12 Verb Tenses You Need To Know for iTEP
One of the most difficult things about learning English is conjugating verbs properly and knowing which verb tense applies to which situation. The Official iTEP Preparation Guide includes a review of the essential verb tenses that are included on all of the iTEP English assessment tests. You’ll find the list below as well as a few sample iTEP questions about verb tense. Scroll slowly to see if you know answer to the question before it is revealed!
Mastering the use of these verb tenses not only will help your iTEP score, but will greatly benefit your English language skills in general.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE 
I eat.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
I ate yesterday.
SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE
I will eat tomorrow.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
I am eating right now.
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
I was eating when the phone rang.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
I will be eating at 9 a.m. tomorrow, so do not call me at that time.
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
I have eaten eggs every day this week.
PAST PERFECT TENSE
I had eaten eggs every day until yesterday.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
By tomorrow, I will have eaten eggs every day.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
I have been eating for ten minutes.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
I had been eating when the phone rang.
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
I will have just finished eating by the time you come tomorrow morning, so I will have to wait before I go swimming.
Verb Tense Question #1
Susan is not coming with us because she __________ that movie already.
A) will see
B) was seeing
C) will have seen
D) has seen
Correct Answer = D
The correct tense is the past perfect.
The correct sentence will now read: Susan is not coming with us because she has seen that movie already.
Verb Tense Question #2
While on my way to the cafeteria, I noticed that I ____________ my wallet.
A) forget
B) sometimes forget
C) am forgetting
D) had forgotten
Correct Answer = D
The correct tense is the past perfect. The first part of the sentence indicates an action that takes place in the past, and the second part of the sentence indicates an action that takes place even further in the past, so it requires the past perfect.
The correct sentence will now read: While on my way to the cafeteria, I noticed that I had forgotten my wallet.
Verb Tense Question #3
If I __________ able to go to the play, she would not have had to drive her car.
A) had been
B) was
C) have been
D) am going to be
Correct Answer = A
The correct tense is the past perfect. The second part of the sentence indicates an action that takes place in the past, and the second part of the sentence indicates an action that takes place even further in the past, so it requires the past perfect.
The correct sentence will now read: If I had been able to go to the play, she would not have had to drive her car.
