Verb Tenses — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. By the time we arrived, the movie had already started.
Had + past participle (had started) forms the past perfect tense, showing an action completed before another past action.
2. Right now the students are working on their science projects.
Are + verb-ing (are working) forms the present progressive tense for an action happening right now.
3. She practiced the piano every day after school last year.
Practiced is the regular past tense of practice (-d added since practice ends in e).
4. Tomorrow the team will compete in the regional finals.
Will + base verb (will compete) forms the future tense for a planned future event.
5. The irregular past tense of "bring" is brought.
Bring is irregular — its past tense is brought, not bringed.
6. He was reading a mystery novel all afternoon yesterday.
Was + verb-ing (was reading) forms the past progressive tense for an ongoing past action.
7. Next month we will start a new unit on fractions.
Will + base verb (will start) signals the future tense for a planned upcoming event.
8. The irregular past tense of "catch" is caught.
Catch is irregular — its past tense is caught, not catched.
9. She walked to school every day this week because the bus broke down.
Walked is the regular past tense of walk — she walked (past tense, completed action this week).
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
She is dancing on stage.
→ present progressive
past progressive
They explored the cave last Saturday.
→ past
future
He will travel to Japan next summer.
→ future
present progressive
The baby was crawling across the floor.
→ past progressive
past
Is dancing → present progressive; Explored → past; Will travel → future; Was crawling → past progressive.