I. The simple present and the present continuous
Put the verbs in brackets into the simple present or present continuous tense.
1 What Tom (think) of the Budget? He (think) it most unfair. ~
I (agree) with him.
2 What this one (cost)?It (cost) forty pence.
3 You (hear) the wind? It (blow) very strongly tonight.
4 You (see) my car keys anywhere? No, I (look) for them but I (not see) them.
5 He never (listen) to what you say. He always (think) about something else.
6 This book is about a man who (desert) his family and (go) to live on a Pacific island.
7 You (understand) what the lecturer is saying? ~
No, I (not understand) him at all.
8 What you (have) for breakfast usually? ~
I usually (eat) a carrot and (drink) a glass of cold water.
9 When the curtain (rise) we (see) a group of workers. They (picket)factory gate.
10 Why you (walk) so fast today? You usually (walk) quite slowly. ~
I (hurry) because I (meet) my mother at 4 o'clock and she (not like) to be kept waiting.
11 I (wish) that dog would lie down. He (keep) jumping up on my lap. ~
I (think) he (want) to go for a walk.
12 You (recognize) that man? ~
I (think) that I have seen him before but I (not remember) his name
13 Look at that crowd. I (wonder) what they (wait) for.
14 This message has just arrived and the man (wait) in case you (want) to send a reply.
15 Stop! You (not see) the notice? ~
I (see) it but I can't read it because I (not wear) my glasses. What it (say)? ~
It (say) 'These premises are patrolled by guard dogs'.
16 She always (borrow) from me and she never (remember) to pay me back.
17 You (need) another blanket or you (feel) warm enough?
18 It (save) time if you (take) the path through the wood? ~
No, it (not matter) which path you take.
19 I (save) up because I (go) abroad in July.
20 I (think) it is a pity you don't take more exercise. You (get) fat. 
21 The plane that you (look) at now just (take) off for Paris, 

22 Tom never (do) any work in the garden; he always (work) on his car.
23 What he (do) to his car now? ~
I (think) he (polish) it.
24 That film (come) to the local cinema next week. You (want) to see it?
25 How Peter (get) on at school? ~
Very well. He (seem) to like the life.
26 Why Mrs Pitt (look) so angry? ~
Mr Pitt (smoke) a cigarette and (drop) the ash on the carpet.
27 This is our itinerary. We (leave) home on the 8th, (arrive) in Paris on the 9th, (spend) the day in
Paris, and (set) out that night for Venice. ~
That (sound) most interesting. You must tell me all about it when you (get) back.
28 This story is about a boy who (make) friends with a snake which he (find) in his garden. Then he
(go) away but he (not forget) the snake and some years later he (return) and (look) for it.
29 He (find) the snake who (recognize) its old friend and (coil) round him affectionately. But,
unfortunately, the snake is by now a full-grown boa-constrictor and its embrace (kill) the poor boy.
30 The snake (feel) sorry about this?I (not know). The story (end) there.
31 How you (end) a letter that (begin), 'Dear Sir'? ~
I always (put), 'Yours truly', but Tom (prefer) 'Yours faithfully'.
32 What the word 'catastrophe' (mean)? ~
It (mean) 'disaster'.
33 What you (wait) for?
-I (wait) for the shop to open. 
-But it (not open) till 9.00. I (know) but I (want) to be early, as their sale (start) today.
34 Why you (smoke) a cigar, Mrs Pitt? You (not smoke) cigars as a rule. ~
I (smoke) it because I (want) the ash. This book (say) that cigar ash mixed with oil 
(remove) heat stains from wood.
35 Who (own) this umbrella? ~
I (not know). Everybody (use) it but nobody (know) who (own) it.
36 You (mind) if I (ask) you a question? ~
That (depend) on the question. ~
It (concern) your brother. ~
I (refuse) to answer any question about my brother.

II.

The simple past and the past continuous

Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or the past continuous tense.
1 I lit the fire at 6.00 and it (bum) brightly when Tom came in at 7.00.
2 When I arrived the lecture had already started and the professor (write) on the overhead projector.
3 I (make) a cake when the light went out. I had to finish it in the dark.
4 I didn't want to meet Paul so when he entered the room I (leave).
5 Unfortunately when I arrived Ann just (leave), so we only had time for a few words.
6 He (watch) TV when the phone rang. Very unwillingly he (turn) down the sound and (go) to
answer it.
7 He was very polite. Whenever his wife entered the room he (stand) up.
8 The admiral (play) bowls when he received news of the invasion. He (insist) on finishing the
game.
9 My dog (walk) along quietly when Mr. Pitt's Pekinese attacked him.
10 When I arrived she (have) lunch. She apologized for starting without me but said that she always
(lunch) at12.30.
11 He always (wear) a raincoat and (carry) an umbrella when he walked to the office.
12 What you (think) of his last book? ~
I (like) it very much.
13 I (share) a flat with him when we were students. He always (complain) about my untidiness.
14 He suddenly (realize) that he (travel) in the wrong direction.
15 He (play) the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and (throw) out a
bucket of water.
16 I just (open) the letter when the wind (blow) it out of my hand.
17 The burglar (open) the safe when he (hear) footsteps. He immediately (put) out his torch and
(crawl) under the bed.
18 When I (look) for my passport I (find) this old photograph.
19 You looked very busy when I (see) you last night. What you (do)?
20 The boys (play) cards when they (hear) their father's step. They immediately (hide) the cards and
(take) out their lesson books.
21 He (clean) his gun when it accidentally (go) off and (kill) him.
22 He (not allow) us to go out in the boat yesterday as a strong wind (blow).
23 As I (cross) the road I (step) on a banana skin and (fall) heavily. 
24 I still (lie) on the road when I (see) a lorry approaching.
25 Luckily the driver (see) me and (stop) the lorry in time.
26 How you (damage) your car so badly? ~

I (run) into a lamp-post yesterday. ~
I suppose you (drive) too quickly or were not looking where you (go).
27 As he (get) into the bus it (start) suddenly and he (fall) backwards on to the road.
28 I (call) Paul at 7.00 but it wasn't necessary because he already (get) up.
29 When he (mend) the fuse he (get) a very bad shock.
30 When I (hear) his knock I (go) to the door and (open) it, but I (not recognize) him at first because
I (not wear) my glasses.
31 When I came in they (sit) round the fire. Mr. Pitt (do) a crossword puzzle, Mrs. Pitt (knit), the
others (read). Mrs. Pitt (smile) at me and (say), 'Come and sit down.'
32 While the guests (dance) thieves (break) into the house and (steal) a lot of fur coats.
33 The next day, as they (know) that the police (look) for them, they (hide) the coats in 
a wood and (go) off in different directions.
34 She was very extravagant. She always (buy) herself new clothes.
35 Her mother often (tell) her that she (spend) too much money but she never (listen).
36 Whenever the drummer (begin) practising, the people in the next flat (bang) on the wall.