Grade 5 ELA Practice Test: Verb Tenses, Perfect Tenses and Tense Shifts
- Verb Tenses: Perfect Tenses and Tense Shifts
- 10 questions
- 12 minutes
Ten questions on choosing the right verb tense. Tip: look for time clues such as since, by the time, right now or yesterday; they usually tell you which tense fits.
Tap an option to mark your answer. You can change your mind, or tap the same option again to leave the question blank. The correct answers and explanations appear when you finish the test.Tap an option to answer; tap it again to leave the question blank.
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Question 1
By the time the bell rang, Nia ______ her test.
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Correct answer: D
The past perfect (had finished) shows an action completed before another past action, the bell ringing. Has finished is present perfect and does not match the past verb rang.
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Question 2
Our class ______ three novels since September.
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Correct answer: B
The clue since September describes something that started in the past and continues to now, so the present perfect has read fits. Had read would need a later past event to compare with.
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Question 3
By next June, my brother ______ from high school.
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Correct answer: A
The future perfect (will have graduated) shows an action that will be finished before a future time, next June. The other choices point to the past or present.
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Question 4
Which sentence uses the present perfect tense?
Correct answer: C
The present perfect is formed with has or have plus a past participle: have walked. Had walked is past perfect.
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Question 5
Maya opened the box and finds a puppy inside.
Which revision fixes the shift in verb tense?
Correct answer: B
Both actions happened in the past, so both verbs should be past tense: opened and found. Choice A just moves the shift to the other verb.
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Question 6
Before we arrived at the theater, the movie had started.
Which words in the sentence are in the past perfect tense?
Correct answer: D
Had started is past perfect: had + past participle. It shows the movie started before the other past action, arrived, which is simple past.
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Question 7
Right now, the twins ______ soccer in the backyard.
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Correct answer: A
Right now calls for the present progressive, are playing, which shows an action happening at this moment. Were playing is past progressive.
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Question 8
Yesterday at four o'clock, I ______ my homework when the power went out.
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Correct answer: C
The past progressive (was doing) shows an action in progress at a past moment that another action interrupted. Am doing is present and does not match yesterday.
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Question 9
Which sentence has an incorrect shift in verb tense?
Correct answer: A
In choice A, barked is past but run is present, even though both actions happen at the same time. The other sentences keep one tense throughout.
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Question 10
Which sentence uses the future perfect tense?
Correct answer: B
The future perfect uses will have + past participle: will have painted. Choice A is simple future and does not show that the job will already be done by a certain time.
Questions you leave blank are not counted as wrong.
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