Tense revision

TENSE REVISION EXERCISES 1. Simple Present / Present Continuous A Trekking Journal November 12, 1997 Today (be) the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am exhausted and my legs (shake) ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My feet (kill, really) me and my toes (bleed) , but I (want, still) to continue. Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn.Everything (be) so different, and I (try) to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn) a little bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn, not) foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand, not) much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) . I (travel, currently) with Liam, a student from Leeds University in England. He (be) a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk,always) ahead of me and (complain) that I am too slow. I (do) my best to keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry for myself because I am getting old. Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) the differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) the real name of the owner, but everybody (call, just) him Tam.Tam (speak) English very well and he (try) to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time Tam (say) a new word, Liam (try) to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam (seem, also) to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't get lost and have to ask for directions.

2. Simple Past / Past Continuous Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call) . She said she (call) me onher cell phone from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if she (wait) for class, but she said that the professor was at the front of the hall lecturing while she (talk) to me. I couldn't believe she (make) a phone call during the lecture. I asked what was going on. She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually) in class. Some of the students(talk) about their plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw) a picture of a horse. When Angela (tell) me she was not satisfied with the class, I (mention) that my biology professor was quite good and (suggest) that she switch to my class. While we were talking, I (hear) her professor yell, "Miss, are you making a phone call?" Suddenly, the line went dead. I (hang) up the phone and wentto the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut) vegetables for a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be) Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in class.

3. Simple Past / Present Perfect Since computers were first introduced to the public in the early 1980's, technology (change) a great deal. The first computers (be) simple machines designed for basic tasks. They (have, not) much memory and they(be, not) very powerful. Early computers were often quite expensive and customers often (pay) thousands of dollars for machines which actually (do) very little. Most computers (be) separate, individual machines used mostly as expensive typewriters or for playing games. Times (change) . Computers (become) powerful machines with very practical applications. Programmers (create) a large selection ofuseful programs which do everything from teaching foreign languages to bookkeeping. We are still playing video games, but today's games (become) faster, more exciting interactive adventures. Many

computer users (get, also) on the Internet and (begin) communicating with other computer users around the world. We (start) to create international communities online. In short, the simple, individualmachines of the past (evolve) into an international World Wide Web of knowledge. 4. Present Perfect / Present Perfect Continuous 1. A: How long (be) in Canada? B: I (study) here for more than three years. 2. I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a new one. 3. I (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a "chocoholic". 4. Matt and Sarah...