Present Simple, Present Continuous Or Past Simple Quiz

Reviewed by Juliette Firla
Juliette Firla, MA |
K-12 English Expert
Review Board Member
Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University (2016-2020) and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University (Apr 2023-Dec 2025). She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education, obtained in July 2021. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.
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Present Simple, Present Continuous Or Past Simple Quiz - Quiz

Welcome to the Present Simple, Present Continuous, or Past Simple Quiz – a journey into the tenses of English grammar! This quiz is designed to test your understanding of the present simple, present continuous, and past simple tenses. Dive in, and let's explore the nuances of time in English through a series of thought-provoking questions.

In this quiz, you'll encounter sentences where the correct tense – present simple, present continuous, or past simple – needs to be identified. Each question presents a different scenario, demanding your attention to temporal details. From routine actions to ongoing activities and completed events, this Read morequiz provides a comprehensive test of your ability to navigate the time dimensions of English grammar.


Present Simple, Present Continuous or Past Simple Questions and Answers

  • 1. 

    A liar is someone who __________ the truth.

    • A.

      Doesn't tell

    • B.

      Doesn’t telling

    • C.

      Didn't tell

    Correct Answer
    A. Doesn't tell
    Explanation
    A liar is someone who doesn't tell the truth. This means that they intentionally choose to withhold or manipulate information in order to deceive others. Lying involves deliberately providing false or misleading statements, which goes against the principle of telling the truth.

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  • 2. 

    Vegetarians __________ meat.

    • A.

      Didn't eat

    • B.

      Aren't eating

    • C.

      Don't eat

    Correct Answer
    C. Don't eat
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "don't eat". This is because vegetarians, as a general rule, choose not to consume meat. The phrase "don't eat" is in the present tense, which matches the ongoing action of not consuming meat that vegetarians practice.

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  • 3. 

    How often per week __________ basketball?

    • A.

      Are you playing

    • B.

      Do you play

    • C.

      Did you play

    Correct Answer
    B. Do you play
    Explanation
    The question is asking about the frequency of playing basketball in a week. The correct answer "do you play" is in the present simple tense and is used to talk about regular activities or habits. It implies that the person is currently playing basketball on a regular basis.

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  • 4. 

    Sarah __________ another three rounds, then she gave up.

    • A.

      Is running

    • B.

      Runs

    • C.

      Ran

    Correct Answer
    C. Ran
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "ran" because it is the past tense form of the verb "run." The sentence is talking about an action that Sarah completed in the past, indicating that she ran for three rounds and then gave up.

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  • 5. 

    What __________? I don't understand a word.

    • A.

      Are they saying

    • B.

      Did they say

    • C.

      Do they say

    Correct Answer
    A. Are they saying
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "are they saying" because the sentence is in the present continuous tense and is asking about the current action of someone's speech. The speaker is expressing their confusion and asking for clarification on what is being said.

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  • 6. 

    Mozart __________ more than 600 pieces of music.

    • A.

      Writes

    • B.

      Wrote

    • C.

      Is writing

    Correct Answer
    B. Wrote
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "wrote" because the verb tense needs to match the subject "Mozart" in the past tense. Since the question is asking about Mozart's past actions, the correct verb form is "wrote," indicating that Mozart has already completed the action of writing more than 600 pieces of music.

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  • 7. 

    I was very thirsty. I __________ the water very quickly.

    • A.

      Drank

    • B.

      Am drinking

    • C.

      Drink

    Correct Answer
    A. Drank
    Explanation
    The sentence is in the past tense and the speaker is referring to a specific event in the past when they were very thirsty. Therefore, the correct verb form to use is "drank," which is the simple past tense of the verb "drink."

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  • 8. 

    Where __________ last summer?

    • A.

      Are you going

    • B.

      Do you go

    • C.

      Did you go

    Correct Answer
    C. Did you go
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "did you go". This is because the question is asking about an action that occurred in the past, specifically last summer. The phrase "did you go" is the correct form of the past tense for the verb "to go".

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  • 9. 

    Where __________ you last Monday?

    • A.

      Were

    • B.

      Was

    • C.

      Are

    Correct Answer
    A. Were
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were" because it is the past tense form of the verb "to be" used with the pronoun "you." In this question, we are asking about the location or place where the person was on a specific day, which is in the past tense.

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  • 10. 

    We __________ get into the house because we had lost the key.

    • A.

      Can't

    • B.

      Could

    • C.

      Couldn't

    Correct Answer
    C. Couldn't
    Explanation
    The word "couldn't" is the correct answer because it is the past tense form of "can't" and indicates that the speaker was unable to get into the house due to losing the key.

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Juliette Firla |MA |
K-12 English Expert
Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University (2016-2020) and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University (Apr 2023-Dec 2025). She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education, obtained in July 2021. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.

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  • Mar 21, 2024
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    ProProfs Editorial Team

    Expert Reviewed by
    Juliette Firla
  • Nov 01, 2011
    Quiz Created by
    Selzergasse
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