Grammar workbook

Name___________________________________________
Date_____________________

Verb Tense Review
In the blanks supply appropriate forms of the verbs given in the parentheses.
EXAMPLES: a. (be) They have been in Chicago for twenty years.
b. (see) I saw a wonderful movie last night.
b. (go) We didn’t go anywhere special on our last vacation.
1.- (take) Fortunately, that problem ___________________ care of yesterday.
2.- (listen) Sh! Someone ________________ to our conversation.
3.- (fix) I’m not wearing my watch because it __________________________.
4.- (happen) Nothing much _________________ when I got to the meeting.
5.- (be) My parents ________________ in Los Angeles two weeks from today.
6.- (make) I _________________ two mistakes in the last quiz.
7.- (sleep) I was tired yesterday because I _______________ well the night before.
8.- (do) Nothing _________________ about the problem until tomorrow.
9.- (be) This ______________ an easy quiz so far.
10.- (take) Unfortunately, just as we got to the airport, their plane ____________ off.
11.- (go) They _________________ to the movies only once in a while.
12.- (send) They ________________ any Christmas cards last year.
13.- (get) I ________________ up at 7:30 every morning.
14.- (fix) When I got to the garage, my car ____________ yet.
15.- (give) When I got to class late yesterday morning, a quiz _______________.
16.- (reveal) I promise that I ________________ this secret to anyone.
17.- (make) I was angry that I ____________ such a foolish mistake.
Verb Tense Review Continued Page
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18.- (leave) I think Bob _________________ for Paris at this very moment.
19.- (graduate) Our daughter _______________ from the university yet.
20.- (live) Mary _________________ with her family, is she?

21.- (win) Unfortunately, our team _____________ any games last year.
22.- (quit) He ________________ his job a couple of weeks ago.
23.- (live) He ________________ by himself since his recent divorce.
24.- (do) We _________________ twenty-four sentences so far.
25.- (baptize) He ___________________ when he was three days old.
26.- (go) She _________________ to the doctor once a year for a physical examination.
27.- (land) I predict that by the year 2000, man _____________ on Mars.
28.- (eat) Please don’t call around 6:00 tomorrow evening because we _____________.
29.- (come) This quiz _____________________ to an end.
GRAMMAR/STRUCTURE PROGRAM
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I.- PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
1. - Verb Tense Review
2. - Duration of an Event
3. - Duration with Present Perfect Tense
4. - Contractions, Neg. Form, and Always/Never
5. - Negative Verb Phrases
6. - Time Clauses with Since/Interrogative Sentences
7. - Length of an Event
8. - Events at an Indefinite Time in the Past
9. - Yes-No Questions with Ever and Always
10. - Just in Verb Phrases
11. - Finally in Verb Phrases
12. - Recently in Verb Phrases
13. - Clause of Reason with Because
14. - Already/Yet
15. - Already in Verb Phrases
16. - Neg. Verb Phrases and Yet
17. - Still/Yet
18. - Yes-No Questions with Yet and Already

19. - Repeated Events in the Past
20. - Irregular Past Participles
21. - Present Perfect Continuous Tense
22. - Yes-No & Information Questions
23. - Situation and Reason
24. - Simple Past vs. Present Perfect Tense
25. - Review
- Simple Present
- Simple Past
- Tag Questions
- Too, Either, And & But
- So and Neither
26. - Contrasting Present, Past, Future, and Present Perfect Tenses
27. - Preposition Review
28. - Have and Got
29. - Using Have Got to show Possession
30. - Reviewing Information Words as Subjects
31. - How Come
32. - Be Going to + Base Form in Past Tense
II.- PAST PERFECT TENSE
1.- Events preceding Events in Past Time
2.- Contrasting the Past Continuous Tense with Past Perfect Tense
3.- Verb Phrases with Just
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4.- Verb Phrases with Already
5.- Negative Verb Phrases and Yet
6.- Verb Phrases with Never
7.- Clauses of Reason with Because
8.- Yes-No Information Questions
9.- Past Perfect Tense in Main Clauses

