English Tenses Advanced Level MCQs (Set 3) for competitive exams

English Tenses Advanced Level MCQs (Set 3)

English Tenses MCQs 1-10

1. I ____ my book in the launderette while my washing ________.
A) have read / dries
B) read / was drying
C) was reading / has dried
D) have read / is drying
E) am reading / has dried
Answer: B

2. Up to now, the predicted Millennium computer bug ____ very few problems, although many scientists last year ____ a catastrophe.
A) has been causing / have predicted
B) is causing / predict
C) causes / were predicting
D) caused / have been predicting
E) has caused / predicted
Answer: E

3. I only ____ the company on Monday for a copy of their magazine and I ____ it already.
A) was asking / am receiving
B) have been asking / was receiving
C) ask / receive
D) asked / have received
E) have asked / have been receiving
Answer: D

4. More and more of my colleagues ____ these days because the owners of the company have changed a lot of procedures. These changes won’t affect me though, because I ____ my job here only recently.
A) have left / was starting
B) leave / am starting
C) were leaving / started
D) left / start
E) are leaving / have started
Answer: E

5. She ____ onto the train because the station guard ____ his whistle.
A) has hurried / blows
B) hurries / has been blowing
C) hurried / was blowing
D) was hurrying / has blown
E) is hurrying / blows
Answer: C

6. Maryam’s family ____ pedigree dogs for three generations and they regularly ____ their dogs in shows.
A) have been breeding / enter
B) are breeding / are entering
C) were breeding / are entering
D) breed / have entered
E) bred / were entering
Answer: A

7. Mrs. Wahab ____ her daughter’s wedding dress herself since November and ____ it, except for the trimmings.
A) made / finished
B) was making / was finishing
C) has been making / has finished
D) is making / finished
E) makes / is finishing
Answer: C

8. Because we have a young baby, we ____ the opportunity to go to the cinema any more, but now and again, we ____ a video to play at home.
A) didn’t have / are buying
B) aren’t having / were buying
C) don’t have / buy
D) weren’t having / bought
E) haven’t had / have been buying
Answer: C

9. The perfume ____ like cheap soap and definitely isn’t worth this price
A) is smelling
B) smells
C) has been smelling
D) was smelling
E) smelt
Answer: B

10. While I ____ some money from a cash machine, a man ____ it all out of my hand
A) was withdrawing / snatched
B) withdrew / snatches
C) am withdrawing / has snatched
D) have withdraw / was snatching
E) withdrew / has been snatching
Answer: A

Check also: English Tenses Advanced Level MCQs (Set 1)

English Tenses MCQs 11-20

11. They ____ to buy a boat for years, and finally they ____ enough money.
A) have been hoping / have saved
B) hope / saved
C) were hoping / are saving
D) hoped / have been saving
E) are hoping / save
Answer: A

12. As he ____ the party, a strange man ____ him
A) left / has been approaching
B) is leaving / has approached
C) leaves / was approaching
D) has left / approaches
E) was leaving / approached
Answer: E

13. We ____ with the sales staff tomorrow because our sales ____ recently
A) were meeting / declined
B) are meeting / have declined
C) meet / decline
D) met / were declining
E) have met / are declining
Answer: B

14. Saira’s husband ____ for a new job because his present one ____ no opportunities for advancement.
A) was looking / has offered
B) looks / was offering
C) looked / is offering
D) is looking / offers
E) has looked / has been offering
Answer: D

15. I ____ you several times last week, but no one ____ in.
A) was phoning / has been
B) phoned / was
C) have phoned / has been
D) phone / is being
E) am phoning / is
Answer: B

16. My father ____ English at all although he ____ it for three years when he was in high school.
A) isn’t speaking / has studied
B) hasn’t been speaking / studies
C) doesn’t speak / studied
D) didn’t speak / has been studying
E) wasn’t speaking / is studying
Answer: C

Check also: English Grammar MCQs

17. I ____ on this report for more than three weeks now, but I ____ only half of it yet.
A) work / have been completing
B) am working / complete
C) work / am completing
D) was working / completed
E) have been working / have completed
Answer: E

