MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION EXERCISE ON VERB TENSES

You must choose the correct answer from the four options. This exercise is obviously not based on chance. Mastering the rules of conjugation is essential to succeeding in this test. However, it is sometimes possible to find the correct answer purely by luck.

Nevertheless, reviewing the grammar rules is a valuable asset for understanding them fully and memorizing them permanently.    

To memorize or review grammatical rules, you can refer to previous posts: 'Present tenses-Past tenses-Present-perfect tenses and Past-perfect tenses' (dated June 30, 2025) as well as: 'How do the present, past, present-perfect and past-perfect compare' (dated October 10, 2025).

The level of this exercise is B1. (The answers to this exercise can be found at the bottom of this page).

EXERCISE:

1. The doomsayers who predicted you failure in business have so far … 

a) to be going unheard.    b) gone unheard.    c) to be unheard.    d) gone being unheard.

2. The fire truck quickly … 

a) disappeared to our sight of.    b) disappeared from our sight.    c) disappearing from our sight.    d) disappeared of our sight.

3. How long has it been since you … him/her?

a) spoke last to    b) have spoken last to    c) last spoke to    d) have been speaking to

4. What … when I entered the room? 

a) have you done    b) would you do    c) have you been doing    d) were you doing

5. The company's new organizational chart could, if … , be implemented as early as the beginning of next year. 

a) approving    b) approved    c) having approved    d) being approved 

6. She has become a public figure since she … the Femina literary prize. 

a) has been winning    b) won    c) had been winning    d) has won

7. He was fired for an act that belongs to days long … 

a) back.    b) going.    c) time ago.    d) gone.

8. The prices of basic necessities are higher than …  

a) was expected.    b) were expected to be.    c) were expected.    d) it was expected to be.

9. When she arrived late to class yesterday, I immediately … something had gone wrong.

a) knew    b) was knowing    c) had known    d) would know

10. If I had told him, he … quickly.

a) must have reacted    b) can have reacted    c) would have reacted    d) had to react

11. President Emmanuel Macron was in Saarbrücken, Germany, on October 3, 2025. … his first visit there since the French cabinet reshuffle of October 12, 2025. 

a) It's    b)    It's been    c) It had been    d) It will be

12. The disco ball we had bought for next to nothing just before, we … our previous apartment look like a ballroom. 

a)  caused    b) left    c) had    d) made

13. After a week's vacation, it … nice to be back home. 

a) had been    b) was being nice    c) was    d) it's being nice

14. According to statistics, the number of students … in recent years. 

a) is increasing    b) increases    c) has increased    d) should be increasing

15. No sooner … he regretted his words. 

a) he had said it than    b) had he said it than    c) had he said it that    d) he had said it that

16. More people eat fruit than …

a) are used to.    b) they used to.    c) they are used.    d) used to.  

17. I was as excited about going to Dubai as if … the first time I'd traveled abroad. 

a) it had been    b) it could be    c) it should be    c) it has been

18. Nothing really important has happened since … 

a) he has left.    b) he left.    c) he had left.    d) he leaves.

19. … to work every day for the past month. 

a) She's been driving    b) She's driving    c) She drives    d) She was driving

20. Does he regret insulting her? No, he only regrets … 

a) he was caught.    b) to be caught.    c) have been caught.    d) at having been caught.

21. He stayed home all night, but I wonder, why … to the party?  

a) not to go    b) didn't he go    c) he didn't go    d) not going

22. 'I thought you were still collecting stamps'. 'Well, no, I no longer have time to do what I … do'. 

a) use to    b) would    c) used to    d) would use to

23. I was taking attendance when the fire alarm … throughout the building. 

a) sounded    b) were sounding    c) have sounded d) used to sound

24. He … for work for three months when he received a job offer. 

a) looked    b) would look    c) had been looking    d) has been looking

25. 'Have you ever visited the French Riviera?' - Yes, actually, I … there last week during the All Saints' Day holiday. 

a) have been    b) have been going    c) have gone    d) went

26. 'How long …?' - 'We … for half an hour and we … nearly 40 kilometers'. 

a) have we been driving/have been driving/have been covering    b) have we driven/have driven/have been covering    c) have we been driving/have driven/have been covering    d) have we been driving/have been driving/have covered 

27. The cost of living … since the war ended and the French authorities … the French currency several times.

a) has been steadily increasing/have devalued    b) has been steadily increasing/devalued    c) has steadily increased/devalued    d) has steadily increased/been devaluing  

28. As for this company, its leaders … a lack of common sense for far too long. 

a) showed    b) had been showing    c) have shown    d) have been showing

29. I … her tomorrow, but something unexpected happened and I couldn't come. 

a) saw    b) will see    c) am going to see    d) was seeing

30. Deacon … for two days, when he rose from the … 

a) had been dead/dead.    b) had died/dead.    c) had been dead/death.    d) had been dead/dead people.

