Study

Signal words for five tenses and passives

  •   0%
  •  0     0     0

      Back   Restart
  • Look!
    We had a great time in Italy.
    They were eating chips.
    The dog goes into the garden.
    It's raining.
  • Listen!
    Dad is shouting.
    The birds sing in the trees.
    Mum was talking to Grandma on the phone.
    Matt played his guitar.
  • while
    Kinga doesn't eat vegetables.
    The children like the playground.
    The children didn't go down to the harbour.
    We were having lunch.
  • already
    My neighbour has been to America.
    My cousin hasn't phoned me.
    I haven't seen the neighbours.
    My friend hasn't got a dog.
  • now
    They play a computer game.
    You weren't listening
    She's looking at holiday photos.
    They saw an elephant
  • now
    Li's sister did her homework.
    Li was writing a letter.
    Li's dad is driving into the garage.
    Li's mum makes Chinese food.
  • today
    he's watching TV
    she listens to her favourite song on the radio
    they play basketball
    the cat was catching a mouse
  • sometimes
    The neighbours' dog is digging a hole in the garden.
    We were going to Italy in the summer.
    Kinga and her family don't go to Poland in the summer.
    Kinga's brother is eating at a fast food place.
  • by
    It might rain.
    It'll be done tomorrow.
    It'll be fine.
    It'll probably be nice weather tomorrow.
  • yesterday
    They had a great time on the football field.
    We're winning our football game.
    Ruby is cleaning the rabbits' cage.
    Matt doesn't sleep at his mum's house.
  • yet
    They haven't finished painting the windows.
    They hadn't bothered to put up 'wet paint' signs.
    If you'd seen it before, you would have understood.
    They've bought some more white paint.
  • by
    This house was bought in 1957.
    In 1958 a family moved into this house.
    This house was empty from 1955 to 1957,
    In 1966 the owners of this house put in new windows.
  • by
    I'm paid monthly in advance.
    I'm a nurse in an old people's home.
    I'm lucky because I can get some sleep on night duty.
    I'm doing shift work at the moment.
  • already
    Jane hasn't emptied the dishwasher.
    I've switched the heater off.
    Please lock the door when you leave.
    Kevin put the television off.
  • last year
    I feel happy.
    We were listening to music.
    Jalen is visiting his dad in the USA.
    Jalen bought a guitar.
  • yesterday
    The boys went to the supermarket for crisps.
    Jalen buys some butter for his mum.
    The children are playing in the garden.
    Kinga and Li feel fine.
  • If
    ... I get home, the whole family will be there.
    ... I get home early, we'll go out for a meal.
    ... I get home tonight, Doris will be out at a meeting.
    ... I get home, the dog will need to be fed straight away.
  • usually
    Kinga is buying chocolate.
    Kinga's mum eats healthy food.
    Kinga's brother was having lunch.
    We're meeting Kinga at a fast food place.
  • than
    It's fairly easy to get there by train.
    We've never tried taking the bus.
    Going there by car is probably easier.
    The worst idea would be to try to walk there.
  • last weekend
    The weather is nice.
    Li wrote a letter to her grandma.
    Hong doesn't write letters.
    Li and Hong are visiting their grandma.
  • yet
    Where have you put the exam papers?
    When did the speaking examiner turn up?
    Have they finished setting the chairs out for the exam?
    Which room have they chosen for the exam?
  • than
    That's the best one.
    That one isn't as good.
    You need a good online dictionary.
    That's much better.
  • by
    She has had her eyes tested.
    Mr Smith has tested the water quality in his house.
    He has had a problem with his hearing recently.
    Ms Atkinson has had a vaccination.
  • yet
    What are you doing?
    Which dress have you chosen for the dance?
    Where were they?
    Are you ready?
  • by
    We were excited about meeting all the family again.
    We were held up on our journey.
    We were driving faster than usual.
    We were worried about getting there on time.
  • while
    Kinga's mum was making the dinner.
    She doesn't like potatoes.
    Tom Daley moved to Plymouth in 1986.
    That's the wrong answer.
  • Listen!
    It was very noisy in the classroom.
    Jalen is having a shower.
    They could hear the water on the rocks.
    Uncle Shawn talks to Alex.
  • by
    The people who run this place are animal lovers.
    There are some lambs which you can see in spring.
    The donkeys are being fed at the moment.
    The goats are really cute, don't you think?
  • usually
    Li was learning to dive.
    Matt sleeps at his mum's house.
    Kinga is reading a girls' magazine.
    Ben is staying at home.
  • always
    I'm buying healthy food.
    Matt goes to school on his bike.