10.- Past Perfect Continuous Tense
11.- Simple Past Tense vs. Past Perfect Tense
12.- Reviewing Too, Either, And, & But
13.- Reviewing So and Neither
14.- Reviewing Prepositions
III.- MODAL AUXILIARES
1.- Modal Auxiliaries Review
2.- Modal Auxiliaries & Related Idioms
3.- Present Continuous Forms with Modals
4.- Should and Ought to
5.- Past Forms of Should and Ought to
6.- Should in Neg. Verb Phrases
7.- Questions with Should
8.- Past Forms of May and Might
9.- Slight Probability and Conjecture with May/Might
10.- Past Forms with Could
11.- Slight Probability and Conjecture with Could
12.- Impossibility with Could Not
13.- Asking Questions with Could
14.- Past Forms with Must
15.- Strong Possibility with Must
16.- Past Continuous Forms with Modals
a.- Should/Ought to
b.- May/Might
c.- Must
d.- Could
17.- Reviewing Past Forms of Modals
18.- Used to + Base Form
19.- Past Custom with Used to + Base Form
20.- Used to + Base Form in Main Clauses

21.- Would Like
22.- Would Like + Infinitive
23.- Would Rather + Base Form
24.- Had Better + Base Form
25.- Have Got to + Base Form
IV.- ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
1.-Subordinate Clauses
2.- Reviewing Time Clauses
3.- Reviewing Clauses of Reason with Because
4.- Clauses of Reason with Since
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5.- Result Clauses
6.- So + Adjective (+ Prepositional Phrase) + That
7.- So + Adverb (+ Prepositional Phrase) + That
8.- Purpose Clauses with So That
9.- So (That) Introducing Purpose Clauses
10.- Expressing Purpose with In Order + Infinitive
11.- In Order + Infinitive Phrase
12.- For Phrases vs. Infinitive Phrases
13.- Result Clauses with Such That
14.- Such + A (An) + Adjective + Singular Countable Noun + That
15.- Such + Adjective + Plural Countable Noun (+ Prep. Phrase) + That
16.- Such + Adjective + Uncountable Noun (+ Prepositional Phrase) + That
17.- Such That in Clauses of Reason Introduced by Because
18.- But Clauses of Unexpected Result
19.- Still in But Clauses of Unexpected Result
20.- Still or Anyway/Anyhow in But Clauses of Unexpected Result
21.- Clauses of Concession
22.- Main Clauses of Unexpected Result
23.- Clauses of Concession with Even Though

24.- Clauses of Concession with Even Though/Though/Although
25.- Despite and Despite the Fact (That)
26.- Adverbial That Clauses after Adjectives of Feeling and Emotion
27.- Adverbial That Clauses
28.- Future-Possible Real Conditions
29.- Other Forms in Future-Possible Real Conditions
30.- Present Continuous Tense in If and Result Clauses
31.- Imperative Mood in Result Changes
32.- Reviewing If and Result Clauses
33.- Modals and Idioms in Conditional and Result Clauses
34.- Modals, Idioms, and Questions in future-Possible Real Conditions
35.- Present-Unreal Conditions
36.- Other Forms in Present-Unreal Conditions
37.- Mixed Forms in Present-Unreal Conditions
38.- Past-Unreal Conditions
39.- Present-Unreal Conditions
40.- Other Forms in Past-Unreal Conditions
41.- Could and Might
42.- Could Have in If Clauses
43.- Questions with Past-Unreal Conditions
44.- Past-Unreal Conditions
45.- Reviewing Future-Possible and Unreal Conditions
46.- Present Result Clauses Following Past-Unreal If Clauses
47.- Present Result Following Past-Unreal Conditions in If Clauses
48.- Unless
49.- Unless Clauses in Future-Possible Real Conditions
50.- Present-Unreal and Past-Unreal Conditions in Unless Clauses
51.- Generalizations with Real Conditions
52.- Past Custom with Would + Base Form
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V.- NOUN CLAUSES
1.- Direct and Indirect Objects
2.- Indirect Objects with To
3.- Indirect Objects without To
4.- No Indirect Objects
5.- Verbs of Mental Activity
6.- Noun Clauses Following Verbs of Mental Activity
7.- Verb Agreement/The Rule of Sequence of Tenses
8.- Direct and Indirect Speech
9.- Following the Rule of Sequence of Times
10.- Near Past vs. Distant Past in Indirect Speech
11.- Indirect Statements about Events in the Distant Past
12.- Noun Clauses Derived from Yes-No Questions
13.- Whether or Not in Indirect Statements
14.- Noun Clauses Derived from Information Questions
15.- Yes-No Questions Containing Noun Clauses
16.- Infinitive Phrases in Indirect Speech
17.- Present Time
18.- Noun Clauses Following Wish for Present Time
19.- Wish in Past Time
20.- Noun Clauses Following Wish for Past Time
21.- Responding to a Situation with Wish
22.- Abridgment of Noun Clauses Following Wish and Hope
23.- Abridgment of Noun Clauses Following Wish
24.- Hope
25.- Wishes with Would
26.- Might Have + Past Participle in That Clauses
27.- Noun Clauses Derived from Requests
28.- That Clauses after Verbs of Urgency
29.- That Clauses after Adjectives of Urgency

