Prepare For Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT): Verb Tense English Grammar

1. The secretary apologized to the prime minister to being late to the meeting:

To being

To be

For to be

For being

For the being of

gerund follows the preposition "for," infinitive does not.

Explanation

gerund follows the preposition "for," infinitive does not.

2. My little brother has grew two inches during the past year:

Has grew

Had grew

Has grown

Grown

Had been growing

Past participle instead of simple past

Explanation

Past participle instead of simple past

3. When he penned Richard III in the early 1590s, Shakespeare did not know that he will become the greatest English dramatist.

Will become

Would become

Became

Had become

Would became

"would" with past tense

Explanation

"would" with past tense

4. By the time Lydia books the flight to Poland, she has called her grandmother about the visit.

Has called

Will has called

Calls

Will have called

Called

The sentence describes an action that will be completed before another action in the future. The future perfect tense ("will have called") is used to describe an action that will be finished before a specific time or event in the future. In this case, the action of calling her grandmother will be finished before the action of booking the flight.

Explanation

The sentence describes an action that will be completed before another action in the future. The future perfect tense ("will have called") is used to describe an action that will be finished before a specific time or event in the future. In this case, the action of calling her grandmother will be finished before the action of booking the flight.

5. Which sentence uses the correct verb tense?

I am going to the store yesterday.

She will finish her homework tomorrow.

They have eaten dinner already.

He is playing the piano now.

The present perfect tense ("have eaten") is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result that is relevant to the present. In this case, the action of eating dinner has already been completed, and the result is that they are no longer hungry.

Explanation

The present perfect tense ("have eaten") is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result that is relevant to the present. In this case, the action of eating dinner has already been completed, and the result is that they are no longer hungry.

6. The professor tells her students, who promise they would study quietly for three hours, that she won't give extra assignments.

Would study

Studied

Study

Have studied

Will study

"will" always with present tense sentence

Explanation

"will" always with present tense sentence

7. When Margaret checked the pie, she noticed that father has taken a slice.

Checked, has taken

Had checked, took

Checked, took

Checked, had taken

Had checked, had taken

1st action always uses past perfect, 2nd uses simple past.

Explanation

1st action always uses past perfect, 2nd uses simple past.

8. By the time the group of congressmen have adjourned, several important decisions have been made.

Have adjourned; have been made

Adjourned; have been made

Adjourned; had been made

Adjourns; were

Was adjourned, have been made

noun/verb single/plural agreement (had/have) and order of past actions.

Explanation

noun/verb single/plural agreement (had/have) and order of past actions.

9. Even though Adam was a great roommate, Lionel hated his to sing in the shower.

His to sing

Him singing

His singing

His to be singing

Him being singing

gerund functioning as a noun, possessive modifies Lionel doesn't hate Adam (him), but "his singing"

Explanation

gerund functioning as a noun, possessive modifies Lionel doesn't hate Adam (him), but "his singing"

10. During the nineteenth century, Charles Dickens has become one of the most famous British novelist.

Has become

Became

Becomes

Had become

Would became

simple past (date in past), not perfect present

Explanation

simple past (date in past), not perfect present

11. Since the rise of his designs, such as Falling Water, to world-reknown, Frank Lloyd Wright has become an icon of modern architecture.

Has become

Became

Becomes

Had become

Would become

"Since" and "for" require present perfect tense. "Would" should not be used with present tense.

Explanation

"Since" and "for" require present perfect tense. "Would" should not be used with present tense.

12. Despite many people's beliefs today, scientists have been publishing strong evidence for global warming.

Have been publishing

Were publishing

Published

Have published

Had published

present perfect tense--happened at unspecified time before present

Explanation

present perfect tense--happened at unspecified time before present

13. At the night club, the plain clothes detective noticed a dark-haired man's standing alone in the corner.

Man's standing

Man being standing

Man to stand

Man to be standing

Man standing

noticed the dark-haired man, not specifically "standing."

Explanation

noticed the dark-haired man, not specifically "standing."

14. She requests that he arrive home, regardless of the traffic, by 5 pm.

Arrive

Has arrived

Arrives

Has arrived

Would have arrived

The sentence in present tense indicates a request for a habitual action, which is expressed with the base form of the verb "arrives" in this context.

Explanation

The sentence in present tense indicates a request for a habitual action, which is expressed with the base form of the verb "arrives" in this context.

15. The tree grew well since spring, but the city council is cutting it down anyway.

Grew

Has grown

Has been growing

Grows

Had been growing

present perfect continuous
not "had been" (past tense)
not "has grown" (implies stopped)

Explanation

present perfect continuous
not "had been" (past tense)
not "has grown" (implies stopped)