Auxiliary Verbs

They ____________ won the race before they were given their medals.

• was

• had

• have

• don't

• didn't

Answer explanation

We use the past perfect simple when we want to emphasize that something happened and finished before something else in the past.

Tom ___________ washing the dishes while his wife was drying them.

• does

• do

• has

• is

• was

Answer explanation

We can use the continuous aspect to describe actions happening at the same time as each other.

We ___________ working in the office when the power cut occurred.

Answer explanation

We use the past continuous to describe an action that was interrupted in the past.

Frasier ____________ left the building.

Answer explanation

Present perfect actions describe past actions, but they emphasize their impact on the present.

Bill __________ teaching the class this week while Mrs Tomkins is away on vacation.

• have

• are

• was

• is

• has

Answer explanation

Present continuous actions don't have to be in the moment of speaking. They can also describe actions that are intermittent, as in the question.

Don't interrupt your father. He _____________ taking a very important call right now.

Answer explanation

Present Continuous actions refer to something that has not yet been completed.

Thomas ___________ always interrupting me. I'm getting seriously annoyed with him.

• are

• don't

• does

• has

• is

Answer explanation

While we generally use simple present to describe habitual actions, we can use present continuous to refer to them as well. We do need to use a time expression like 'always', however.

I have ____________ feeling quite optimistic recently.

Sarah ____________ been jogging in the local park ever since she moved into her new house.

• does

• do

• have

• was

• has

Answer explanation

By using the continuous form of the present perfect, we can emphasize that the action is being repeated.

Is this the first time you ___________ taken English classes at an institute?

Answer explanation

We use the present perfect after the expression 'the first/second time'.