Fill in the blanks.
1. It ………………………. not take me more than 10 minutes to get ready.
Use does with it. Has is used with the past participle forms of the verb.
2. ……………………… leave now.
In the simple present tense we make negatives and questions with do and does.
3. ………………………… at once.
The simple present is used in imperative sentences.
4. When I was young I …………………….. walk 10 miles in an hour.
Use could to talk about past ability.
5. They ………………………… live in a caravan.
Would cannot refer to past states; only used to can refer to past states.
6. The old woman ………………………… spend hours talking to herself.
Would and used to can both be used to talk about past habits.
7. Once upon a time, there ………………………. a pretty girl.
Use past tenses in story telling.
8. I cannot let go ………………………. him.
9. They gave ………………………. without any resistance.
To give in is to surrender.
10. A powerful earthquake ……………………….. the city yesterday.
Use the simple past to say when something happened.
11. I ………………………. them before.
The present perfect is more common with before.
12. I didn’t realize that I ……………………… a mistake.
When the main verb is the past tense, use a past tense in the subordinate clause as well.
Answers
1. It does not take me more than 10 minutes to get ready.
2. Don’t leave now.
3. Leave at once.
4. When I was young I could walk 10 miles in an hour.
5. They used to live in a caravan.
6. The old woman would / used to spend hours talking to herself.
7. Once upon a time, there lived a pretty girl.
8. I cannot let go of him.
9. They gave in without any resistance.
10. A powerful earthquake ravaged the city yesterday.
11. I have met them before.
12. I didn’t realize that I was making a mistake
