Review of verb tenses (Intermediate II)

Which of these tenses can be used to talk about finished actions, events, or situations in the past?

• Present simple

• Present continuous

• Past simple

• Past continuous

Answer explanation

Use the past simple to talk about finished actions, events, or situations in the past.

Which of these tenses can be used to talk about an action or situation in progress at a specific time in the past?

• Present simple

• Present continuous

• Past simple

• Past continuous

Answer explanation

Use the past continuous to talk about an action or the situation in progress at a particular time in the past that is not yet finished at that time.

Which of these tenses can be used to talk about an activity happening at the time of speaking?

• Present simple

• Present continuous

• Past simple

• Past continuous

Answer explanation

Use the past continuous to talk about an activity happening at the time of speaking or a temporary activity happening around now. It may be happening at the moment, but maybe not.

Which of the following is TRUE of state verbs?

• They are always used in the continuous form

• They are rarely used in the continuous form, but can be when describing actions

• They are never used in the continuous form except in the past

• They are never used in the continuous form

Answer explanation

Although state verbs are not usually used in the continuous form, they can be used in continuous tenses (both past and present) when they describe actions.

Which of the following phrases is NOT correct?

• He loves his job

• He is seeming tired

• He is thinking of quitting

• He sounds happy

Answer explanation

All the examples use state verbs, which are not usually used with continuous tenses except when they describe actions, like thinking.

Which of the following phrases is correct?

• I was sharing my screen when your message popped up

• I share my screen when your message popped up

• I am sharing my screen when your message popped up

• I share my screen when your message was popping up

Answer explanation

All examples describe two past actions—sharing a screen and a message popping up—happening at the same time.

In this cases, you should use the past continuous which follows this structure:

subject + to be in the past + verb in gerund (-ing)

In this case:

I (subject) was (to be in the past) sharing (gerund) my screen.

What is the correct question form of the phrase "She fixed that bug"?

• Is she fix that bug?

• She fix that bug?

• Did she fix that bug?

• Does she fix that bug?

Answer explanation

"She fixed that bug" is in the past simple.

To ask a question in the past simple, follow this structure:

Did + subject + verb in infinitive + complement

In this case:

Did she (subject) fix (infinitive) that bug (complement)?

What is the correct negative form of the phrase "I am deploying the code to production"?

• I amn’t deploying the code to production

• I do not deploying the code to production

• I am not deploying the code to production

• I not deploying the code to production

Answer explanation

The phrase "I am deploying the code to production" is written in the present continuous.

To turn a positive present continuous phrase into a negative one, add "not" between "to be" and the verb in the gerund (-ing).

In this case:

I am NOT deploying the code to production.

Which of the following is NOT a grammatically correct question?

• Did you get my email?

• Are you get my emails?

• Are you getting my emails?

• Do you get my emails?

Answer explanation

For "Are you get my emails?" to be correct, it would either need to follow a present simple or a present continuous structure.

The correct present simple structure for questions is:

Do/does + subject + verb in infinitive + complement.

The correct present continuous structure for questions is:

To be + subject + verb in gerund (-ing) + complement

Which of these tenses can be used to talk about habits and routines?

• Present simple

• Present continuous

• Past simple

• Past continuous

Answer explanation

Use the present simple to talk about something that is always or generally true, habits, routines, and with "be" and other state verbs.