VI.- -ING FORMS AND INFINITIVES
1.- Gerunds
2.- Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subjects
3.- Gerunds as Objects of Certain Verbs
4.- Gerund Phrases as Objects of Verbs
5.- Gerund or Infinitive
6.- Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions and in Time Phrases
7.- Gerund Phrases as Objects of Prepositions
8.- Be Used to and Get Used to
9.- Gerunds and Gerund Phrases Following the Preposition For
10.- Gerunds in Time Phrases
11.- -Ing Forms or Bases Forms Following Certain Verbs
12.- -Ing Forms as Objects of Sense Perception Verbs
13.- Make, Let, and Help
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14.- Infinitives Following Information Words
15.- -Ing Participles as Modifiers
16.- Reviewing Prepositions with Gerunds
VII.- ADJECTIVE CLAUSES
1. - Essential and Nonessential Adjective Clauses
2. - Who and That as Subjects of Essential Adjective Clauses
3. - Who or That
4. - Whose Introducing Essential Adjective Clauses
5. - Essential Adjective Clauses Used in Definitions
6. - Relative Pronouns as Objects of Verbs and Prepositions
7. - Unmarked Essential Adjective Clauses
8. - Relative Adverb Introducing Adjective Clauses
9. - Where Introducing Essential Adjective Clauses
10. - Present Perfect Tense in Essential Adjective Clauses
11. - Nonessential Adjective Clauses

12. - Commas with Nonessential Clauses
13. - Expressing Contrast with Nonessential Clauses
VIII.- PASSIVE VOICE
1. Voice
2. Past Participle in Passive Verb Phrases
3. Affirmative Verb Phrases in the Passive Voice
4. Negative Verb Phrases in the Passive Voice
5. Adverbs in Passive Verb Phrases
6. Present and Past Continuous Tenses
7. Passive Verb Phrases Containing Modal Auxiliaries
8. Present Continuous Tense
9. Past Continuous Tense
10. Modal Auxiliaries and Related Idioms
11. Transforming Active Verb Phrases into Passive Verb Phrases
12. Yes-No and Information Questions
13. Questions
14. Causative Forms and Giving Instructions
15. Causatives with Have + Doer + Base Form
16. Instructions with Get + Past Participle
17. Persuasion with Get + Infinitive
18. Be Supposed to
IX.- FUTURE PERFECT TENSE AND REVIEW
1.- Events Preceding Events in the Future
2.- Future Perfect Tense
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A REVIEW OF VERB TENSES
1.- The SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE is used for (a) a generally known fact or condition:
There are 360 degrees in a circle; Water contains no nitrogen; (b) a state of being: They are
in love; The giraffe is the tallest of existing animals; and ( c) a habitual activity or
occurrence: Many animals hibernate every winter; The sun always rises in the east; Leap

