Correct Verb Forms – ICSE & ISC Practice questions

ICSE Tenses Practice: 20 Passage Exercises (8 Blanks Each)

Instructions: Fill in the blanks in each passage below with the appropriate form of the verb given in brackets. Do not write the passage but write the verbs in the correct serial order. Each passage has exactly 8 blanks.

Set 1

Last summer, Emily (1) ________ (plant) a variety of flowers, (2) ________ (envision) a vibrant display. Every morning, she (3) ________ (spend) hours tending to the blossoms. One day, while she (4) ________ (water) the plants, her neighbour (5) ________ (stop) by to admire her work. By autumn, Emily (6) ________ (create) a beautiful garden that (7) ________ (attract) butterflies and bees. Since then, she (8) ________ (inspire) her friends to start their own gardens.

Set 2

The sun (1) ________ (disappear) behind the clouds and the sky (2) ________ (turn) grey. The wind (3) ________ (pick) up and raindrops (4) ________ (fall) on the tin roof. Jose (5) ________ (run) inside and (6) ________ (close) all the windows. While he (7) ________ (light) a candle, the storm (8) ________ (grow) stronger.

Set 3

The man (1) ________ (call) Boone (2) ________ (wake) up at dawn and (3) ________ (make) his way to the pier. His assistant (4) ________ (pack) the fishing net as the boat (5) ________ (bob) in the calm waters. “What (6) ________ (do) the forecast say?” Boone (7) ________ (ask). “It (8) ________ (mention) rain in the afternoon,” the assistant replied.

Set 4

There (1) ________ (live) three old monks who (2) ________ (travel) from village to village. In every place they (3) ________ (stop), the villagers (4) ________ (welcome) them warmly. One day, while they (5) ________ (rest) under a tree, a villager (6) ________ (offer) them food. The monks (7) ________ (share) it equally and (8) ________ (bless) the entire village.

Set 5

Raj (1) ________ (love) reading adventure stories. Whenever he (2) ________ (get) free time, he (3) ________ (sit) in a quiet corner with a book. Last month, he (4) ________ (join) the local library. Since then, he (5) ________ (borrow) new books every week. Yesterday, while he (6) ________ (return) home, he (7) ________ (notice) a writing competition poster. He (8) ________ (decide) to participate.

Set 6

Our school (1) ________ (organise) a charity fair every year. Last year, our class (2) ________ (put) up a food stall. We (3) ________ (plan) the menu carefully and (4) ________ (calculate) the costs. On the day of the fair, while some students (5) ________ (serve) food, others (6) ________ (manage) the cash counter. By evening, we (7) ________ (collect) a large amount. Since then, we (8) ________ (help) the orphanage regularly.

Set 7

When the teacher (1) ________ (enter) the classroom, the students (2) ________ (prepare) for a test. Some (3) ________ (revise) notes while others (4) ________ (discuss) questions. The teacher (5) ________ (notice) one nervous student and (6) ________ (ask) him the reason. He (7) ________ (reply) that he (8) ________ (forget) his textbook.

Set 8

For weeks, my grandmother (1) ________ (teach) me traditional cooking. Every evening, she (2) ________ (call) me to the kitchen and (3) ________ (show) me the steps. Yesterday, she (4) ________ (ask) me to cook alone while she (5) ________ (watch). I (6) ________ (follow) her instructions carefully. The family (7) ________ (taste) the dish and (8) ________ (praise) me highly.

Set 9

Last Sunday, we (1) ________ (decide) to clean the park. For months, people (2) ________ (throw) rubbish there. We (3) ________ (feel) that action (4) ________ (be) necessary. In the morning, we (5) ________ (arrive) with brooms and bags. While some (6) ________ (pick) up bottles, others (7) ________ (sweep) the paths. By noon, we (8) ________ (collect) several bags.

Set 10

Our science club (1) ________ (plan) a planetarium visit. Last year, we (2) ________ (learn) many facts there. The guide (3) ________ (explain) about planets and stars. Now, we (4) ________ (collect) names of students. The principal (5) ________ (approve) our plan yesterday. By our visit, new exhibits (6) ________ (install). This trip (7) ________ (help) us with Physics topics we (8) ________ (study) this term.

Set 11

Every morning, Ritu (1) ________ (get up) at 5 a.m. and (2) ________ (go) for a walk. Yesterday, while she (3) ________ (walk), she (4) ________ (find) a lost puppy. It (5) ________ (lie) weakly under a bench. She (6) ________ (pick) it up and (7) ________ (bring) it home. Since then, she (8) ________ (take) good care of it.

