What's the difference between these two sentences?
a He'd been trying to phone her before she left the country.
b He'd tried to phone her before she left the country.
In sentence a, he had tried to phone her more than once/repeatedly.
In sentence b, he had tried to phone her once.
What's the difference between these two sentences?
a He's very rude.
b He's being very rude.
Sentence a describes his general character/behaviour.
Sentence b describes how he is behaving now.
Which tense is correct?
When John phoned / was phoning, I wrote / was writing an essay. I finished / was finishing it at midnight.
When John phoned , I was writing an essay. I finished it at midnight.
Which tense is correct?
Don't come round at eight. I'll put /'ll be putting the children in bed then.
Don't come round at eight. I'll be putting the children in bed then.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
I've been knowing him for a few months, but I've only been meeting his sister once.
Wrong
I've known him for a few months, but I've only met his sister once.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
I'm loving hamburgers: I eat five every day and I eat one at the moment!
Wrong
I love hamburgers: I eat five every day and I'm eating one at the moment!
Which tense: Present simple or continuous?
Peter _____ (play) football at the moment. He_____ (want) to be a footballer when he grows up.
Peter is playing football at the moment. He wants to be a footballer when he grows up.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
Careful where you walk. Susie's been breaking a vase and Johnny's already cut himself.
Wrong
Careful where you walk. Susie's broken a vase and Johnny's already cut himself.
Which tense is correct?
Tom walked / was walking home when someone called / was calling out his name
Tom was walking home when someone called out his name.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
Before the accident he'd never been thinking anything like this would happen to him.
Wrong
Before the accident he'd never thought anything like this would happen to him.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
They've been living next door for years, but we've never spoken to them.
Correct
Which tense is correct?
As soon as Cathy shut the car door, she realised /was realising she had left /had been leaving the keys inside.
As soon as Cathy shut the car door, she realised she had left the keys inside.
Which tense: Past simple or Past continuous?
When he ______ (arrive)at the party, everyone ______ (talk) and ______ (laugh).
When he arrived at the party, everyone was talking and laughing.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
Tom was exhausted because he'd been working too hard.
Correct
Which tense is correct?
Sam's friends had already gone / had already been going by the time he got / was getting there.
Sam's friends had already gone by the time he got there.
Which tense: Present perfect simple or continuous?
Oh no! The train ____ (stop) again! I ____ (sit) on this train for hours and I ____ (already / miss) my first meeting!
Oh no! The train has stopped again! I've been sitting on this train for hours and I've already missed my first meeting!
What's the difference between these two sentences?
a What do you think?
b What are you thinking?
Sentence a asks for your opinion.
Sentence b asks about what is on your mind/your mental process now.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
When she was getting home: her husband was watching football on television.
Wrong
When she got home: her husband was watching football on television.
Which tense is correct?
He is working / has been working there since he left / was leaving university.
He has been working there since he left university.
Which tense is correct?
They waited / were waiting until everybody had left /had been leaving the bank and then they broke in / were breaking in through the window.
They waited until everybody had left the bank and then they broke in through the window.
Which tense is correct?
He is playing / has been playing tennis since he started/ was starting school.
He has been playing tennis since he started school.
Which tense: Present perfect simple or continuous?
You're covered in mud and you ____ (tear) your T-shirt! You ____ (play) rugby, haven't you?
You're covered in mud and you've torn your T-shirt! You've been playing rugby, haven't you?
Which tense: Past perfect simple or Past perfect continuous?
When the helicopter finally found us, we ____ (sit) in the lifeboat for hours and ____ (eat) all our food.
When the helicopter finally found us, we had been sitting in the lifeboat for hours and had eaten all our food.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
When I arrive at the station, my parents will wait for me.
When I arrive at the station, my parents will be waiting for me.
What's the difference between these two sentences?
a I'll be cooking dinner when you get home.
b I'll cook dinner when you get home.
In sentence a, I will start cooking dinner before you get home.
In sentence b, I will start cooking dinner when you get home.
Which tense is correct?
This time next week I'll lie /'ll be lying on a beach in Spain.
This time next week I'll be lying on a beach in Spain.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
As soon as she was seeing the time, she was jumping out of bed.
Wrong
As soon as she saw the time, she jumped out of bed.
Which tense is correct?
Normally I get up / am getting up at eight, but this week I get up / am getting up at seven because I have to start work early.
Which tense is correct? Normally I get up / am getting up at eight, but this week I get up / am getting up at seven because I have to start work early.
Which tense: Past simple or Past continuous?
While we ______ (wait) for the guests to arrive, Sally ______ (ring) to say she couldn't come.
While we were waiting for the guests to arrive, Sally rang to say she couldn't come.
Is this sentence right or wrong? (If it's wrong, correct it.)
By the time the emergency food supplies arrived, 30 people had been dying.
By the time the emergency food supplies arrived, 30 people had died
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