year comes every four years.
2.- Though not discussed as such, the simple present tense is sometimes used for future time:
The ship sails at dawn; The sun rises at 6:18 tomorrow morning; The bank opens at nine
o’clock tomorrow morning.
3.- The PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE is used for (a) an event that is occurring at this
moment (now): We are beginning this book; You are looking at this page now; (b) an event
that is taking place temporarily: The patient is taking penicillin; She is living in a hotel for
the time being (temporarily); and ( c) an event in future time: The astronauts are leaving for
the moon tomorrow; The curtain at the theater is rising at 8:30 tomorrow night.
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4.- Be going to + a base form is also used for a coming event: We’re going to learn a lot of
new things in this course; He’s going to take another course after this one.
5.- Be going to + be + a present participle is used to emphasize the duration of a future
event: We are going to be studying together for several months; The earth is going to be
revolving around the sun for millions of more years.
6.- The SIMPLE PAST TENSE is used for an event at a definite point of time in the past:
Jesus died on the Cross almost two thousand years ago; Buddha lived from c. 563 to 483
B.C.; Columbus discovered America in 1492.
7.- The PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE is used (a) to emphasize an event at one point in past
time; Everyone was sleeping at the time of the earthquake; Everyone in the theater was
crying at the end of the movie; and (b) to emphasize the duration of an event in past time:
His grandfather was working hard from the beginning to the end of the day; They were
celebrating their victory at the Olympics all night long.
8.- The past continuous tense is most frequently used in complex sentences where the past
continuous time (in a main clause) is interrupted by a definite past action (in a subordinate
clause): They were talking about me when I interrupted their conversation; The sun was
shining when the climbers reached the top of Mt. Everest.
PAGE 2
9.- Besides simple futurity, the FUTURE TENSE is used to express (a) promise: I will
always love you; I will never break this promise; (b) determination: We will never give up

our freedom; We will die for our religion; ( c) inevitability: The twentieth century will come
to an end; Spring will bring new life; and (d) prediction: It will rain tomorrow; Everyone in
the class will speak English well.
10.- The FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE is used (a) to emphasize an event at one point in
future time: I’ll be seeing you at the beginning of the game; Our plane will be taking off in
a few minutes; and (b) to emphasize the duration of an event in future time: He will be
thinking about only his girlfriend until she returns; I will be working all day long.
11.- Like the past continuous tense, the future continuous tense is used in complex sentences
where the future continuous time (in a main clause) is interrupted by a definite future action
(in a subordinate clause): It will probably be raining when we get to the beach; I will be
waiting for you at the airport when your plane comes in.
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GRAMMAR EXERCISE I
Focus: Present (Continuous) Tense, Past (Continuous) Tense, Future (Continuous)
Tense, Be going to + a base form, Be going to + be + a Present Participle.
Reminder: Be going to and the future tense are essentially interchangeable.
1.- (rain) When I left the house this morning, it ___________________________________.
2.- (have) I didn’t take a vacation because I ____________________________ any money.
3.- (win) Who _____________________________________________ in the next election?
4.- (rise) The sun _____________________________________ at 6:38 yesterday morning.
5.- (live) They ___________________________ in an apartment temporarily because they
can’t find an inexpensive house.
6.- (eat) I _______________________________________Italian food only once in a while.
7.- (ring) The bell __________________________________________ and the class began.
8.- (blow) A hard wind _______________________ while we were climbing the mountain.
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9.- (understand) He __________________________________ anything at the last meeting.
10.- (enter) Who __________________________________ the university next September?
11.- (talk) When I came into the room, everyone __________________________ about me.

