Grammar: Basic Tense Quiz Questions!

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  • 1/30 Questions

    I __________ TV at the moment.

    • Am watching
    • Are watching
    • Is watching
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About This Quiz


The correct use of tense is an important skill, as it helps with communication. There are thirteen verb tenses in English. Some examples include simple present, simple past, simple future, perfect present tense, simple continuous perfect, simple present tense, and past simple positive. During this quiz, you will be invited to fill in the blank with the words that correspond with the proper tense. If you want to learn about verb tenses, take this quiz. You’ve got this.

Grammar: Basic Tense Quiz Questions! - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    She _________ the piano.

    • Is playing

    • Are playing

    • Am playing

    Correct Answer
    A. Is playing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "is playing" because the subject "she" is singular and requires the singular form of the verb "to play."

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  • 3. 

    We _________ a book.

    • Am reading

    • Is reading

    • Are reading

    Correct Answer
    A. Are reading
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "are reading" because the subject "we" is plural, indicating that more than one person is involved in the action of reading. In English, when the subject is plural, we use the plural form of the verb, which in this case is "are."

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  • 4. 

    Listen! Sue and John ____________.

    • Am singing

    • Is singing

    • Are singing

    Correct Answer
    A. Are singing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "are singing" because the subject of the sentence, Sue and John, is plural. In English, when the subject is plural, we use the plural form of the verb, which is "are" in this case. Therefore, the correct sentence is "Sue and John are singing."

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  • 5. 

    We (to speak) ___________ English at the moment.

    Correct Answer
    are speaking
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "are speaking" because the sentence is referring to the present moment and the continuous tense is used to indicate an action that is happening right now.

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  • 6. 

    I (to wait) ____________ in the car now.

    Correct Answer
    am waiting
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "am waiting" because the sentence is in the present continuous tense, which is used to describe an action happening at the moment of speaking. In this case, the speaker is currently waiting in the car.

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  • 7. 

    Choose the correct sentence:

    • We went not only to the bank but also grocery shopping.

    • We went not only to the bank but also to the grocery store.

    Correct Answer
    A. We went not only to the bank but also to the grocery store.
    Explanation
    The correct sentence is "We went not only to the bank but also to the grocery store." This sentence is grammatically correct because it includes the necessary preposition "to" before "the grocery store." The sentence also uses parallel structure by including "not only" before "to the bank" and "but also" before "to the grocery store."

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  • 8. 

    Mrs. Miller (to listen) _____________ to CDs.

    Correct Answer
    is listening
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "is listening". This is because the sentence is in the present continuous tense, which is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking. In this case, it indicates that Mrs. Miller is currently engaged in the activity of listening to CDs.

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  • 9. 

    Look! Andy __________ in the garden.

    • Am working

    • Are working

    • Is working

    Correct Answer
    A. Is working
    Explanation
    The correct form is "is working." In this sentence, "Andy" is a singular subject, so the verb must agree in number. "Is" is the correct verb form for a singular third-person subject (he/she/it), and "working" is the present participle, which is used to describe an ongoing action in the present continuous tense. The other options are incorrect because they do not match the subject-verb agreement.

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  • 10. 

    Choose the correct sentence:

    • I feel badly when you leave.

    • I feel bad when you leave.

    Correct Answer
    A. I feel bad when you leave.
    Explanation
    The correct sentence is "I feel bad when you leave." This is because "bad" is an adjective that describes the feeling, whereas "badly" is an adverb that describes how the feeling is experienced. Since the verb "feel" requires an adjective to describe the subject's state of being, "bad" is the appropriate choice in this context.

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  • 11. 

    Does mark know that Cathy ______ him?

    • Is liking

    • Likes

    • Like

    Correct Answer
    A. Likes
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "likes". This is because the question is asking about Cathy's feelings towards Mark, and the verb "likes" is the correct form to use in this context.

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  • 12. 

    My sister (to clean) _________ the bathroom

    Correct Answer
    is cleaning
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "is cleaning" because the sentence is in the present continuous tense, indicating an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. The verb "clean" is being used in the present continuous form "is cleaning" to show that the sister is currently engaged in the activity of cleaning the bathroom.

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  • 13. 

    You must _______ what I tell you to do.

    • Exactly do

    • Do exactly

    Correct Answer
    A. Do exactly
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "do exactly." This phrase means that the person being addressed should perform the action exactly as it is instructed or stated. It emphasizes the importance of following the instructions precisely without any deviation or interpretation.

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  • 14. 

    Choose the correct sentence:

    • Mark both likes Monica and Sandy.

    • Mark likes both Monica and Sandy.

    Correct Answer
    A. Mark likes both Monica and Sandy.
    Explanation
    The correct sentence is "Mark likes both Monica and Sandy." This sentence correctly uses the word "both" to indicate that Mark has positive feelings towards both Monica and Sandy. The sentence also uses the verb "likes" to show that Mark has a liking or preference for both individuals.

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  • 15. 

    The members of the jury _____ in the next room casting their votes.

    • Is

    • Are

    • Was

    Correct Answer
    A. Are
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "are" because "members" is a plural noun, and when referring to multiple people, the verb should be plural as well. Therefore, "are" is the correct form of the verb to agree with the subject "members."

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  • 16. 

    You are getting very excited in meeting Mr. Smith, _______?