18. The archaeological evidence ____ clearly that people in ancient Crete ____ flush toilets 4000 years ago.
A) has shown / use
B) is showing / have used
C) showed / have been using
D) shows / were using
E) was showing / are using
Answer: D

19. Ayesha says she ____ Ali because he ____ her life miserable.
A) has been leaving / makes
B) has left / is making
C) leaves / was making
D) is leaving / has made
E) was leaving / has made
Answer: D

20. My brother ____ a new BMW and ever since, he ____ about it.
A) was buying / bragged
B) is buying / is bragging
C) has bought / brags
D) buys / has bragged
E) bought / has been bragging
Answer: E

English Tenses MCQs 21-30

21. He ____ great poverty until he ____ up writing and got a proper job.
A) has suffered / gives
B) suffered / gave
C) is suffering / has given
D) has suffered / was giving
E) suffers / is giving
Answer: B

22. I ____ a lot of weight since I ____ drinking beer every night.
A) have lost / stopped
B) lost / am stopping
C) lose / have been stopping
D) was losing / have stopped
E) am losing / stop
Answer: A

23. My son ____ very well at university this term because he ____ out late at night any more.
A) does / hasn’t stayed
B) did / isn’t staying
C) has done / wasn’t staying
D) was doing / hasn’t been staying
E) is doing / doesn’t stay
Answer: E

24. Last year he almost ____ because he ____ his social life a little too much.
A) fails / has enjoyed
B) was failing / has been enjoying
C) failed / was enjoying
D) has been failing / enjoyed
E) has failed / enjoys
Answer: C

25. Our company’s sales ____ since the new management ____ over.
A) have been improving / took
B) improve / has taken
C) improved / has been taking
D) are improving / was taking
E) were improving / is taking
Answer: A

26. The guards ____ when the enemy ____
A) are sleeping / has been attacking
B) have slept / was attacking
C) slept / has attacked
D) were sleeping / attacked
E) sleep / is attacking
Answer: D

27. The negotiators ____ to bring the two sides together for months, but so far they ____.
A) try / are failing
B) are trying / failed
C) tried / fail
D) have tried / were failing
E) have been trying / have failed
Answer: E

28. The electricity ____ off last night just as the film on TV ____ interesting.
A) has gone / got
B) was going / has got
C) is going / has been getting
D) goes / is getting
E) went / was getting
Answer: E

29. More than a million people ____ the new superstore since it ____ last month.
A) are visiting / has been opening
B) have visited / opened
C) were visiting / opens
D) have been visiting / is opening
E) visited / has opened
Answer: B

30. Water ____ from liquid to gas when it ____a temperature of 100◦ C.
A) has changed / reached
B) changed / was reaching
C) changes / reaches
D) has been changing / is reaching
E) is changing / reached
Answer: C

Check also: English Tenses Advanced Level MCQs (Set 2)

English Tenses MCQs 31-40

31. The phrase “post modernism” ____ about fifty years ago, but most people still ____ what it means.
A) was appearing / haven’t known
B) has appeared / don’t know
C) appeared / don’t know
D) appears / didn’t know
E) has been appearing / haven’t known
Answer: C

32. People who ____ items like bottles and cans ____the world’s resources.
A) aren’t recycling / wasted
B) didn’t recycle / waste
C) haven’t been recycling / were wasting
D) don’t recycle / are wasting
E) haven’t recycled / wasted
Answer: D

33. The president ____ too hard lately, and as a result, he ____ terrible
A) has been working / looks
B) has worked / looked
C) worked / is looking
D) works / has looked
E) is working / was looking
Answer: A

34. I ____ to play the lottery about two years ago, but I ____ anything yet
A) was starting / didn’t win
B) started / haven’t won
C) start / haven’t been winning
D) have started / don’t win
E) am starting / wasn’t winning
Answer: B

