Exercise 1.

Complete the sentences with one of the following verbs in the correct
form:
come get happen look make start
stay try work
1. ‘You ’re working hard today?’ ‘Yes, I have a lot to do.’
2. I ...................... for Christine. Do you know where she is?
3. It_____________dark. Shall I turn on the light?
4. They haven’t got anywhere to live at the moment. They _______________ with
friends until they find somewhere.
5. ‘Are you ready, Ann?’ ‘Yes, I ______________ .’
6. Have you got an umbrella? It _____________ to rain.
7. You ______________ a lot of noise. Could you be quieter? I _____________ to
concentrate.
8. Why are all these people here? What ____________ ?
Exercise 2. Read this conversation between Brian and Sarah. Put the verbs into the
correct form.
SARAH: Brian! How nice to see you! What (1) ______________ (you/do) these
days?
BRIAN: I (2) __________ (train) to be a supermarket manager.
SARAH: Really? What's it like? (3) _______________ (you/enjoy) it?
BRIAN: It's all right. What about you?
SARAH: Well, actually I (4) ________________ (not/work) at the moment. I (5)
__________________ (try) to find a job but it's not easy.
But I'm very busy. I (6) ________________ (decorate) my flat.
BRIAN: (7) ______________ (you/do) it alone?
SARAH: No, some friends of mine (8) _______________ (help) me.
Exercise 3. Complete the sentences using one of the following:
cause(s) close(s) drink(s) live(s) open(s) speak(s) take(s)
place
1. Ann speaks German very well.
2. I never ___________ coffee.
3. The swimming pool __________ at 9 o’clock and __________ at 18:30 every day.
4. Bad driving _____________ many accidents.
5. My parents ______________ in a very small flat.
6. The Olympic Games __________________ every four years.
Exercise 4. Use one of the following verbs to complete these sentences. Sometimes
you need the negative:
believe eat flow go grow make rise
tell translate
1. The earth goes round the sun.
2. Rice doesn't grow in Britain.
3. The sun _________ in the east.
4. Bees ____________ honey.
5. Vegetarians ___________ meat.
6. An atheist ____________ in God.
7. An interpreter _____________ from one language into another.
8. A liar is someone who ________________ the truth.
9. The River Amazon ___________________ into the Atlantic Ocean.
Exercise 5. Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.
1. Let's go out. It isn't raining (not/rain) now.
2. Julia is very good at languages. She speaks (speak) four languages very well.
3. Hurry up! Everybody _______________ (wait) for you.
4. ‘ _________________ (you/listen) to the radio?’ ‘No, you can turn it off.’
5. ‘ _______________________ (you/listen) to the radio every day?’ ‘No, just
occasionally.’
6. The River Nile _____________ (flow) into the Mediterranean.
7. Look at the river. It ___________________ (flow) very fast today - much faster
than usual.
8. We usually ______________ (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we
__________________ (not/grow) any.
9. ‘How is your English?’ ‘Not bad. It _______________ (improve) slowly.’
10. Ron is in London at the moment. He ______________ (stay) at the Park Hotel.
He ___________________ (always/stay) there when he's in London.
11. Can we stop walking soon? I ______________ (start) to feel tired.
12. ‘Can you drive?’ ‘I _____________ (learn). My father ______________ (teach)
me.’
13. Normally I _____________ (finish) work at 5.00, but this week I
________________ (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit more money.
14. My parents ___________ (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never
lived anywhere else. Where _______________ (your parents/live)?
15. Sonia ______________ (look) for a place to live. She ______________ (stay)
with her sister until she finds somewhere.
16. ’What __________________ (your father/do)?’ ‘He's an architect but he
________________ (not/work) at the moment.’
17. (at a party) Usually I _______________ (enjoy) parties but I
___________________ (not/enjoy) this one very much.
18. The train is never late. It ______________ (always/leave) on time.
19. Jim is very untidy. He _________________ (always/leave) his things all over the
place.
Exercise 6. Put one of these verbs in each sentence:
buy catch cost drink fall hurt sell
spend teach throw win write
1. Mozart wrote more than 600 pieces of music.
2. ‘How did you learn to drive?’ My father ____________ me.’
3. We couldn't afford to keep our car, so we __________ it.
4. I was very thirsty. I ____________ the water very quickly.
5. Paul and I played tennis yesterday. He's much better than me, so he
______________ easily.
6. Don ___________________ down the stairs this morning and ______________his
leg.
7. Jim _______________ the ball to Sue, who ____________________ it.
8. Ann ______________________ a lot of money yesterday. She
___________________ a dress which ________________ £100.
Exercise 7. Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use the past
continuous.
1. Tom burnt his hand when he was cooking the dinner.
2. The doorbell rang while I __________________.
3. We saw an accident while we ______________.
4. Mary fell asleep while she _____________________.
5. The television was on but nobody ________________.
Exercise 8. Put the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1. Jane was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).
2. ‘What ________________ (you/do) this time yesterday?’ ‘I was asleep.’
3. ‘ ________________ (you/go) out last night?’ ‘No, I was too tired.’
4. ‘Was Carol at the party last night?’ ‘Yes, she ________________ (wear) a really
nice dress.’
5. How fast _________________ (you/drive) when the accident ______________
(happen)?
6. John _________________ (take) a photograph of me while I
__________________ (not/look).
7. We were in a very difficult position. We ___________________ (not/know) what
to do.
8. I haven't seen Alan for ages. When I last _________________ (see) him, he
___________________ (try) to find a job in London.
9. I ___________________ (walk) along the street when suddenly I
__________________ (hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody _______________
(follow) me. I was frightened and I (start) to run.
10. When I was young, I ______________________ (want) to be a bus driver.