12.- (give) How often does your teacher ___________________________ the class a quiz?
13.- (go) We ________________________________ anywhere in particular next weekend.
14.- (fight) We _________________________________ our enemy until our last man falls.
15.- (talk) My secretary __________________________________ on the phone right now.
16.- (begin) The movie _________________________________________________ soon.
17.- (take) When he goes on a business trip, he usually ______________________ his wife.
18.- (set) The sun never ____________________________________________ in the east.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE I PAGE 2
19.- (set) The sun ____________________________________ at 5:48 tomorrow afternoon.
20.- (enter) The patient ________________________ operating room at this very moment.
21.- (fall) Our little girl ____________________________ down and hurt herself seriously.
22.- (take) Who ______________________________________ care of your children now?
23.- (speak) I __________________________________ to anyone on the phone last night.
24.- (make) I ______________________________ a few mistakes on the last examination.
25.- (shine) When I get up tomorrow morning, the sun _____________________________.
26.- (be) The assassination of President Kennedy ________________ a shock to the world.
27.- (be) We _______________________________________ at the beginning of this book.
28.- (live) Few people ______________________________________ in the Sahara Desert.
29.- (fall) Listen! Some rain ________________________________________ on the roof.
30.- (fall) The leaves usually _____________________________ from the trees in October.
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GRAMMAR EXERCISE II
Focus: Present (Continuous) Tense, Past (Continuous) Tense, Future (Continuous)
Tense, Be going to + a base form, Be going to + be + a Present Participle.
Reminder: Be going to and the future tense are essentially interchangeable.
1.- (graduate) He ___________________________________ from the university next June.
2.- (get) Everyone in my office usually ____________________________ to work by 9:30.
3.- (be) People ____________________________________________ sometimes difficult.
4.- (find) She won’t quit her present job until she ________________________ a new one.
5.- (blow) We didn’t go sailing in our boat because the wind ________________________.

6.- (keep) He ____________________________________ a car because it’s too expensive.
7.- (take) A very important meeting ____________________ place at the White House a
couple of days ago.
8.- (go) We _____________________ to a nice beach tomorrow because the weather isn’t
going to be nice.
9.- (think) A selfish person always _____________________________ about only himself.
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10.- (be) Everyone at the last meeting _______________________ surprised by the
president’s decision to resign.
11.- (be) There ______________________ no one in the house when I got home last night.
12.- (be) The party ___________________ a success because there weren’t enough people.
13.- (enter) Everyone will stand up when the King ________________________ the room.
14.- (feel) I didn’t go to work because I _____________________________________ well.
15.- (be) The chicken ________________________________ any good at dinner last night.
16.- (arrive) When the telegram ____________________, please let me know immediately.
17.- (make) During the examination, he was angry at himself because he _______________
a lot of mistakes.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE II PAGE 2
18.- (take) Everyone in my office usually _________________ a coffee break in the middle
of the afternoon.
19.- (be) When I got to work, nobody ______________________________________ there.
20.- (fly) We ___________________________ on air France when we went on our last trip.
21.- (take) He never ________________________________ his car when he goes to work.
22.- (sleep) When I got home, the children ______________________________________.
23.- (be) All of us ________________ a little nervous when we came into this room today.
24.- (do) When the phone rang, I ____________________________ anything in particular.
25.- (come) The world ______________________________________ to an end tomorrow.
26.- (learn) We ___________________________________ a lot of new things in this book.
27.- (be) Good health _____________________________ our most precious possession.
28.- (finish) We _____________________________________________ this exercise now.

29.- (mail) He __________________________ the package in time for his sister’s birthday.
30.- (hike) We ___________________________ up the northwest trail on our last attempt.
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THE DURATION OF AN EVENT
1.- The PRESENT PERFECT TENSE is used to express the duration of an event that began
at a definite point in past time and has continued to the present and will probably continue
into future time: The earth has existed for millions of years; Elizabeth II has been the
Queen of the United Kingdom since 1952.
2.- To form the present perfect tense, we use the verb have as an auxiliary and a PAST
PARTICIPLE as the main verb of a verb phrase. Have occurs as an -s form in the third
person singular.
Singular Plural
First person I have worked we
Second person you you have worked
Third person he they
she has worked
it
3.- Regular past participles are formed by adding -ed to a base form (simple form) of a verb.
The rules for spelling regular past participles are the same as those for spelling regular past
forms:
(a) When a regular base form ends in -y preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -i and
add -ed: (bury) They have buried many people since the beginning of the famine; (carry)
I have carried my boss’s responsibilities since he became sick.
(b) When the final -y is preceded by a vowel, no change is made: (stay) He has stayed
home for two weeks; (play) The children have played all day long.
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(c ) When a regular base form ends with a single consonant preceded by a single stressed
vowel, the consonant is doubled before adding -ed: (stop) My watch has stopped; (permit)
The police have permitted us to pass through the barricades.
(d) When a regular base form ends in -e, only -d is added: (change) Life in Cuba has