35. I ____ in Istanbul for so long that I ____ the time before the Bosphorus Bridges
A) am living / remembered
B) lived / am remembering
C) was living / have remembered
D) live / was remembering
E) have lived / remember
Answer: E

36. Two years ago, she ____ English at all, but she ____ hard since then.
A) hasn’t spoken / is studied
B) wasn’t speaking / studies
C) isn’t speaking / studied
D) didn’t speak / has been studying
E) doesn’t speak / was studying
Answer: D

37. My brother ____ three years in jail when he was younger, but now he ____ to give up his life of crime.
A) spent / has decided
B) spends / is deciding
C) has spent / has been deciding
D) was spending / decides
E) has been spending / decided
Answer: A

38. I ____ my boss privately tomorrow and I ____ quite nervous about it.
A) have seen / am feeling
B) see / was feeling
C) am seeing / feel
D) saw / felt
E) was seeing / have felt
Answer: C

39. The first time I ____ horse riding, I was very nervous and ____ the reins very tightly.
A) was going / am holding
B) have gone / hold
C) am going / have held
D) go / was holding
E) went / held
Answer: E

40. Life ____ immensely since Thomas Edison ____ the first light bulb in 1879.
A) is changing / was inventing
B) has changed / invented
C) has been changing / has invented
D) changed / has been inventing
E) was changing / invent
Answer: B

English Tenses MCQs 41-45

41. Normally, people ____ quickly from the flu, but so far this year many people ____ as a result of it.
A) are recovering / had died
B) had recovered / are going to die
C) have been recovering / die
D) recover / have died
E) were recovering / will die
Answer: D

42. You ____ for three months by the time you leave for your holiday, so you ____ quite a lot of weight.
A) have been dieting / will be losing
B) will have been dieting / will have lost
C) had dieted / lost
D) were dieting / had lost
E) are going to diet / have lost
Answer: B

43. Carreta turtles ____ their eggs on the beach at night and ____ the reflection from the sea to find their way back to the water. English Tenses MCQs
A) lay / use
B) were laying / have used
C) are going to lay / used
D) laid / are using
E) will lay / had used
Answer: A

44. By the mid 1970s, “Marks and Spenser” ____ one of the top department stores and they ____ more underwear than any other British company at the time.
A) had become / were selling
B) is going to become / had sold
C) has become / are selling
D) became / will be selling
E) was becoming / will have sold
Answer: A

45. I ____ the potpeeled / will be chopping atoes while you ____ the potatoes while you ____ the leeks for the soup. ____ the leeks for the soup.
A) peeled / will be chopping | English Tenses MCQs 11-20
B) will have peeled / have chopped
C) was peeling / had chopped
D) peel / will have chopped
E) will peel / chop
Answer: E

English Tenses MCQs 45-50

46. For the past 24 hours, a tropical storm ____ the houses of villages in Mozambique, but it is hard to know as yet how much damage it ____ by the time it has stopped.
A) was going to batter / causes
B) battered / will have been causing
C) has been battering / will have caused
D) had been battering / has caused
E) is battering / has been causing
Answer: C

47. By 1840, the US Army ____ most Eastern Indian tribes west of the Mississippi.
A) will have pushed
B) have pushed
C) had pushed
D) pushed
E) are pushing
Answer: C

48. For most of the time throughout the picnic, the boys ____ football while the girls ____ flowers. English Tenses MCQs 11-20
A) will play / have been picking
B) are playing / have been picking
C) have played / are picking
D) were playing / were picking
E) had been playing / have picked
Answer: D

49. Over recent years, glue sniffing, which ____ negative effects on both the body and the mind, ____ a major problem among teenagers.
A) has had / is becoming
B) has / has become
C) is going to have / had become
D) will have / will have become
E) is having / was becoming
Answer: B

50. Chinese merchants ____ trade in Tibet since 1950, when China ____ the country. English Tenses MCQs 11-20
A) dominate / was invading
B) were dominating / has invaded
C) will have dominated / had invaded
D) had dominated / will be invading
E) have dominated / invaded
Answer: E

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English Tenses Advanced Level MCQs (Set 3)