BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES


THE SIMPLE PAST

We use the Past Simple to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. The actions can be short or long. There can also be a few actions happening one after another.

Use

1. Events in the past that are now finished (completed actions in the past)

We saw a movie yesterday.

Last year, I travelled to Marrakech.

They saw us playing football.

I didn't play football yesterday.

Last year, I didn't travel to Agadir.

Did you have dinner last night?

Did the telephone ring?

2.Situations in the past

They lived a normal life until they won a lottery.

He didn't learn any Italian when he was in Italy two year ago.

3.A series of Completed actions in the past

I finished work, drove to town, and did some shopping.

He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.

He entered a room, lit a cigarette and smiled at the guests.

4.Duration in Past

I lived in Rabat for twenty years.

Sanaa studied Spanish for four years.

They sat at the beach all day.

They did not stay at the party the whole time.

We talked on the phone for twenty minutes.

How long did he work there?

How long did you wait for them?

We waited for one hour.

5. Habits in the Past (habits which stopped in the past = used to)

I studied French when I was a child. (I used to study French when I was a child.)

He played the tambourine when he was young.

Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?

He worked as a waiter after school.

Time expressions / signal words

yesterday

last night / week / month etc.

the other day

the day before yesterday

the last time

the first time

a day ago / two weeks ago etc.

earlier today / this week etc.

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BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We use the Present Continuous (Progressive) tense when talking about actions that are happening at the moment (present or temporary activity) or which will be done in the future (future arrangement).

Use :

1.Present or temporary activities.

2.Future (personal) arrangements.

I'm going to go to the cinema tonight.

I'm going abroad this summer (in both sentences the speaker is speaking about plans)

A/ Examples

Use 1:

I'm drinking some juice now.

They are swimming in the sea.

Use 2:

He is getting married this month.

I'm having my Baccalaureate exam this week.

B/ Examples

Use 1:

Are the children having breakfast now?

Is she listening to music now?

Use 2:

Are they having the party on Friday or Saturday?

Are you meeting Jabir today?

C/ Examples

Use 1:

He is not doing his homework. We aren't waiting for our friend.

Use 2:

He is not going to school tomorrow.

D/ Time expressions / Signal words

now
at this moment
for the moment
currently
at the present
temporarily
this week / month / year , etc.
today

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BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES : ENGLISH TENSES

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES : ENGLISH TENSES


THE SIMPLE PRESENT

This is without doubt the most important tense in the English language and we use it in a great number of very different situations in our lives. To encourage you to have a look at the below thorough description of the Present Simple, I must say that this tense is relatively easy to understand for people learning English, which is also why it is the best tense to learn first.

Use :

1.Facts and generalization

2.Habits and routines

3.Permanent situations

4.State verbs (e.g. be, have, think, know)

5.Fixed / official arrangement that we can't change ( schedules and timetables )

Note: Apart from all the above uses, this tense is also used in:

1. Zero Conditional- If it rains, I stay at home.

2. First Conditional - We won't get our pocket money, if we don't pass this exam.

3. In sentences after "when", "before", "till", "after", "as soon as"

Before you leave, please take the keys.

After you clean your teeth, go to bed.

When you get back home, please call me.

A/ Examples:

Use 1 : The earth goes around the sun.

A dog is an animal.

Morocco is in North Africa.

Use 2 : I learn English twice a week.

He never has breakfast at home.

She usually watches her favourite TV programme in the evening.

Use 3 : He comes from China.

She teaches Russian in Moscow.

Use 4 : I have two pens.

I think it will rain.

Use 5 : The course starts in April.

The Baccalaureate exam begins on June 2nd and ends on June 4th.

B/ Examples:

Use 1: Is Honduras in South America?

Does the Earth go around the moon?

Use 2: Does Majd often play football?

Use 3: Do you know who my friend is?

What do you do? (what's your occupation?)

C/ Examples:

Use 1:The Earth does not go around the moon.

Use 2:He doesn't go to the cinema at all.

Use 3:They don't live in Marrakech anymore.

Use 4:I don't like winter.

To describe how often an action that takes place, you can use adverbs of frequency.

For example :

•always

•never

•frequently/often

•usually

•seldom/rarely

•nowadays

•every week/year

•sometimes/occasionally

•from time to time

Examples

I always go shopping on Sundays.

I never eat anything after 10 p.m.

My computer freezes from time to time.

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BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES : TIME EXPRESSIONS / SIGNAL WORDS

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES


TIME EXPRESSIONS / SIGNAL WORDS

PAST PERFECT

had + past participle

Used with by the time to express two activities in the past, one occurring before the other. First activity: past perfect/second activity: simple past. Can also be used with

after / before

She went to bed after she had turned off the lights.

She had turned off the lights before she went to bed.

when.
By the time / When we arrived, he had already left.

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BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES : TIME EXPRESSIONS / SIGNAL WORDS

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES


TIME EXPRESSIONS / SIGNAL WORDS

PAST CONTINUOUS

was / were v + -ing


when
while

Used with when to express past activity in progress, interrupted by a non-continuous activity: I was writing when you called.

Used with while to express two continuous activities occurring
at the same time in past: I was reading while you were writing.

When she came back home from work, the children were sleeping.
She came back home from work while the children were sleeping.

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