changed since the revolution; (smoke) He has smoked since he was eighteen.
4.- When we express the duration of an event from past to present time, the preposition for
is used in a prepositional phrase when the amount of time is given: He has been here for
three hours; I have lived in this country for seven years. The use of for is optional: He has
been here (for) three hours; I have known her (for) seven years.
5.- A prepositional phrase with since is used when the exact moment, time, day, or year that
the event began is given: They have been here since one o’clock yesterday afternoon;
They have been married since 1973; They have lived in London since 1974.
6.- When one event follows another, the preposition since also occurs: Life in Lebanon has
been different since the civil war; They have been happy since their marriage; His parents
have lived in Hong Kong since the end of the war in Vietnam.
7.- Since occurs as a subordinate conjunction when it introduces a past time clause
(subordinate clause) to a sentence: He has made a lot of money since he started work at the
company; They have lived in San Francisco since they arrived in the United States.
Reminder: A time phrase never has a subject or a verb, but a time clause always does.
Compare:
Time Phrase Time Clause
… since the beginning of the party. … since the party began.
… since the end of the war. … since the war ended.
8.- The adverb ago appears with the simple past tense only: His grandfather died many
years ago. However, ago may appear in a time clause or phrase introduced by since when
the verb phrase in the main clause of a sentence is in the present perfect tense: He has been
in the hospital since he got sick five weeks ago (since the beginning of his illness five weeks
ago).
Special Note: The simple present tense is never used for the duration of an event from past
to present time. Compare:
Wrong Correct
I am married for five years. I have been married for five years
She lives here since 1973. She has lived here since 1973.
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GRAMMAR EXERCISE III
Focus: The Duration of an Event.
Supply have or has in the first blank and since or for in the second.
1.- The earth _____________ been in existence _________ millions of years.
2.- Cuba ____________ been a socialist country ____________ 1959.
3.- Korea and Germany ___________ been divided nations _________ quite a few years.
(Quite a few means many; the expression may modify countable nouns only: They have had
quite a few problems.)
4.- Latin __________ been a dead language _____________ the decline of Rome.
5.- Bill and his best friend ___________ known each other ___________ many years.
6.- Life in China ___________ been very different ___________ the People’s Revolution.
The people ____________ changed.
7.- Israel __________ been a state _____________ 1948.
8.- Canada and Australia ___________ been a part of the British Commonwealth
_________ quite a few years.
9.- Islam _____________ been the most important religion in the Middle East _________
approximately 1,400 years.
10.- Life __________ been a magnificent puzzle _____________ the beginning of time.
11.- All of the students _________ studied hard __________ the beginning of the course.
The class ___________ been in session ________________ September 1.
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12.- Buddhism ___________ been a major religion in the Far East ___________ more than
two thousand years.
13.- The sun ____________ been in the center of our solar system ____________ millions
and millions of years.
14.- My parents ___________ had their house ___________ quite a few years.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE III PAGE 2
15.- Washington D.C., ___________ been the capital of the United States ___________
1800.
16.- I __________ known my best friend ______________ I was six.

17.- The Eiffel Tower _____________ been a famous tourist attraction __________ the
time of its erection for the Paris Exhibition in 1889.
18.- Relations between those two countries ___________ been bad ___________ the end of
the last war.
19.- Christianity ___________ been an important religion _________ almost two thousand
years.
20.- The Red Cross ____________ been an important international organization ________
1864.
21.- The Soviet Union _____________ been a socialist state _____________ 1917.
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GRAMMAR EXERCISE IV
Focus: Duration with the Present Perfect Tense.
Fill in the first blank with an appropriate verb phrase in the present perfect tense
and supply since or for in the second. Use past participles made out of the base forms
in the following list: be, do, have, know, live, love, speak, work.
1.- I _____________________ my car ____________ three years.
2.- We _____________________ in this classroom _____________ ten o’clock.
3.- S/he _________________________ him/her secretly _____________ many years.
4.- He ___________________ a great deal of money _____________ the day he was born.
(A great deal of means much. The expression modifies only uncountable nouns: There is a
great deal of money in his account.)
5.- My best friend ____________________ in New York, ___________ he was born.
6.- They _________________ a great deal of trouble with their car ______________ the
day they bought it.
7.- The weather ______________________ beautiful _____________ the beginning of the
month. We ____________________ sunshine ______________ almost three weeks.
8.- The President ________________________ in office ______________ some years.
9.- Bill and his father _______________________________ together in the same company
____________ more than ten years.
10.- Everyone _____________________ well _____________ the beginning of the course.

