had never met  | 
Question 20  | 
The mother of Adolf Hitler _____ of aborting him but soon she changed her mind and _____ him into the world.
A  | would think / brought  | 
B  | thinks / brings  | 
C  | was thinking / has brought  | 
D  | had thought / brought  | 
E  | has thought / brings  | 
Question 21  | 
By ten o’clock, he _____ the engine and he _____ to paint the garage when I paid a visit to him.
A  | will have repaired / has started  | 
B  | repaired / was starting  | 
C  | was repairing / had started  | 
D  | repairs / starts  | 
E  | had repaired / was going to start  | 
Question 22  | 
A few years ago, it _____ that certain cells of the human body never _____.
A  | is found / died  | 
B  | was found / die  | 
C  | has been found / died  | 
D  | had been found / dies  | 
E  | was found / dies  | 
Question 23  | 
Since they _____ acting, they _____ in three plays, a television commercial and two TV dramas.
A  | begin / have performed  | 
B  | began / have performed  | 
C  | begin / are performing  | 
D  | began / have been performing  | 
E  | began / had been performing  | 
Question 24  | 
The peak _____ the prize for mountaineers, especially if it _____ before.
A  | is / has not been attained  | 
B  | will be / wasn’t attained  | 
C  | was / had not been attained  | 
D  | has been / weren't attained  | 
E  | was / hasn’t been attained  | 
Question 25  | 
She last drove a car three years ago. Since she _____ an accident, she _____ a car for three years.
A  | had had / didn't drive  | 
B  | had had / hasn’t driven  | 
C  | had / hasn’t driven  | 
D  | has / hasn’t driven  | 
E  | has had / hasn’t been driving  | 
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 
| End | 


