Tense Consistency

Question 1

How to spot tricky tense traps in 11+ questions

Answer 1

Look at when things happen in the sentence. Ask:
- Did one thing happen BEFORE another past thing? Use ‘had’!
- Does it sound weird if you say it aloud? Try what sounds right.
- Is it about something not real (like a wish)? Say ‘I wish I had…’
- If it’s a future plan, the part after ‘when’ or ‘after’ often stays in the present tense!

Question 2

He opened the door and ___ the mess on the floor.
(A) sees (B) saw (C) had seen (D) is seeing

Answer 2

(B) saw
Tip: One thing happened after another — he opened the door, then saw the mess. Use past tense.

Question 3

She left the station after the train ___ .
(A) arrived (B) had arrived (C) was arriving (D) has arrived

Answer 3

(B) had arrived
Tip: The train arrived first, before she left. Use ‘had arrived’ to show that happened earlier.

Question 4

If she ___ earlier, we would have caught the bus.
(A) comes (B) came (C) had come (D) will come

Answer 4

(C) had come
Tip: We’re imagining the past. Use ‘had come’ for something that didn’t really happen.

Question 5

He said that he ___ the book already.
(A) reads (B) read (C) had read (D) was reading

Answer 5

(C) had read
Tip: He read it before speaking — so we use ‘had read’ to show it was already done.

Question 6

I was doing my homework when the lights ___ out.
(A) go (B) had gone (C) went (D) goes

Answer 6

(C) went
Tip: Something happened during an action — ‘was doing’ + ‘went’ is the right match.

Question 7

She told me she ___ to the dentist the next day.
(A) goes (B) would go (C) will go (D) has gone

Answer 7

(B) would go
Tip: ‘Told me’ is in the past. So the plan also has to be in a past-style future: ‘would go’.

Question 8

If he ___ harder, he would have passed the exam.
(A) studies (B) had studied (C) studied (D) would study

Answer 8

(B) had studied
Tip: We’re imagining a different past. Use ‘had studied’ to show it didn’t happen.

Question 9

By the time we got to the cinema, the film ___ .
(A) starts (B) started (C) had started (D) was starting

Answer 9

(C) had started
Tip: The film started first — we came later. Use ‘had started’ to show it was already happening.

Question 10

I will call you when he ___ .
(A) arrives (B) will arrive (C) arrived (D) is arriving

Answer 10

(A) arrives
Tip: After ‘when’ we keep the verb in present, even if the other part is in the future.

Question 11

While she was writing her essay, her phone ___ twice.
(A) rang (B) ring (C) has rung (D) was ringing

Answer 11

(A) rang
Tip: The ringing happened during her writing — ‘was writing’ + ‘rang’ fits best.

Question 12

She said she ___ to the museum the day before.
(A) goes (B) went (C) had gone (D) has gone

Answer 12

(C) had gone
Tip: She had already gone before she said it — we use ‘had gone’ to show that.

Question 13

He ___ to the office before the meeting started.
(A) was going (B) went (C) had gone (D) has gone

Answer 13

(C) had gone
Tip: He went to the office first — then the meeting. Use ‘had gone’ to show the earlier one.

Question 14

If you ___ me, I would have helped.
(A) tell (B) told (C) had told (D) tells

Answer 14

(C) had told
Tip: We’re talking about something that didn’t happen. Use ‘had told’ to match the ‘would have’.

Question 15

When we arrived, he ___ dinner.
(A) was cooking (B) cooked (C) cooks (D) had been cooking

Answer 15

(A) was cooking
Tip: He was still in the middle of cooking when we got there. Use ‘was cooking’ for that.

Question 16

She will call you after she ___ home.
(A) arrives (B) arrived (C) will arrive (D) is arriving

Answer 16

(A) arrives
Tip: After ‘after’, we still use present tense — even when the other part is future.

Question 17

They ___ for hours before the phone rang.
(A) were talking (B) talked (C) had been talking (D) have talked

Answer 17

(C) had been talking
Tip: The talking lasted a long time and ended before the ring. Use ‘had been talking’.

Question 18

I wish I ___ more time yesterday.
(A) had (B) have (C) have had (D) had had

Answer 18

(D) had had
Tip: You’re wishing about the past — something you didn’t have. Use ‘had had’ to show that.

Question 19

He acts as if he ___ the boss.
(A) is (B) were (C) was (D) had been

Answer 19

(B) were
Tip: ‘As if’ means we’re imagining something untrue. Use ‘were’ even if it sounds strange.