11.- Our little boy _____________________ an infection in his ear _________________ he
went swimming in the lake a couple of weeks ago.
12.- I ___________________ English ________________ only a couple of years.
13.- My next-door neighbor _______________________ very inactive _____________ she
became ill.
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GRAMMAR EXERCISE IV PAGE 2
14.- He _________________ a great deal of trouble with his boss ______________ he
started working for the company.
15.- Betty Smith, a good friend of mine, ____________________________ a very unhappy
woman ________________ the death of her husband.
16.- My house plants ____________________ much better ___________________ I fed
them with a new kind of organic fertilizer.
17.- I __________________ my best friend __________________ more than fifteen years.
18.- My parents _______________________ their car ______________ 1951. It has
become an antique.
19.- We __________________ in this room _________________ about an hour and a half.
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CONTRACTIONS, THE NEGATIVE FORM, AND ALWAYS/NEVER
1.- Contractions of have or has with subject pronouns occur in informal usage: They’ve been
sick for days; She’s lived by herself for years.
Singular Plural
First person I’ve we’ve
Second person you’ve you’ve been
Third person he’s been they’ve
she’s
it’s
2.- It is sometimes difficult for students to determine whether the contraction ‘s is has or is.
Two general rules to follow are: (a) When a past participle (sometimes preceded by an
adverb) follows ‘s, it is the contraction of has; for example, It’s (has) been a beautiful day:

He’s (has) already had his car for three years; She’s (has) spoken French since she was
little. (b) When ‘s is followed by articles, adjectives, and -ing forms, it is the contractions of
is; for example, It’s (is) a beautiful day, He’s (is) homesick; She’s (is) talking about her
vacation.
Reminder: Some past participles occur as adjectives: He’s (is) tired; It’s (is) broken; He’s
(is) drunk.
3.- A negative verb phrase is formed by inserting not between the auxiliary and main verb: I
have not spoken Spanish since I returned to Toronto from Mexico; She has not spoken to
me since we had that argument three weeks ago.
I we
you have not been you have not been
he they
she has not been
it
4.- The contractions haven’t (have not) and hasn’t (has not) occur in informal usage: I
haven’t done anything about my visa problem; My father hasn’t played football for years.
5.- The adverbs always and never are also inserted between the auxiliary and the main verb:
My mother has always driven a Ford car; I have never known a person as nice as you.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE V
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Focus: Contractions and Always/Never
Fill in the blanks with appropriate verb phrases in the present perfect tense
containing the adverbs always or never. Practice using contractions. Use past
participles made out of the base forms in the following list.
be eat live obey see study work
drink have love respect sing use worry
drive like make run speak want
1.- I __________________________________________ my parents.
2.- Unfortunately, they ____________________ a great deal of trouble with their son.
3.- I __________________________ tropical climate.