Set 12

Rohan (1) ________ (love) solving puzzles. He (2) ________ (spend) hours on them daily. Last week, he (3) ________ (solve) a very difficult one. His friends (4) ________ (cheer) loudly when he (5) ________ (finish). Now, they (6) ________ (challenge) him to harder puzzles. By next month, he (7) ________ (complete) all the books he (8) ________ (buy).

Set 13

The village (1) ________ (celebrate) its harvest festival yesterday. Farmers (2) ________ (dance) and (3) ________ (sing) folk songs. Children (4) ________ (play) traditional games. While the elders (5) ________ (prepare) the feast, the youth (6) ________ (decorate) the temple. By evening, everyone (7) ________ (gather) to (8) ________ (thank) the gods.

Set 14

Sita (1) ________ (practice) the piano daily. Her teacher (2) ________ (say) she (3) ________ (improve) rapidly. Last month, she (4) ________ (perform) at a school concert. The audience (5) ________ (clap) loudly. Now, she (6) ________ (plan) to take part in a competition. By then, she (7) ________ (practice) for six months. Her parents (8) ________ (be) proud of her.

Set 15

The storm (1) ________ (start) suddenly last night. People (2) ________ (run) for shelter. While the rain (3) ________ (pour) down, lightning (4) ________ (flash) across the sky. By morning, the wind (5) ________ (die) down. The roads (6) ________ (flood), but no one (7) ________ (injure). Since then, the weather (8) ________ (be) fine.

Set 16

Our team (1) ________ (train) hard for the tournament. Last practice, we (2) ________ (win) all matches. Coach (3) ________ (say) we (4) ________ (perform) well. Tomorrow, we (5) ________ (play) our first game. By the end, we (6) ________ (hope) to win the trophy. The supporters (7) ________ (cheer) us throughout. They (8) ________ (wait) eagerly for the final.

Set 17

Grandmother (1) ________ (tell) us old stories every night. Yesterday, she (2) ________ (narrate) the tale of a brave prince. While the prince (3) ________ (travel), he (4) ________ (meet) a wise sage. The sage (5) ________ (give) him a magic ring. With it, the prince (6) ________ (defeat) the dragon. Everyone (7) ________ (listen) quietly. Since then, we (8) ________ (love) her stories more.

Set 18

The new shopping mall (1) ________ (open) last week. Since then, it (2) ________ (attract) many visitors. Yesterday, while I (3) ________ (shop), I (4) ________ (see) a sale. I (5) ________ (buy) clothes for the whole family. The mall (6) ________ (have) a food court where people (7) ________ (eat) happily. By next year, it (8) ________ (become) a popular spot.

Set 19

Arun (1) ________ (collect) stamps since childhood. His father (2) ________ (give) him the first stamp. Now, he (3) ________ (have) stamps from all over the world. Last month, he (4) ________ (exchange) some with friends. While he (5) ________ (arrange) them, his sister (6) ________ (ask) to see them. He (7) ________ (show) her proudly. Soon, he (8) ________ (join) a stamp club.

Set 20

The festival (1) ________ (begin) with great excitement. Villagers (2) ________ (gather) at the temple. While the priest (3) ________ (perform) rituals, children (4) ________ (play) nearby. By evening, fireworks (5) ________ (light) up the sky. Everyone (6) ________ (enjoy) the dances. The night (7) ________ (end) with prayers. Since then, we (8) ________ (wait) for next year’s festival.

Answer Key – All 20 Sets

Set 1: 1. planted, 2. envisioning, 3. spent, 4. was watering, 5. stopped, 6. had created, 7. attracted, 8. has inspired

Set 2: 1. disappeared, 2. turned, 3. picked, 4. fell, 5. ran, 6. closed, 7. was lighting, 8. grew

Set 3: 1. called, 2. woke, 3. made, 4. was packing, 5. bobbed, 6. does, 7. asked, 8. mentions

Set 4: 1. lived, 2. travelled, 3. stopped, 4. welcomed, 5. were resting, 6. offered, 7. shared, 8. blessed

Set 5: 1. loves, 2. gets, 3. sits, 4. joined, 5. has been borrowing, 6. was returning, 7. noticed, 8. decided

Set 6: 1. organises, 2. put, 3. planned, 4. calculated, 5. were serving, 6. were managing, 7. had collected, 8. have been helping

Set 7: 1. entered, 2. were preparing, 3. were revising, 4. were discussing, 5. noticed, 6. asked, 7. replied, 8. had forgotten

Set 8: 1. has been teaching, 2. calls, 3. shows, 4. asked, 5. watched, 6. followed, 7. tasted, 8. praised