Question

Open the brackets. Choose the most suitable of all the Progressive Tenses. Give reasons for your choice. 1. What you (do) here so late? You always (do) your lessons in the reading room? 2. You didn't see me, I (sit) in the back row. 3. I can give her your message, I (see) her at the lecture. 4. Why you always (change) your mind? 5. He asks me who else (come) to the party. 6. It (rain) when I first came to St. Petersburg. 7. We (play) chess for an hour and went for a walk. 8. We (play) chess when you like. 9. I (read) for my examination. 10. Well, so long then, I'll phone you one of these days. 11. We'll come at 12 a.m. 12. They (rehearse) the second act. 13. He (lose) constantly things! 14. Sorry, I really have to go. They (wait) for me. 15. What you (do) after dinner?

Answer 1

1. What are you (doing) here so late? Are you always (doing) your lessons in the reading room? 2. You didn't see me, I (was sitting) in the back row. 3. I can give her your message, I (will be seeing) her at the lecture. 4. Why are you always (changing) your mind? 5. He asks me who else (is coming) to the party. 6. It (was raining) when I first came to St. Petersburg. 7. We (had been playing) chess for an hour and went for a walk. 8. We (will be playing) chess when you like. 9. I (am reading) for my examination. 10. Well, so long then, I'll phone you one of these days. 11. We'll come at 12 a.m. 12. They (are rehearsing) the second act. 13. He is constantly (losing) things! 14. Sorry, I really have to go. They (are waiting) for me. 15. What you (are doing) after dinner?

Answer 2

1. What you (do) here so late? You always (do) your lessons in the reading room?

The most suitable progressive tense for the first sentence is the present continuous tense, "are you doing." This tense is used to talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. In this case, the question is asking about the person's current activity. The second sentence should use the present simple tense, "do." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. The person is referring to the person's usual behavior of doing lessons in the reading room.

Reasoning: - The first sentence is asking about the person's current activity, which is best expressed using the present continuous tense. - The second sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

2. You didn't see me, I (sit) in the back row.

The most suitable progressive tense for the second sentence is the past continuous tense, "was sitting." This tense is used to talk about actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. In this case, the person is referring to their action of sitting in the back row at a specific time in the past when the other person didn't see them.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past, which is best expressed using the past continuous tense.

3. I can give her your message, I (see) her at the lecture.

The most suitable progressive tense for the third sentence is the present continuous tense, "am seeing." This tense is used to talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. In this case, the person is referring to their current action of seeing the person at the lecture, which allows them to give her the message.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing an action happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time, which is best expressed using the present continuous tense.

4. Why you always (change) your mind?

The most suitable progressive tense for the fourth sentence is the present simple tense, "do you always change." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is referring to the person's habit of always changing their mind.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

5. He asks me who else (come) to the party.

The most suitable progressive tense for the fifth sentence is the present simple tense, "comes." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is referring to the habitual action of people coming to the party.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

6. It (rain) when I first came to St. Petersburg.

The most suitable progressive tense for the sixth sentence is the past simple tense, "rained." This tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. In this case, the person is referring to the action of raining when they first came to St. Petersburg.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing a completed action in the past, which is best expressed using the past simple tense.

7. We (play) chess for an hour and went for a walk.

The most suitable progressive tense for the seventh sentence is the past simple tense, "played." This tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. In this case, the person is referring to the action of playing chess for an hour.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing a completed action in the past, which is best expressed using the past simple tense.

8. We (play) chess when you like.

The most suitable progressive tense for the eighth sentence is the present simple tense, "play." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is referring to the habitual action of playing chess whenever the other person likes.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

9. I (read) for my examination.

The most suitable progressive tense for the ninth sentence is the present simple tense, "read." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is referring to the habitual action of reading for their examination.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

10. Well, so long then, I'll phone you one of these days.

The most suitable progressive tense for the tenth sentence is the future simple tense, "will phone." This tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the future. In this case, the person is referring to their intention to phone the other person in the future.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to an action that will happen in the future, which is best expressed using the future simple tense.

11. We'll come at 12 a.m.

The most suitable progressive tense for the eleventh sentence is the future simple tense, "will come." This tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the future. In this case, the person is referring to their intention to come at 12 a.m. in the future.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to an action that will happen in the future, which is best expressed using the future simple tense.

12. They (rehearse) the second act.

The most suitable progressive tense for the twelfth sentence is the present continuous tense, "are rehearsing." This tense is used to talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. In this case, the person is referring to the current action of rehearsing the second act.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing an action happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time, which is best expressed using the present continuous tense.

13. He (lose) constantly things!

The most suitable progressive tense for the thirteenth sentence is the present simple tense, "constantly loses." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is referring to the person's habit of constantly losing things.

Reasoning: - The sentence is referring to a habitual or repeated action, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.

14. Sorry, I really have to go. They (wait) for me.

The most suitable progressive tense for the fourteenth sentence is the present continuous tense, "are waiting." This tense is used to talk about actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. In this case, the person is referring to the current action of waiting for them.

Reasoning: - The sentence is describing an action happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time, which is best expressed using the present continuous tense.

15. What you (do) after dinner?

The most suitable progressive tense for the fifteenth sentence is the present simple tense, "do." This tense is used to talk about habitual or repeated actions. In this case, the person is asking about the person's usual behavior or actions after dinner.

Reasoning: - The sentence is asking about habitual or repeated actions, which is best expressed using the present simple tense.