4.- He ________________________ a Rolls-Royce.
5.- They _______________________ a lot of money in their business.
6.- It _____________________ cold at the North Pole.
7.- She ____________________ a selfish/generous person.
8.- I ______________________ to take a trip around the world.
9.- John ___________________ to go on a trip through the Sahara.
10.- I ____________________ my mother’s favorite child.
11.- You __________________ respect for yourself.
12.- She __________________ an excellent student.
13.- Ann ___________________ a poor student.
14.- He ____________________ English well.
15.- We ____________________ English during the classes.
16.- They ___________________ each other very much.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE V PAGE 2
17.- Fortunately, she _____________________ good health.
18.- I _____________________ wine with my meals.
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19.- We ___________________ Japanese food.
20.- They ___________________ about their son.
21.- I _________________ hard drugs. (Hard drugs means any of the addictive drugs such
as heroin, morphine, or opium.)
22.- I ______________________ a woman as beautiful as her.
23.- Jim ____________________ for General Motors.
24.- We _____________________ in Los Angeles.
25.- I _____________________ to go to the dentist a lot.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE VI
Focus: Negative Verb Phrases
Fill in the blanks with appropriate negative verb phrases in the present perfect tense.
Use past participles made out of the base forms in the following list.
appear call drink feel have rain send take

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be do drive get occur see speak work
1.- I _______________________ time to sit down for a second since I got to work.
2.- Grandpa’s health ______________________ good for years.
3.- Grandma _______________________ able to walk well since she fell down and broke
her hip two years ago. It _________________ easy for her.
4.- That actor ____________________ in a movie for quite a few years.
5.- A major earthquake ___________________ in San Francisco since 1906.
6.- It ________________ for more than a month, and the countryside is very dry.
7.- Bill ___________________ since he retired four years ago.
8.- She’s worried because her boyfriend __________________ her for more than a month.
9.- I ______________________ a really good movie for a long time.
10.- In spite of the inflation, they _________________ many financial problems. They
______________________ any vacations, however.
11.- That student _______________________ any homework since the beginning of the
course.
12.- That unfortunate person __________________ happy since the beginning of the course.
13.- Life ____________________ easy for him since he lost his job.
14.- The doctor is extremely busy, and she _________________ the chance (opportunity) to
go to bed since early yesterday morning.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE VI PAGE 2
15.- I _____________________ the chance to sit down since I got up this morning.
16.- We ___________________ good weather since the beginning of the year.
17.- I ____________________ any alcohol since I started taking penicillin.
18.- Because he is angry at his brother, he ____________________ to him for more than a
year.
19.- I _____________________ my native country for two years.
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20.- Because of his poor vision (eyesight), my grandfather __________________ a car for
quite a few years.

21.- I _____________________ my parents for quite a long time.
22.- This _______________________ a difficult exercise.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE VII
Focus: Time Clauses with Since
The adverb ever may occur as an intensifier of the subordinate conjunction since: he’s been
madly (very much) in love with her ever since he first met her; I’ve felt wonderful ever since
I stopped smoking; She’s been unhappy ever since her husband died.
Note: This pattern is used more informally than formally.
Fill in the blanks with past forms made out of the base forms given in the
parentheses.
1.- (inherit) She’s been a difficult person ever since she ______________ a great deal of
money. (happen) Her life has changed completely ever since this ____________________.
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2.- (take) The patient has felt much better ever since he _______________ the new drug.
(begin) Everyone in his family has felt much better ever since his condition ___________
to improve.
3.- (drop) They’ve been worried about their son ever since he ______________ out of
school. (To drop out of means to quit. The idiom is most often used in reference to quitting
school. a person who drops out f school is called a dropout.)
4.- (move) Dick has been happy ever since he ___________________ to New York.
5.- (win) His father has had a great deal of luck ever since he _______________ a lot of
money in the lottery.
6.- (break) She’s been unhappy ever since he __________________ his promise to her.
7.- (enter) Their daughter has been a very good student ever since she __________ school.
(leave) Her life has been completely different ever since she _____________ home for the
university.
8.- (be) They’ve been in love with each other ever since they _______________ children in
school.
9.- (get) They’ve been very happy ever since they __________________ married.
10.- (introduce) His company has been very successful ever since it ________________ a

new mouse-trap to the market.
GRAMMAR EXERCISE VII PAGE 2
11.- (buy) My life has been different ever since I ___________________ a new car.
12.- (meet) We’ve had a lot of fun together ever since we _____________________.
13.- (graduate) Their son has made a lot of money ever since he ______________ from the
university.
14.- (arrive) My life has been very different ever since I ________________ in this country.
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