Tenses are difficult in English. Put in the verb "to work" in the following sentences. Try to use the most appropriate verb tense.

1. He is a good pupil: he always works seriously.
2. What's he doing now? He is working.
3. He did not work at all last week.
4. What are you going to do now? I am going to work.
5. This result is good: you worked well today.
6. He had never worked before he left school.
7. I worked while you were sleeping.
8. I'll pay you more when you work more.
9. You would work more efficiently if you were more attentive.
10. Work! Don't sleep!
11. I would have certainly worked more if I had been encouraged.
12. They told me not to work too hard during the first week.
13. I think working for this firm is not very exciting.
14. What are you doing this afternoon? I shall work.
15. He doesn't work, does he?
16. You needn't work if you don't like it.
17. I would rather work than stay at home.
18. I wonder why my parents always want me to work.
19. It's no use working if it doesn't interest you.
20. He went on working until he was too tired to continue.
21. I used to work twelve hours a day before the war.
22. I worked a lot today. I'm going to watch television now.
23. Did he work last weekend?
24. You could have worked better if you had wanted to.
25. He has worked two months for the same firm and he intends to go on working there.

This exercise was taken from "Testez votre anglais", Bordas, Paris, 1987.

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Created May 4, 1998, by Nancy Burnham and Fred Hutson.