Tenses — GK Questions with Answers

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form: ___ you ___ your homework yet?
   1. Didn’t, do
   2. Haven’t, done
   3. Don’t, do
   4. Aren’t, do
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   Answer: (B) Haven’t, done

   Yet signals the present perfect: Haven’t you done…?

2. Fill in the blanks: I ___ Paris two years ago. Yuvika told me that she ___ Paris five years before.
   1. had visited, had been visited
   2. visited, had visited
   3. was visiting, was visiting
   4. has been visiting, visited
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   Answer: (B) visited, had visited

   A stated past time takes the simple past; an action earlier than a past moment takes the past perfect.

3. Fill in the blanks: I ___ this necklace. I ___ it for nearly 30 years now.
   1. am loving, had
   2. have loved, have
   3. love, have had
   4. loved, am having
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   Answer: (C) love, have had

   Love is a state verb so it cannot be continuous; for with a period needs the present perfect.

4. Fill in the blanks: While the guests ___, thieves ___ into the house and ___ a lot of fur coats.
   1. danced, are breaking, had stolen
   2. are dancing, break, stolen
   3. had danced, had broken, were stolen
   4. were dancing, broke, stole
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   Answer: (D) were dancing, broke, stole

   A long background action in the past continuous, interrupted by short actions in the simple past.

5. Fill in the blanks: ___ you ___ that book yet? You ___ it for ages.
   1. Haven’t, finished, have been reading
   2. Aren’t, finished, have read
   3. Won’t, finish, had read
   4. Hadn’t, finished, are reading
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Haven’t, finished, have been reading

   Yet needs the present perfect; a long continuing action needs the present perfect continuous.

6. Fill in the blank: The train ___ for Lucknow at eight.
   1. have been left
   2. will left
   3. will leaved
   4. leaves
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   Answer: (D) leaves

   A fixed timetable in the future takes the simple present.

7. Fill in the blank: By next Diwali we ___ this shop for ten years.
   1. will be running
   2. shall be running
   3. shall have been running
   4. shall have running
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   Answer: (C) shall have been running

   An action continuing up to a future point takes the future perfect continuous.

8. Fill in the blanks: Cuckoos ___ nests. They ___ the nests of other birds.
   1. do not build, uses
   2. do not build, use
   3. does not build, use
   4. do not build, used
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   Answer: (B) do not build, use

   A general truth in the simple present; plural subject takes the plural verb.

9. Fill in the blanks: I ___ my watch while I ___ it last night.
   1. drop, wind
   2. dropping, winding
   3. was dropping, wind
   4. dropped, was winding
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   Answer: (D) dropped, was winding

   A short action in the simple past inside a longer one in the past continuous.

10. Fill in the blank: He ___ had a good fight with his landlord before leaving the village a year ago.
    1. has
    2. have
    3. did
    4. had
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    Answer: (D) had

    The fight came before another past event, so it takes the past perfect.

11. Fill in the blank: Just as I ___ the house, the phone rang.
    1. have left
    2. was leaving
    3. leave
    4. had left
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    Answer: (B) was leaving

    A long action interrupted by a short one takes the past continuous.

12. Which sentence is correct?
    1. I am knowing the answer.
    2. I know the answer.
    3. I am understanding you.
    4. She is having a car.
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    Answer: (B) I know the answer.

    Know, understand and have (= own) are state verbs and take no continuous form.

13. Fill in the blank: We shall go provided the weather ___ fine.
    1. will be
    2. is
    3. would be
    4. shall be
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    Answer: (B) is

    After provided, if, when and until, English uses the simple present, not a future form.

14. Match: "She ___ now" requires —
    1. had seen
    2. will be meeting
    3. is singing
    4. have known
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    Answer: (C) is singing

    Now points to an action in progress — the present continuous.

15. The teacher said that the earth ___ round the sun.
    1. moved
    2. moves
    3. had moved
    4. was moving
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) moves

    A universal truth stays in the present even after a past reporting verb.

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