31. He … his cuff-links. He … for them all the morning but he … them yet.

a) has lost/has look/has not found    b) has lost/has been looking/has not been finding    c) has been losing/has looked/has not found    d) has lost/has been looking/has not found 

32. …  the same film showing for three weeks, so I don't want to go next weekend, even on a public holiday.

a) It was    b) It has been    c) There was    d) There has been

33. They … with this company from 2021 to 2024. 

a) have been collaborating    b) collaborated    c) were collaborating    d) have collaborated

34. We have won all our qualifying matches so far, even though we … to win the last one. 

a) really deserved    b) didn't really deserve    c) have really deserved    d) have not really deserved

35. The police … the car that fled the scene yet. 

a) hasn't found    b) hasn't been finding    c) haven't found    d) haven't been finding

36. A mother showed up at the hospital with her baby, claiming that it … a marble. 

a) swallowed    b) had just been swallowing    c) had just swallowed    d) has just been swallowing

37. 'Has Mother come?' - 'No, if she had come … you'.

a) I'll tell    b) I'd have told    c) I'll have told    d) I'd told

38. He … to numerous emails, after his vacation last week. 

a) has already been replying    b) has already replied    c) already replied    d) had already been replying

39. Where our new recruit? I … much of her lately. 

a) would not see    b) was not seeing    c) did not see was    d) have not seen

40. We have only been to the Louvre Museum once since … in Paris. 

a) we have arrived    b) we were staying    c) we have been staying    d) we arrived 

41. I hadn't seen him for years, when I … into him by chance.

a) bump    b) was bumping    c) bumped    d) had bumped 

42. How long … those sneakers the first time you put them on?         

a) were you wearing    b) have you worn    c) have you been wearing    d) did you wear

43. They … husband and wife for a long time now. 

a) are    b) shall be    c) have    d) have been

44. It's now been 5 years since they … the process.

a) have started    b) start    c) started    d) had started 

45. Looking back, we wish we … a visionary man/woman at the head of the company at that time. 

a) had    b) have had    c) should have    d) had had

46. They have … a shuttle to take them to the airport. 

a) asked for    b) asked    c) to ask    d) asked for themselves

47. Mrs. Davenport … for over 6 months now.

a) is dead    b) has been dead    c) died    d) was dead

48. If you … earlier, you would have had a better seat in the theater. 

a) should arrive    b) arrived    c) had arrived    d) have arrived

49. At that time, he often … by bicycle. 

a) would travel    b) traveled    c) was used to traveling    d) used to traveling

50. For now, the United States … involved. 

a) hadn't    b) isn't    c) won't    d) haven't 

51. She had known him for twenty years, that is, since … nineteen. 

a) he had been    b) he was    c) he is    d) he has been

52. It's been almost 5 years since … his graduate degree. 

a) he has been obtaining    b) he obtained    c) he had obtained    d) he has obtained 

53. He left for New-York and we … from him since. 

a) don't hear    b) haven't heard    c) are not hearing    d) didn't hear

54. Who did you say you …? 

a) had already meeting    b) already met    c) have already met    d) had already met

Once you have completed the exercise, consult the answer key to find the correct answers. The more correct answers you give, the closer you will get to B1 level in English.

 ANSWER KEY:

1. b) gone unheard 2. b) disappeared from our sight 3. c) last spoke to 4. d) were you doing 5. b) approved 6. b) won 7. d) gone 8. a) was expected 9. a) knew 10. c) would have reacted 11. b) it's been 12. d) made 13. c) was 14. c) has increased 15. b) had he said it than 16. d) used to 17. a) it had been 18. b) he left 19. a) she's been driving 20. a) he was caught 21. b) didn't he go 22. c) used to 23. a) sounded 24. c) had been looking 25. d) went 26. d) have we been driving/have been driving/have covered 27. a) has been steadily increasing 28. c) have shown 29. d) was seeing 30. a) had been dead/dead 31. d) has lost/has been looking/has not found 32. b) it has been 33. b) collaborated 34. b) didn't really deserve 35. c) haven't found 36. c) had just been swallowing 37. b) I'd have told 38. b) has already replied 39. d) have not seen 40. d) we arrived 41. c) bumped 42. d) did you wear 43. d) have been 44. c) started 45. d) had had 46. a) asked for 47. b) has been dead 48. c) had arrived 49. b) traveled 50. b) isn't 51. b) he was 52. b) he obtained 53. b) haven't heard 54. d) had already met