Free Tenses MCQs with Answers
545 Tenses MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Tenses show when an action or state occurs and whether it is complete, continuing or repeated. The work covers present, past and future forms, including simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous constructions, as well as sequence of tenses and the difference between tense and aspect.
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545 questions · page 1 of 28
- A. loses
- B. has lost
- C. had lost
- D. will lose
Explanation: Two completed past events need the past perfect for whichever happened first, so had lost marks the loss of consciousness as earlier than…
Correct answer: had lost- A. works
- B. worked
- C. has been working
- D. is working
Explanation: Since fixes a starting point for an action that began in the past and is still continuing, which calls for the present perfect continuous.
Correct answer: has been working- A. works
- B. is working
- C. has been working
- D. worked
Explanation: An action that began in the past and continues into the present takes the present perfect continuous, and the marker since fixes the…
Correct answer: has been working- A. left
- B. has left
- C. had left
- D. was leaving
Explanation: When two past actions are compared, the earlier one takes the past perfect, so the train had already gone before we arrived.
Correct answer: had left- A. will cancel
- B. would cancel
- C. cancelled
- D. will cancelled
Explanation: A first conditional describes a real and likely future possibility, taking the present simple in the if clause and will plus the base verb…
Correct answer: will cancel- A. am
- B. was
- C. were
- D. will be
Explanation: After I wish, an unreal present situation takes the subjunctive were for all persons, so I wish I were is correct in formal English.
Correct answer: were- A. have
- B. had
- C. would have
- D. has
Explanation: The third conditional describes an unreal past and takes if plus past perfect in one clause and would have plus past participle in the…
Correct answer: had- A. takes
- B. take
- C. took
- D. will take
Explanation: Verbs such as suggest, recommend, insist, demand and propose are followed by the subjunctive, which uses the base form of the verb…
Correct answer: take- A. have gone
- B. went
- C. am gone
- D. am going
Explanation: Last night identifies a completed action in the past, so the simple past went is required.
Correct answer: went- A. does not allow
- B. did not allow
- C. allowed
- D. allow
Explanation: The sentence describes his usual careful behaviour, so the present-tense form does not allow is required.
Correct answer: does not allow- A. Comed
- B. Came
- C. Had come
- D. None of these
Explanation: The definite past time “in 54 BC” requires the simple past tense, came.
Correct answer: Came- A. didn't
- B. weren't
- C. haven't
- D. hadn't
Explanation: The statement uses the past perfect auxiliary had, so the question tag must use its negative form, hadn't.
Correct answer: hadn't- A. rarely comes
- B. is rarely coming
- C. has rarely come
- D. None of these
Explanation: “Rarely comes” is the simple present used for a current or habitual situation, contrasting with his former weekly visits.
Correct answer: rarely comes- A. never managed
- B. have never managed
- C. will have never managed
- D. None of these
Explanation: “Up to now” refers to a period continuing until the present, so the present perfect “have never managed” is required.
Correct answer: have never managed- A. wants
- B. is wanting
- C. was wanting
- D. None of these
Explanation: “Want” normally expresses a state and is not used in the continuous form in this sentence. Therefore, the simple present “wants” is correct.
Correct answer: wants- A. Immerse
- B. Emerged
- C. Imerged
- D. None Of These
Explanation: “Emerged” is the past form of “emerge,” meaning came out, so the sentence means that the sun came out from behind the clouds.
Correct answer: Emerged- A. Would have begun
- B. Will begun
- C. Will have begun
- D. Would begun
Explanation: “Will have begun” is the future perfect, used for an action completed before a stated future time: the play will have begun by the time he…
Correct answer: Will have begun- A. Have looked
- B. Have been looking
- C. Has looked
- D. Has been looking
Explanation: “Have been looking” is present perfect continuous, showing an activity that began earlier and is still relevant now.
Correct answer: Have been looking- A. He get up and run to the door.
- B. He gets up and run to the door.
- C. He got up and will run to the door.
- D. He got up and ran to the door.Fun & Trivia
Explanation: The two past-tense verbs must be parallel: “got up and ran.” “Run” is the base form and does not agree with the past-tense verb “got.”
Correct answer: He got up and ran to the door.Fun & Trivia- A. Was
- B. Must be
- C. Were
- D. Is
Explanation: The past continuous is used for two actions happening at the same time in the past: I was sleeping and she was playing.
Correct answer: WasTenses MCQs: common questions
Are these Tenses MCQs free?
Yes. All Tenses MCQs from English are free on TestUstad, with unlimited attempts and no account needed. Nothing on this page is a sample or a trial.
How many Tenses MCQs are on this page?
There are 545 Tenses MCQs in the English bank, shown 20 to a page with the correct answer and an explanation on each.
Does every Tenses MCQ have an explanation?
Yes. Each Tenses question shows the correct option and a written explanation of why it is correct, so a wrong answer teaches you something rather than just being marked wrong.
Can I take a timed Tenses test?
Yes. The practice button on this page starts a free Tenses test drawn from the English bank. It marks each answer instantly, gives you a score at the end, and can be retaken as many times as you like.