Present and Past Tense Questions and Answers

This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Present and Past Tense”.

1. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

He has been meditating for two hours.

a) Simple Present tense
b) Present Continuous tense
c) Present Perfect tense
d) Present Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: In the given sentence, the Present Perfect Continuous tense has been expressed as it is used for an action which began at some time in the past and is still continuing.

2. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I have been washing my clothes.
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a) Simple Present tense
b) Present Continuous tense
c) Present Perfect tense
d) Present Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: The Present Perfect Continuous tense is used for an action already finished, where the continuity of the activity is emphasized as an explanation of something.

3. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I parked the car yesterday.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The Simple Past tense is used to denote an action that has been completed in the past and is often accompanied by adverbs or adverb phrases of past time.

4. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

I didn’t have breakfast.
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a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The Simple Past tense denotes completed actions. When the tense appears without an adverb, the time may be implied/indicated by the context.

5. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

She always used a fork to eat pasta.
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a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The Simple Past tense is used to denote past habits of the subject.

6. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

We were playing ice hockey.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The Past continuous tense is used to depict an action going on at a time in the past where the time of the action may or may not be denoted.

7. Identify the tense used in the given sentence.

He was always sleeping.

a) Simple Past tense
b) Past Continuous tense
c) Past Perfect tense
d) Past Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The Past Continuous tense was used with “always” to denote persistent habits in the past.

8. Fill in the blanks.

The _________ is used to denote an action starting at some time in the continuing up to the present moment.

a) Simple Present tense
b) Present Continuous tense
c) Present Perfect tense
d) Present Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Consider the example: “She has been sick since yesterday”. In the given sentence, the verb “sick” is used in the Present Perfect tense.

9. Fill in the blanks.

The ________ is used for an action which started at some time in the past and is still continuing.

a) Simple Present tense
b) Present Continuous tense
c) Present Perfect tense
d) Present Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: Consider the example: “He has been studying since yesterday”. In the given example, the phrase “has been studying” denotes the Present Perfect Continuous tense and the word “yesterday” denotes the past time zone.

10. Fill in the blanks.

The _________ is sometimes used to denote an action already finished.

a) Simple Present tense
b) Present Continuous tense
c) Present Perfect tense
d) Present Perfect Continuous tense
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: The Present Perfect Continuous tense is sometimes used to denote actions already finished. In those cases, the continuity of the activity is emphasized as the explanation of something.

To practice all topics of English Grammar, here is complete set of 5000+ Questions and Answers.

If you find a mistake in question / option / answer, kindly take a screenshot and email to [email protected]

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Manish Bhojasia - Founder & CTO at Sanfoundry
Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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