Tenses I - past, present and future	

Complete the sentences by choosing the correct form of the verb and changing 
the underlined word(s)  where necessary to make the sentence true for you.

When you have finished, compare with your partner by asking  questions  using 
the correct tenses.	

I work / am working for a garment company.
I do / have done / have been doing my present job since I left school.
When I left my office this evening I worked / have been worked / have been working / had been working since nine o’clock
At the end of last week I worked / have worked / had worked / had been working forty hours.

Before I came to the class I had done some shopping / was doing some shopping / did some shopping.
I ate / was eating / have eaten very little today.
I worked / had worked / have worked hard this morning.
I have slept / had slept / have been sleeping quite well recently.

By the time I retire, I expect I will work / will have worked / will be working  for 40 years.
This time tomorrow I will watch / will have watched / will be watching TV at home.
When I started this course I never took / have never taken / had never taken / had never been taken an English course before.
I have been / went / had been / have gone / had gone / have been going to the cinema three times this year.
I have done /have been doing / did / had been doing a lot of exercise recently.

Answers	

If your job is permanent, you can say: I work for a garment company. 
(However, if your job is temporary, you can use the present continuous: I am working for a garment company)

I have done / have been doing my present job since I left school. 
(Normally, present perfect continuous is used to show an action that continues up until now. Sometimes when we are talking about a situation – as in the present case – the present perfect simple is also possible.)
When I left my office this evening I had been working since nine o’clock. 
(The action ‘work’ was before the action ‘leave’, so we use past perfect.)
At the end of last week I had worked forty hours. 

Before I came to the class I did some shopping.
(Finished action: shopping; finished time period: before I came to this class)
I have eaten very little today. 
(Unfinished time period: today)

I worked hard this morning. 
(Finished action and time period)

I have been sleeping quite well recently.
 (Repeated action: sleep; time period up until now: recently)
	
By the time I retire, I expect I will have worked for 40 years. 
(Something complete: work before a specified time in the future: the time I retire)
This time tomorrow I will be watching TV at home.   
(Something in progress (unfinished ): watch TV – at a specified time in the future: this time tomorrow)
When I started this course I had never been taken an English course before.
 (The second verb ‘take’ happened before the first verb ‘start’)

I have been to the cinema three times this year.  
(Unfinished time period: this year)
I have been doing a lot of exercise recently.
(Repeated action: do; time period up until now: recently)