Question 20

I would go if I ___ free.
(A) am (B) was (C) were (D) had been

Answer 20

(C) were
Tip: This is about now, but it’s not real. ‘Were’ shows it’s an imaginary situation.

Question 21

By next year, they ___ in that house for a decade.
(A) will live (B) live (C) will have lived (D) are living

Answer 21

(C) will have lived
Tip: It’s about how long by a future time. Use ‘will have lived’ to show that.

Question 22

He said he ___ his homework before dinner.
(A) finishes (B) finished (C) had finished (D) has finished

Answer 22

(C) had finished
Tip: He said it after dinner — the homework was already done, so we use ‘had finished’.

Question 23

By the time she got to the party, everyone ___ .
(A) leaves (B) left (C) had left (D) was leaving

Answer 23

(C) had left
Tip: Everyone left before she arrived — use ‘had left’ to show that.

Question 24

He would help you if he ___ how.
(A) knows (B) knew (C) had known (D) know

Answer 24

(B) knew
Tip: We’re talking about now, but it’s imaginary. Use ‘knew’ to show it’s not real.

Question 25

I wish I ___ the truth sooner. (A) knew (B) know (C) had known (D) knows

Answer 25

(C) had known Tip: You didn’t know it in the past — so you wish you *had known*.

Question 26

She told me she ___ piano lessons that year. (A) takes (B) has taken (C) was taking (D) will take

Answer 26

(C) was taking Tip: It was happening that year, and she told you in the past — use 'was taking'.

Question 27

If I ___ earlier, I wouldn’t have missed the train. (A) had woken (B) wake (C) woke (D) woken

Answer 27

(A) had woken Tip: The train is already missed — this is imagining a different past. Use 'had woken'.

Question 28

After he ___ his meal, he paid the bill. (A) finish (B) finishes (C) had finished (D) was finishing

Answer 28

(C) had finished Tip: He finished eating before he paid — we use 'had finished' to show that.

Question 29

They ___ to Paris every summer until the pandemic. (A) go (B) had gone (C) went (D) goes

Answer 29

(C) went Tip: This was a repeated past action. Use 'went' — not 'had gone' unless something follows it.

Question 30

She asked whether we ___ the answer. (A) know (B) had known (C) knew (D) known

Answer 30

(C) knew Tip: In reported speech with 'asked', we often use the past simple — 'knew'.

Question 31

When he ___ home, it was already dark. (A) has arrived (B) arrives (C) arrived (D) had arrived

Answer 31

(C) arrived Tip: Both actions happened in the past — the simpler one (arrived) fits best here.

Question 32

She said she ___ the answer earlier. (A) knows (B) had known (C) knew (D) was knowing

Answer 32

(B) had known Tip: She already knew it before she spoke — 'had known' shows it happened earlier.

Question 33

If you ___ more polite, they might have listened. (A) were (B) are (C) had been (D) be

Answer 33

(C) had been Tip: It didn’t happen — so we're imagining a different past. Use 'had been'.

Question 34

He ___ me after I had already left. (A) calls (B) called (C) was calling (D) had called

Answer 34

(B) called Tip: Both actions are in the past. 'Called' fits better — *had left* came first.

Question 35

She ___ she would bring the book tomorrow. (A) says (B) said (C) told (D) say

Answer 35

(B) said Tip: Use 'said' because we’re talking about something in the past.

Question 36

If I ___ you, I would apologise. (A) am (B) was (C) were (D) be

Answer 36

(C) were Tip: This is imagining something that’s not true — 'were' is the right choice for make-believe.

Question 37

He ___ a message just before I arrived. (A) sent (B) had sent (C) was sending (D) sends

Answer 37

(B) had sent Tip: He sent it before you arrived. Use 'had sent' to show it happened first.

Question 38

The teacher asked if we ___ the homework. (A) did (B) had done (C) do (D) does

Answer 38

(B) had done Tip: The homework was already completed before she asked. Use 'had done'.

Question 39

While she ___, the doorbell rang. (A) was singing (B) sings (C) sang (D) has sung

Answer 39

(A) was singing Tip: One action was happening when another interrupted — use 'was singing'.

Question 40

They ___ to call us after the meeting. (A) promises (B) promised (C) promise (D) had promised

Answer 40

(B) promised Tip: Use past simple to show what they said they’d do — 'promised'.

