Tenses worksheet for ESL students

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate verb form.

1. The patient ————– before the doctor ————-

a) died, arrived

b) had died, arrived

c) dead, arrived

d) has died, arrived

2. The old widow usually —————– white dresses.

a) wear

b) wears

c) was wearing

d) would wear

3. I —————- just decided that I —————– undertake this job.

a) have, will

b) have, would

c) would, had

d) had, could

4. I —————- never forget what you just ————— me.

a) will, tell

b) would, told

c) had, told

d) will, told

5. I —————— to my dad and he —————- at once.

a) wrote, came

b) would write, will come

c) write, comes

d) had written, came

6. The train ——————— left before we —————- the station.

a) had, would reach

b) had, reached

c) had, reach

d) would, reach

7. The berries —————- picked when they were ripe.

a) are

b) were

c) were being

d) are being

8. The thieves ———————– arrested.

a) is

b) have been

c) were been

d) had been

9. Hundreds of innocent people ——————- in the communal riots.

a) was killed

b) is killed

c) were killed

d) have killed

10. He —————- the project in just two weeks.

a) finished

b) had finished

c) were finishing

d) had finished

Answers

1. The patient had died before the doctor arrived.

2. The old widow usually wears white dresses.

3. I have just decided that I will undertake this job.

4. I will never forget what you just told me.

5. I wrote to my dad and he came at once.

6. The train had left before we reached the station.

7. The berries were picked when they were ripe.

8. The thieves have been arrested.

9. Hundreds of innocent people were killed in the communal riots.

10. He finished the project in just two weeks.