TENSE FORMS (11) FCE USE OF ENGLISH

FCE USE OF ENGLISH

TENSE FORMS (11)

Time Words

● Ago (= back in time from now) used with Past Simple. Jill called an hour ago. ● Before (= back in time from then) Phil told me Jill had called an hour before. It can also be used with present or past forms to point out that an action preceded another. He had been working in the company for two years before he was promoted. ● Still is used in statements and questions after the auxiliary verb or before the main verb. They can still walk long distances. She still works in the same office. Still comes before the auxiliary verb in negations. They still can’t find a solution to the problem. ● Already is used with Perfect tenses in mid or end position in statements or questions. Sheila had already cooked dinner before Liz came home. Has he finished already? ● Yet is used with Perfect tenses in negative sentences after a contracted auxiliary verb or at the end of the sentence. She hasn’t yet accepted the post. She hasn’t accepted the post yet. It can also be used at the end of questions. Has she phoned yet?

EXERCISES

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Underline the correct word. 1 She has gone to Singapore and she’s still/yet there. 2 He doesn’t want to watch the film as he’s seen it already/still. 3 Ann was on a diet five months before/ago. She lost three kilos. 4 She’s only been playing the violin for two years and she can already/still play several of Mozart’s most difficult pieces. 5 Even after twenty-five years she is still/yet actively involved in the club. 6 Jo’s yet/still got a good figure even though she’s five months pregnant. 7 “Has Sandra typed up those reports yet/still? I need them now.” 8 Peter left the party two hours before/ago because he wasn’t feeling well. 9 She had come back ago/before he returned. 10 I can’t do the exam – I haven’t finished doing all my revisions still/yet.

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Put the verbs in brackets into a correct tense. 1 A new addiction 1) ...has recently emerged... (recently/emerge) –to soap operas, that is – and the world’s first clinic to treat people obsessed with the soaps 2) _______ (open) next week. Victims 3) _______ (come) from every walk of life –from company directors to cleaners. Symptoms of addiction 4) _______ (include) refusing to miss an episode and watching recorded episodes again and again. One victim 5) _______ (explain) how he 6) ............. _______............... (become) addicted five years ago. His obsession 7) _______ (be) so bad that he 8) _______ (be) unable to keep a steady relationship. “When my friends 9) _______ (come round), I was more interested in the soaps. It was almost as if the people on TV 10) _______ (become) my friends instead.” 2 A: I 1) _______ (think) of going to that new Chinese restaurant in the city centre to celebrate my birthday. 2) _______ (you/be) there yet? B: No, I 3) _______ (not/be) there yet, but people 4) _______ (say) that the food is fantastic. A: Would you like to go there next weekend? B: Yes, that’s a great idea. I 5) _______ (write) it in my diary now. 3 John 1) _______ (leave) the house in a rush this morning. As he 2) _______ (drive) to work he suddenly 3) _______ (remember) that he 4) _______ (be/asked) to speak at a conference. He 5) _______ (look) at his watch and 6) _______ (see) that it was nearly time for the conference to begin. 4 Last March, Sam 1) _______ (decide) that he 2) _______ (have) enough of working in a bank and that he 3) _______ (ride) around the world on a bicycle. He 4) _______ (leave) England two weeks later with his bike, a rucksack and a tent. He 5) _______ (be) away for six months now, and no one 6) _______ (know) whether he 7) _______ (return) or not. 5 Jan and Paul 1) _______ (argue) in the next room at the moment. It 2) _______ (seem) that Paul 3) _______ (come) in last night after he 4) _______ (promise) Jan that he 5) _______ (be) home in time for dinner. By the time he 6) _______ (get) home. Jan 7) _______ (give) his dinner to the dog and 8) _______ (wait) by the window for two hours. 6 A: 1) _______ (you/go) on holiday to Germany this year? B: No, we 2) _______ (go) there every year, so we want a change this year. A: Where 3) _______ (you/plan) to go instead? B: Well, we 4) _______ (be/told) that Greece is a beautiful country so we 5) _______ (already/book) a two-week holiday on Corfu. 7 Susan 1) _______ (study) interior design part-time for three years and she 2) _______ (get) her diploma next month. Since she 3) _______ (work) in the same company for over ten years she 4) _______ (feel) that she 5) _______ (need) a change, so she 6) _______ (plan) to open her own design business. She 7) _______ (start) looking for an office next week, and she 8) _______ (hope) she 9) _______ (find) something in a good location and at a reasonable price by the end of the month. Her tutors 10) _______ (tell) her that she 11) _______ (be) very talented and they 12) _______ (assure) her that she 13) _______ (make) a success of the business. 8 Jim 1) _______ (walk) along the High Street when he 2) _______ (notice) someone behind him. Actually, he 3) _______ (follow) him since he 4) _______ (get off) the bus. Jim 5) _______ (stop) at a shop window. The man 6) _______ (come) closer to him. Jim 7) _______ (have) the feeling he 8) _______ (see) him before, so he 9) _______ (go) up to him and 10) _______ (ask): _______ (not/I/know) you? Why 12) _______ (you/follow) me?” The man 13) _______ (smile) and 14) _______ (say), “Smile! You 15) _______ (be) on Candid Camera!” 9 Julie 1) _______ (always/want) to be famous, ever since she was young. She 2) _______ (take) acting classes for years and last week someone 3) _______ (offer) her a part in an advertisement. They only 4) _______ (need) her voice, though, because it’s going to be on the radio. At least her career 5) _______ (start). 10 Tom 1) _______ (save up) to go to France for months, and yesterday when he 2) _______ (count) his savings he 3) _______ (realise) he had enough. Unfortunately, as he 4) _______ (drive) to the travel agent’s he remembered that he 5) _______ (not/pay) his rent for two months so he 6) _______ (turn) round and 7) _______ (drive) back home again. 11 Next month I 1) _______ (visit) my friend who 2) _______ (live) in Brazil. The flight from London 3) _______ (take) about fifteen hours and I 4) _______ (never/be) on a plane before. I 5) _______ (feel) quite nervous about the journey but my friend 6) _______ (keep) telling me that there 7) _______ (be) nothing to worry about.

ANSWER KEY