    • Aren't you

    • Are you not

    • Are you

    Correct Answer
    A. Aren't you
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Aren't you". This is because the phrase "aren't you" is a contraction of "are you not" and is used to seek confirmation or agreement from the listener. In this context, the speaker is expressing their excitement about meeting Mr. Smith and is expecting the listener to share the same sentiment.

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  • 17. 

    Which sentence is in the past perfect tense?

    • She has finished her homework.

    • She will finish her homework.

    • She had finished her homework before dinner.

    • She finishes her homework every day.

    Correct Answer
    A. She had finished her homework before dinner.
    Explanation
    The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. The correct sentence, "She had finished her homework before dinner," shows that the homework was completed before the dinner took place. The use of "had" plus the past participle "finished" indicates the past perfect tense, distinguishing it from the other options, which are in different tenses.

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  • 18. 

    Which of these people ______ you met?

    • Have

    • Had

    • Do

    Correct Answer
    A. Have
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "have". This is because the question is asking about a past experience of meeting someone, and "have" is the correct auxiliary verb to use in the present perfect tense to indicate a past action with a present relevance.

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  • 19. 

    Choose the correct sentence:

    • That soup tastes strangely.

    • That soup tastes strange.

    Correct Answer
    A. That soup tastes strange.
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "That soup tastes strange." This sentence uses the adjective "strange" to describe the taste of the soup. The word "strange" is used to express an unusual or unfamiliar taste, which fits the context of the sentence.

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  • 20. 

    Choose the correct sentence. (consistency of tense)

    • John walked into the study hall and starts complaining about his grade on the spelling test.

    • John walked into the study hall and started complaining about his grade on the spelling test.

    Correct Answer
    A. John walked into the study hall and started complaining about his grade on the spelling test.
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "John walked into the study hall and started complaining about his grade on the spelling test." This is the correct sentence because it maintains consistency of tense. The verb "walked" is in the past tense, and the verb "started" is also in the past tense, indicating that both actions occurred in the past.

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  • 21. 

    The wind shifted ______ direction.

    • It's

    • Its

    Correct Answer
    A. Its
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "its". In this sentence, "its" is used as a possessive pronoun to show that the wind is changing its own direction. "It's" is a contraction of "it is" and would not make sense in this context.

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  • 22. 

    Mark __________ drying the dishes by the time Sam arrived.(past perfect)

    • Had finished

    • Was finished

    • Have finished

    Correct Answer
    A. Had finished
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "had finished." This is because the sentence is in the past perfect tense, which is used to show an action that was completed before another past action. In this case, the action of Mark finishing drying the dishes happened before Sam arrived.

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  • 23. 

    I _______ the play that was recently reviewed in the Daily Chronicle.(present perfect)

    • Have seen

    • Had seen

    • Saw

    Correct Answer
    A. Have seen
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "have seen" because the present perfect tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still relevant in the present. In this case, the speaker is referring to their experience of watching the play, which happened at an unspecified time before the present moment.

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  • 24. 

    _______ dog was barking last night?

    • Who's

    • Whose

    Correct Answer
    A. Whose
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "Whose." This is because "Whose" is used to indicate possession or ownership. In this context, the question is asking about the owner of the dog that was barking last night.

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  • 25. 

    Cynthia ________ my friend since the first day she moved to town.(present perfect)

    • Had been

    • Was

    • Has been

    • Have been

    Correct Answer
    A. Has been
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "has been". This is because the sentence is in the present perfect tense, which indicates an action or state that started in the past and continues into the present. "Has been" is the present perfect form of the verb "to be", and it is used to show that Cynthia has been my friend since the first day she moved to town.

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  • 26. 

    Congressional elections ______ held every two years.

    • Was

    • Is

    • Are

    Correct Answer
    A. Are
    Explanation
    Congressional elections are held every two years. This is because the U.S. Constitution mandates that members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Therefore, elections for the House of Representatives are held every two years to ensure that there is a regular turnover of representatives and that the people have the opportunity to elect new representatives frequently.

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  • 27. 

    I _______ good things about you long before I met you.(past perfect)

    • Have heard

    • Had heard

    • Heard

    Correct Answer
    A. Had heard
    Explanation
    The sentence is talking about hearing good things about someone before meeting them. Since the action of hearing occurred before the action of meeting, the past perfect tense "had heard" is used to indicate this sequence of events in the past.

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  • 28. 

    I will meet you when classes ______ over.

    • Will be

    • Are

    • Is

    Correct Answer
    A. Is
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "is" because the sentence is in the present tense and refers to a future event. "Is" is the correct form of the verb "to be" to use with the subject "classes" in this context.

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  • 29. 

    Sandra __________ two years of college by the time you see her this summer.(future perfect)

    • Will finish

    • Will be finished

    • Will have finished

    Correct Answer
    A. Will have finished
    Explanation
    By using the future perfect tense "will have finished," the sentence suggests that Sandra will complete two years of college before the specific point in time mentioned, which is when the person sees her this summer. This implies that Sandra is currently in college and will have completed the two-year program by the summer.

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  • 30. 

    The fire fighters ________ the alarm and spring into action.

    • Hears

    • Hear

    • Heard

    Correct Answer
    A. Hear
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "hear". In this sentence, the subject "fire fighters" is plural, so the verb needs to agree with it. "Hear" is the correct present tense form of the verb to match the plural subject.

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 17, 2025
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Jul 15, 2009
    Quiz Created by
    Telegroup
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