Question 41

I wish I ___ more time to prepare. (A) have (B) had (C) had had (D) has

Answer 41

(C) had had Tip: You didn’t have it in the past — so we use 'had had' to show that regret.

Question 42

He promised he ___ me as soon as he arrived. (A) will call (B) would call (C) calls (D) is calling

Answer 42

(B) would call Tip: 'Promised' is past, so the future part also becomes past: 'would call'.

Question 43

They ___ when the lights suddenly went out. (A) are reading (B) read (C) were reading (D) had read

Answer 43

(C) were reading Tip: An action was happening when something else interrupted — use 'were reading'.

Question 44

I would have helped if I ___ how serious it was. (A) know (B) had known (C) knew (D) knows

Answer 44

(B) had known Tip: You didn’t know at the time — it’s imagining the past differently. Use 'had known'.

Question 45

By the time we finish, the sun ___ down. (A) has gone (B) will go (C) will have gone (D) goes

Answer 45

(C) will have gone Tip: This shows something will be finished by a future time — use 'will have gone'.

Question 46

He behaves as if he ___ everything. (A) knows (B) knew (C) had known (D) know

Answer 46

(B) knew Tip: 'As if' shows it’s not real — use 'knew' for imaginary situations.

Question 47

If we ___ now, we’ll still be late. (A) left (B) leave (C) had left (D) leaves

Answer 47

(B) leave Tip: This is about now or the future — 'if we leave' fits with 'we’ll be late'.

Question 48

She said she ___ breakfast yet. (A) didn’t have (B) hasn’t had (C) hadn’t had (D) doesn’t have

Answer 48

(C) hadn’t had Tip: In the past, she hadn’t eaten yet — so use 'hadn’t had'.

Question 49

While they ___ the news, the phone rang. (A) watched (B) were watching (C) watching (D) had watched

Answer 49

(B) were watching Tip: They were doing something when another thing happened — use 'were watching'.

Question 50

She ___ home when I called her. (A) is walking (B) was walking (C) walked (D) walks

Answer 50

(B) was walking Tip: One action was in progress when another happened — use 'was walking'.

Question 51

He said he ___ us as soon as he could. (A) helps (B) will help (C) would help (D) is helping

Answer 51

(C) would help Tip: 'Said' is in the past, so 'will' becomes 'would' in reported speech.

Question 52

She ___ to call before arriving. (A) was forgetting (B) had forgotten (C) forgets (D) forgot

Answer 52

(B) had forgotten Tip: She didn’t call, and it happened before arriving — use 'had forgotten' to show it was earlier.

Question 53

They ___ when the teacher walked in. (A) talk (B) talked (C) had talked (D) were talking

Answer 53

(D) were talking Tip: The talking was happening when something else happened — use 'were talking'.

Question 54

I ___ if I had known the answer. (A) would have responded (B) would respond (C) had responded (D) respond

Answer 54

(A) would have responded Tip: You didn’t know, but you're imagining you had — use 'would have responded' for that kind of past.

Question 55

He said he ___ to the office every day. (A) has gone (B) going (C) goes (D) went

Answer 55

(D) went Tip: Reported speech — he said it before, so change 'goes' to past: 'went'.

Question 56

I wish she ___ more patient yesterday. (A) was (B) has been (C) is (D) had been

Answer 56

(D) had been Tip: You're wishing something different had happened in the past — use 'had been'.

Question 57

He ___ the email before I mentioned it. (A) was reading (B) read (C) had read (D) reads

Answer 57

(C) had read Tip: He saw it before I spoke — use 'had read' to show that happened earlier.

Question 58

If they ___ earlier, we wouldn’t be in this mess. (A) were acting (B) acted (C) act (D) had acted

Answer 58

(D) had acted Tip: This is imagining a different past — use 'had acted' to show what didn’t really happen.

Question 59

The baby ___ when the phone rang. (A) sleeps (B) was sleeping (C) slept (D) sleeping

Answer 59

(B) was sleeping Tip: An action was happening when something else interrupted — use 'was sleeping'.

Question 60

She told us she ___ back soon. (A) has been (B) is (C) would be (D) will be

Answer 60

(C) would be Tip: She spoke in the past, so the future becomes 'would' — use 'would be'.

Question 61

By the time I looked, the bus ___ . (A) was leaving (B) left (C) had left (D) has left

Answer 61

(C) had left Tip: The bus was already gone when I looked — use 'had left' to show that.