The Big Picture
Ask Yourself... | Pattern 1 | Pattern 2 | Simple Actions/Verbs |
What am I looking for? | Earlier completed action | Ongoing action | Simple action |
Key Question | What finished first? | What was already happening? | What was, is, or will happen? |
Past | had finished | was finishing | finished |
Present | has finished | is finishing | finishes |
Future | will have finished | will be finishing | will finish |
Step 1: What kind of action is this?
- Finished before something else?
- Happening over time?
Step 2: What timeline am I in?
- Past?
- Present?
- Future?
Mixed Verb Pattern Practice
Pattern 1, Pattern 2, and Simple Actions
For each question, students should ask:
Step 1: What type of action is this?
- Completed before another action?
- Ongoing action?
- Single/simple action?
Step 2: What timeline is it in?
- Past?
- Present?
- Future?
1.
By the time the guests arrived, the host _____ the table.
A. sets
B. had set
C. will set
D. is setting
Answer:
2.
The museum _____ a new exhibit every spring.
A. opens
B. opened
C. is opening
D. had opened
Answer:
3.
While the students _____ their essays, the fire alarm sounded.
A. wrote
B. are writing
C. were writing
D. had written
Answer:
4.
By next Friday, the team _____ the final report.
A. completed
B. has completed
C. will have completed
D. is completing
Answer:
5.
The scientist _____ the results yesterday.
A. records
B. recorded
C. is recording
D. has recorded
Answer:
6.
Currently, the researchers _____ how temperature affects plant growth.
A. studied
B. had studied
C. are studying
D. will have studied
Answer:
7.
After the author _____ three drafts, she sent the manuscript to her editor.
A. has written
B. had written
C. will write
D. is writing
Answer:
8.
Tomorrow, the class _____ its final presentation.
A. gives
B. gave
C. will give
D. had given
Answer:
9.
This time next week, the athletes _____ for the championship.
A. trained
B. are training
C. will be training
D. had trained
Answer:
10.
The artist _____ several murals throughout the city over the past decade.
A. paints
B. painted
C. has painted
D. will be painting
Answer:
11.
When the principal entered the room, the students _____ quietly.
A. read
B. were reading
C. will read
D. have read
Answer:
12.
Before the end of the year, the organization _____ its new website.
A. launches
B. launched
C. will have launched
D. is launching