Question 1

Fill in the blank: "Water ___ at 100°C."

Accepted Answer

Universal truths and scientific facts always use Simple Present. Trap: "is boiling" implies a temporary ongoing action. Shortcut: Permanent truth = Simple Present always.

Question 2

Spot the error: "The train leaves at 9 AM tomorrow."

Accepted Answer

Simple Present can express fixed future schedules (timetables). "The train leaves at 9 AM tomorrow" is correct. Trap: Students wrongly change to "will leave". Shortcut: Transport/event timetables → Simple Present for future is acceptable.

Question 3

Choose the correct sentence:

Accepted Answer

"Resemble" is a stative verb (describing a permanent state) — never used in continuous tense. Shortcut: Appearance/similarity verbs (resemble, consist, contain) → always Simple tense.

Question 4

Spot the error: "Unless you will not work hard, you will fail."

Accepted Answer

"Unless" already contains the negative meaning ("if not"), so "not" creates a double negative. Also, conditional clauses with unless use Simple Present, not Future. Correct: "Unless you work hard, you will fail." Shortcut: Unless = if not → never add "not" after unless.

Question 5

Spot the error: "He plays cricket since childhood."

Accepted Answer

"Since" indicates an action continuing from the past to now — requires Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous. Correct: "He has played cricket since childhood." Shortcut: since/for with ongoing action → has/have + V3.

Question 6

Spot the error: "She has returned from London last week."

Accepted Answer

Present Perfect cannot be used with specific past time expressions (last week, yesterday, ago). Use Simple Past: "She returned". Shortcut: If you see last/ago/yesterday → Simple Past, never Present Perfect.

Question 7

Choose the correct form: "By the time the ambulance arrived, the patient ___."

Accepted Answer

Past Perfect (had died) is used for an action completed before another past action. Trap: "died" (Simple Past) ignores the sequence. Shortcut: "By the time + Simple Past" → Past Perfect in the other clause.

Question 8

Fill in: "The students ___ for three hours when the teacher arrived."

Accepted Answer

Past Perfect Continuous shows an action ongoing for a duration before another past event. Trap: "were studying" (Past Continuous) doesn't express the completed duration. Shortcut: Duration + before a past event → had been + V-ing.

Question 9

Fill in: "She ___ in this company for ten years by next December."

Accepted Answer

Future Perfect is used for an action that will be complete by a specific future time. Trap: "will be working" (Future Continuous) expresses an ongoing action, not completion. Shortcut: "by + future time" → will have + V3.

Question 10

Fill in: "If it rains tomorrow, we ___ the match."

Accepted Answer

Type 1 Conditional (real possibility): If + Simple Present → will + V1. Trap: "would cancel" is Type 2 (unreal). Shortcut: Real future possibility = will, Unreal = would.

Question 11

Fill in: "No sooner ___ he entered the room than the lights went off."

Accepted Answer

"No sooner...than" uses Past Perfect + Simple Past. "No sooner had he entered...than the lights went off." Shortcut: No sooner = Past Perfect | Hardly/Scarcely = Past Perfect.

Question 12

Spot the error: "He told me that he has finished the work."

Accepted Answer

In Reported Speech, Present Perfect shifts to Past Perfect. "Has finished" should be "had finished". Trap: Students forget tense backshift in indirect speech. Shortcut: In reported speech, has/have → had.

Question 13

Choose the correct form: "I wish I ___ a car."

Accepted Answer

"Wish" for present unreal situations takes Simple Past (subjunctive). Trap: "would have" is used with "wish" only for past regrets (I wish I had studied). Shortcut: Wish + present wish = Past tense. Wish + past regret = Past Perfect.

Question 14

Choose the correct sentence:

Accepted Answer

Stative verbs (know, believe, want, own, love) are never used in continuous forms. Trap: Most students apply continuous tense for ongoing states. Shortcut: Mental/emotional/possession verbs → Simple tense only.

Question 15

Spot the error: "I have seen that film last Sunday."

Accepted Answer

Present Perfect cannot be used with definite past time (last Sunday). Correct: "I saw that film last Sunday." Shortcut: Ever/never/already/just/yet → Present Perfect. Yesterday/last/ago → Simple Past.

Question 16

Fill in the blank: "She ___ to school every day."

Accepted Answer

Simple Present (goes) for habitual/routine actions. Third person singular adds -s. Trap: "is going" implies a temporary action happening right now.

Question 17

Which sentence is correct?

Accepted Answer

"Have" as a stative verb (possession/condition) is not used in continuous form. Shortcut: Body conditions (have a headache/fever) → Simple Present.

Question 18

Fill in: "By the time you read this letter, I ___ the city."

Accepted Answer

Future Perfect (will have left) for an action completed before a specific future time. Shortcut: "By the time + Present" → Future Perfect.

Question 19

Spot the error: "I am living here since 2010."

Accepted Answer

With "since" for ongoing actions → Present Perfect Continuous. Correct: "I have been living here since 2010." Shortcut: Since/for with action continuing to now → have been + V-ing.

Question 20

Choose the correct form: "If I were you, I ___ that job."

Accepted Answer

Type 2 Conditional (present unreal): If + Simple Past → would + V1. Trap: "would have taken" is for past unreal (Type 3). Shortcut: "If I were you" is always Type 2 → would.

Question 21

Fill in: "She ___ the piano since she was five years old."

Accepted Answer

Present Perfect (has played) for an action that started in the past and continues to the present. "Since she was five" is the time reference. Shortcut: Since + past point → Present Perfect.

Question 22

Spot the error: "Scarcely had I reached the station when the train has left."

Accepted Answer

"Scarcely/Hardly...when" requires Past Perfect in both clauses. "has left" should be "had left". Shortcut: Scarcely/Hardly/No sooner → both clauses use Past Perfect.

Question 23

Choose the correct sentence in reported speech: He said, "I am tired."

Accepted Answer

Reporting verb "said" (past) → backshift: am/is/are → was/were. Shortcut: Said/told/asked → shift all present tenses one step back into past.

Question 24

Fill in: "It is time you ___ your habits."

Accepted Answer

"It is time + Simple Past" (subjunctive) expresses that something should happen now/soon. "It is time you changed" means you should change now. Shortcut: It is time / It is high time → always Simple Past (subjunctive).

Question 25

Spot the error: "The committee have been taking their decision after a long debate."

Accepted Answer

The action (taking a decision) is a completed event, not a continuous process. Correct: "has taken" (Present Perfect). Present Perfect Continuous implies ongoing action. Shortcut: Completed single event → Perfect simple, not Perfect Continuous.

CDS Tenses

CDS Tenses — Past Exam Questions

Tenses— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Tenses — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Tenses