18 June 2012

XIX - EXERCISES Verb tenses

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart 
Verb tenses
Guide to tense usage

Exercise one:

Read the text:

John has always traveled a lot. In fact, he was only two years old when he first flew to the US. His mother is Italian and his father is American. John was born in France, but his parents had met in Cologne, Germany after they had been living there for five years. They met one day while John's father was reading a book in the library and his mother sat down beside him. Anyway, John travels a lot because his parents also travel a lot.
As a matter of fact, John is visiting his parents in France at the moment. He lives in New York now, but has been visiting his parents for the past few weeks. He really enjoys living in New York, but he also loves coming to visit his parents at least once a year.
This year he has flown over 50,000 miles for his job. He has been working for Jackson & Co. for almost two years now. He's pretty sure that he'll be working for them next year as well. His job requires a lot of travel. In fact, by the end of this year, he'll have traveled over 120,000 miles! His next journey will be to Australia. He really doesn't like going to Australia because it is so far. This time he is going to fly from Paris after a meeting with the company's French partner. He'll have been sitting for over 18 hours by the time he arrives!
John was talking with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from New York telephoned to let him know that Jackson & Co. had decided to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies had been negotiating for the past month, so it really wasn't much of a surprise. Of course, this means that John will have to catch the next plane back to New York. He'll be meeting with his boss at this time tomorrow.


Once you have finished, re-read the text and make sure that you have understood everything. The next step is to complete the story (the text is exactly the same) putting the verbs into the correct tense.

John ________________ (always/travel) a lot. In fact, he _____ (be) only two years old when he first _____ (fly) to the US. His mother ___ (be) Italian and his father ___ (be) American. John ___ (be) born in France, but his parents ________ (meet) in Cologne, Germany after they ________ (live) there for five years. They ______ (meet) one day while John's father __________ (read) a book in the library and his mother ________ (sit down) beside him. Anyway, John ________ (travel) a lot because his parents also __________ (travel) a lot.
As a matter of fact, John ____________ (visit) his parents in France at the moment. He _______ (live) in New York now, but ______________ (visit) his parents for the past few weeks. He really _______ (enjoy) living in New York, but he also _______ (love) coming to visit his parents at least once a year.
This year he ___________ (fly) over 50,000 miles for his job. He _______________ (work) for Jackson & Co. for almost two years now. He's pretty sure that he ____________ (work) for them next year as well. His job __________ (require) a lot of travel. In fact, by the end of this year, he ____________ (travel) over 120,000 miles! His next journey _______ (be) to Australia. He really ________ (not like) going to Australia because it is so far. This time he __________ (fly) from Paris after a meeting with the company's French partner. He _______________ (sit) for over 18 hours by the time he ________ (arrive)!
John _____________ (talk) with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from New York _________ (telephone) to let him know that Jackson & Co. ___________ (decide) to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies ______________ (negotiate) for the past month, so it really _______ (not be) much of a surprise. Of course, this _______ (mean) that John _______ (have to catch) the next plane back to New York. He ______________ (meet) with his boss at this time tomorrow.

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