    Mr Taylor took Class 8MT to London in 2020.
    Matt's mum was making a chocolate cake.
  • often
    You're having problems.
    They were playing football at the park.
    You give me good ideas.
    They are eating pizza.
  • than
    The internet is the most important modern invention.
    The economy is in a worse state.
    He's a very clever politician.
    It's not as cold today.
  • at the moment
    he found some money
    You do your homework
    they were waiting
    I'm making a cake
  • If
    ... you had waited, we could have gone together.
    ... they had told her the good news, she smiled.
    ... we had waited for half an hour, we went home.
    ... we had finished our exams, we went out and celebrated.
  • yet
    He's in the bathroom.
    We're waiting for the start signal.
    Have you heard from your cousin?
    I've seen this film.
  • since
    What did you do?
    How did your presentation go?
    Where have you been?
    Where are you going to go on holiday this year?
  • since
    He's going to be the lead guitarist.
    They know each other.
    They started the band.
    He's been playing the guitar.
  • every week
    It was snowing.
    He's drawing a picture.
    Kinga is riding her bike.
    Ben helps his grandad in the garden.
  • by
    The grass is quite long now.
    The flowers are really pretty at this time of year.
    The trees are growing.
    The hedges are cut.
  • by
    They have just had lunch.
    They have just had a repair man there to advise them.
    They have just had a problem with the roof.
    They have just had their roof repaired.
  • by
    The door was already open
    There was a big garden with five tall trees.
    The house was very large and spacious.
    The entrance was being decorated.
  • yesterday
    The English teacher makes jokes.
    They sail a boat on the lake.
    It's really sunny weather.
    Mr Taylor told the class about the school trip.
  • Two years ago
    We didn't need masks.
    A lot of people are ill.
    We go to the theatre.
    We're lying on the beach in Italy.
  • every day
    Ruby was born.
    Matt takes his dog to the park.
    Ruby's hamster died.
    We were having breakfast.
  • never
    I'm shouting.
    It's snowing in Devon.
    Li looks at the clock in the maths lessons.
    The girls were doing a parachute jump.
  • three weeks ago
    We have cornflakes for breakfast.
    We buy a new wardrobe.
    The girls are singing in a concert.
    A new teacher started at the school.
  • never
    We're watching TV.
    Ben is playing basketball with Jalen.
    Jalen was flying to Germany.
    Matt wears a black jacket.
  • at the moment
    Matt eats some biscuits.
    I'm learning Spanish with an app.
    They opened the window to let some fresh air in.
    The door closed.
  • while
    Jalen doesn't know all of his dad's friends.
    Ben loves playing football.
    Kinga was playing football with Ben and Li.
    Maths is Mr Taylor's favourite subject.
  • two years ago
    Li's family moved to Plymouth.
    It rains a lot.
    We're learning English.
    Jalen visits his dad in the USA-
  • often
    The dog is doing tricks.
    Kinga and Li don't do their homework together.
    The neighbours aren't washing their car.
    We were eating.
  • at the moment
    Kinga is making a pizza for her family.
    Li walked to school.
    Jalen plays basketball.
    Ben and Matt went to the park.
  • Look!
    We were watching TV.
    The bus was late.
    That dog is doing tricks.
    The boys smile.
  • If
    ... you went to Brighton last year, did you go on the pier?
    ... the weather was better, we'd go for a walk.
    ... it rained yesterday at midday, did you get wet?
    ... World War II was over, everyone was relieved.
  • already
    Joan has been vaccinated.
    Fred hasn't been vaccinated.
    I didn't find any information about vaccinations.
    We didn't find out about it until the last moment.
  • now
    Some people were going to the library.
    We're looking for the post office.
    The shopping centre was very noisy.
    Matt takes a photo of his dog in the garden.
  • while
    You didn't listen to me.
    He was having lunch.
    They like funny TV programmes.
    We got home.
  • while
    He saw the teacher.
    I suddenly dropped a plate.
    She knew the answer.
    We were having a picnic.
  • while
    She doesn't cook any meat.
    She knows the neighbours.
    It didn't rain.
    We were waiting.
  • yesterday
    The cat brought a mouse into the house.
    Jalen knows a lot about Los Angeles.
    Kinga is playing football with her brother and sister.
    Li eats healthy food.
  • every week
    Jalen's dad phones Jalen.
    Jalen was thinking about the next holidays.
    Jalen is playing basketball.
    Jalen's dad is playing golf.
    • Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.