Grammar check: past and perfect tenses
The main uses of the tense forms relating to the past are as follows:
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Past simple :
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a completed action at a specified time in the past
- I was born in Scotland in 1980.
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a state, or habitual or repeated action in the past
- I went to school until I was eighteen
Note: The time referred to is usually specified by a time maker e.g. in 1990 unless already clear from the context.
2. Past continuous
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an activity in progress when another past event happened
- I was studying in my room one Saturday when a letter arrived.
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a temporary habit or repeated action around a time in the past
- I was still hoping that something exciting would happen.
3. Present perfect simple
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a state or habit beginning in the past and continuing up to the present
- Lee has enjoyed reading since he was very young.
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a completed event occurring in the past but affecting the present
- He has written a novel to be published shortly.
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a completed event at an unspecified time in a period leading up to the present
- He has read Shakespeare's complete works.
4. Present perfect continuous
This may be used in the same situations as the simple form, but may also convey:
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the idea of continuation or non-completion.
- Susie has been writing an essay.
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the duration of the event.
- She's been working all morning
5. Past perfect simple
an activity completed before a specified past time
- The previous month I had entered a competition.
6. Past perfect continuous
a continuing activity or series of activities occurring before a specified time in the past
- Ever since then, I had been waiting eagerly for the result.
7. used to/would
to refer to past habits (often long ago rather than the recent past)
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used to refers to states, habitual and repeated actions
- I used to dream of a very different life from the one I was leading.
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would refers to habitual and repeated actions but not states
- I would walk slowly to school, composing imaginary stories in my head.
Note: Once the time referred to has been established, it is not necessary to continue using past perfect, would or used to with every verb.
Select the correct answers below. Good luck!|
a. rode
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b. have been riding
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c. was riding
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d. had been riding
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a. had you
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b. did you have
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c. have you had
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d. have you been having
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a. do you see
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b. have you seen
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c. are you seeing
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d. have you seeing
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a. was going
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b. had been going
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c. have gone
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d. went
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a. waited
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b. had been waiting
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c. have been waiting
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d. waited
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a. have we known
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b. do we know
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c. are we knowing
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d. have we been knowing
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a. are you going
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b. have you been
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c. have you gone
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d. did you go
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a. have you lived
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b. do you live
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c. are you living
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d. had you lived
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Stephen King
Stephen King (write) horror stories since he was seven years old but in his early years he (have) little success. Throughout his twenties he (work) as an English teacher during the day and (spend) his free time writing. One day, in despair at receiving yet another publisher's rejection slip, he (throw) away the manuscript of his latest novel. However, his wife (retrieve) it from the rubbish and soon afterwards it (finally publish). The book (call) Carrie. It has (since sell) over 2.5 million copies and the film (terrify) viewers ever since its release in 1976.
The undisputed king of literary and film horror, King (make) a fortune through his writing but still (live) simply with his family in the small American town where many of his novels (set).