Tenses and If-Clauses: Fill in the Blanks

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.She ___ to school every day.

   • A.go
   • B.going
   • C.goes✓ Correct Answer
   • D.gone

   Explanation: A habitual action in the present takes the simple present; a singular subject needs "goes".

2. Q2.They ___ playing cricket now.

   • A.is
   • B.was
   • C.are✓ Correct Answer
   • D.be

   Explanation: The present continuous with the plural "They" uses "are".

3. Q3.I ___ him in the market yesterday.

   • A.meet
   • B.meeting
   • C.have met
   • D.met✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: "Yesterday" marks a finished past time, so the simple past "met" is correct.

4. Q4.He ___ finished his work.

   • A.has✓ Correct Answer
   • B.have
   • C.had been
   • D.is

   Explanation: The present perfect with a singular subject uses "has" plus the past participle.

5. Q5.The sun ___ in the east.

   • A.rise
   • B.rises✓ Correct Answer
   • C.rose
   • D.is rise

   Explanation: A universal truth is expressed in the simple present: "rises".

6. Q6.We ___ lunch when the guests arrived.

   • A.are having
   • B.have had
   • C.will have
   • D.were having✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: A past action in progress when another happened takes the past continuous.

7. Q7.If it rains tomorrow, we ___ at home.

   • A.would stay
   • B.stayed
   • C.will stay✓ Correct Answer
   • D.had stayed

   Explanation: A real future condition (if + present) takes "will" in the main clause.

8. Q8.If I were a bird, I ___ fly across the sea.

   • A.would✓ Correct Answer
   • B.will
   • C.can
   • D.had

   Explanation: An unreal present condition (if + past) takes "would" in the main clause.

9. Q9.If she had studied harder, she ___ the examination.

   • A.would have passed✓ Correct Answer
   • B.would pass
   • C.will pass
   • D.had passed

   Explanation: An unreal past condition (if + past perfect) takes "would have + past participle".

10. Q10.By next year he ___ his degree.

    • A.will have completed✓ Correct Answer
    • B.will complete
    • C.has completed
    • D.completed

    Explanation: "By next year" shows an action finished before a future time, so the future perfect.

11. Q11.She ___ in this town since 2010.

    • A.lived
    • B.is living
    • C.lives
    • D.has lived✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: "Since" with a starting point and a continuing action needs the present perfect.

12. Q12.I ___ for an hour when he finally came.

    • A.was waiting
    • B.have been waiting
    • C.am waiting
    • D.had been waiting✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: A continuous action lasting up to a past moment takes the past perfect continuous.

13. Q13.He said that he ___ very tired.

    • A.is
    • B.was✓ Correct Answer
    • C.will be
    • D.has been

    Explanation: In reported speech after a past reporting verb, the present shifts back to the past: "was".

14. Q14.Unless you work hard, you ___ the examination.

    • A.would fail
    • B.will fail✓ Correct Answer
    • C.failed
    • D.did fail

    Explanation: "Unless" means "if not"; with a present clause the main clause takes "will".

15. Q15.I wish I ___ taller than my brother.

    • A.am
    • B.were✓ Correct Answer
    • C.will be
    • D.had been

    Explanation: After "wish" for an unreal present state, the subjunctive "were" is used.

16. Q16.No sooner had he left the house ___ it began to rain.

    • A.when
    • B.then
    • C.that
    • D.than✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: "No sooner" is followed by "than"; "scarcely/hardly" is followed by "when".

17. Q17.Had I known about the strike, I ___ earlier.

    • A.will leave
    • B.would leave
    • C.would have left✓ Correct Answer
    • D.had left

    Explanation: This is an inverted third conditional (= If I had known), so the main clause takes "would have + participle".

18. Q18.It is high time you ___ your studies seriously.

    • A.started✓ Correct Answer
    • B.start
    • C.will start
    • D.had started

    Explanation: "It is high time" is followed by the simple past, expressing that the action is overdue.

19. Q19.He would rather I ___ tomorrow than today.

    • A.come
    • B.came✓ Correct Answer
    • C.will come
    • D.had come

    Explanation: "Would rather" + subject + past form expresses a preference about the present or future.

20. Q20.Scarcely had he reached the station ___ the train left.

    • A.than
    • B.then
    • C.when✓ Correct Answer
    • D.that

    Explanation: "Scarcely" and "hardly" are followed by "when", while "no sooner" takes "than".