Exercises on verb tenses and moods (with commented feedback)

Test your knowledge of verb tenses and moods with the exercises below. All contain explained answers to clarify any doubts that may arise.

question 1

Indicate the tense and tense used in the following sentence:

I made pancakes every Saturday.

a) tense: imperfect tense, mood: indicative

b) tense: pluperfect past tense, mood: indicative

c) tense: present, mood: subjunctive

d) tense: future tense, mood: indicative

Answer explained

The perfect tense of the indicative indicates a fact that happened in the past, but expressing the idea of continuity, because it was not completely finished.

question 2

Considering the sentences below, indicate which of them convey hypothesis, condition.

i. Don't come back here!

II. If you come back...

III. May they return.

a) II

b) I

c) III

d) II and III

Answer explained

The phrases

II. If you come back...

III. May they return.

indicate possibility, because verbs are actions that have not yet happened and that depend on others to happen. The verb of the sentence "If you come back…" is conjugated in the future subjunctive, while the verb of the sentence "May they come back." is conjugated in the present subjunctive.

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As for the phrase "Don't come back here!", the verb is in the negative imperative. The imperative mood expresses a request or an order.

question 3

Choose the option where the verbs correctly complete the sentence.

Whenever I ____________________, he doesn't ____________________.

a) called (past perfect tense), will answer (future present tense)

b) I call and answer (present tense)

c) telefono (present tense) and attendant (perfect tense)

d) I telephone (present tense) and I would answer (future tense)

Answer explained

Whenever I call, he doesn't answer.

The verb forms "telefono" and "answer" are in the present tense. The indicative is the mood of verbs that express certainties. The present tense, in addition to indicating actions that take place at the time of speaking, also indicates habitual actions, as in this case.

question 4

Indicate the verbal mood present in the first sentence: "If he drank water, he would not be dehydrated.".

a) infinitive

b) imperative

c) indicative

d) subjunctive

Answer explained

The first sentence is "If he drank water", which indicates a possibility. The verbal form "bebesse" belongs to the imperfect subjunctive and is indicating an action that is conditioned to another, therefore, it is a possibility.

question 5

The sentence below indicates the possibility of something happening. What? In which tense and verb mood is the verb to do conjugated?

What would you do if there was no electricity at your party?

See Answer

Possible student response:

The phrase indicates the possibility of a power outage at someone's party. The verb do is conjugated in the future tense.

Explanation:

The future tense is the verb tense used to indicate an action that supposedly can happen.

question 6

In which of the alternatives is the highlighted verb conjugated in the same tense and verbal manner as the highlighted verb in the following sentence:

I would go to the movies if not were late.

a) if he outside punctual, people would be too.

b) When he for punctual, people will be too.

w) did rain or shine, I would leave the house today.

d) When I have time, I go to the cinema.

Answer explained

The verbs "esvesse" and "do" are conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive tense.

In the sentence "I would go to the cinema if I wasn't late.", the verb "was" is indicating a condition.

In the sentence "Whether it was sunny or rainy, I would leave the house today.", the verb "do" is indicating an imprecise action, which happened previously.

As for the remaining alternatives:

a) if he outside punctual, people would be too. ("fora" is conjugated in the pluperfect tense of the indicative)

b) When he for punctual, people will be too. ("for" is conjugated in the future subjunctive)

d) When I have time, I go to the cinema. ("have" is conjugated in the future subjunctive)

question 7

Rewrite the passage below using the verbs in the present tense in the indicative mood.

"Aladin descended the steps of the cave, crossed the three rooms without touching anything, then crossed the garden and finally reached the terrace where the lamp was." (The thousand and one nights: Arab tales / Ferreira translation Gullar. - Rio de Janeiro: Revan, 2000. 2nd edition)

See Answer

Aladin will go down the steps of the cave, cross the three rooms without touching anything, then cross the garden and finally reach the terrace where the lamp will be.

The verbs descended, crossed, crossed and reached are conjugated in the perfect tense of the indicative.

descended - will descend
crossed - will cross
crossed - will cross
reached - will reach

The verb "was" is conjugated in the imperfect tense of the indicative.

was - will be

question 8

Rearrange the three columns making the correct relationships.

Maybe I'll pass the year.	indicative mode	expresses certainty
Year Pass.	imperative mode	expresses hypothesis
I'll pass the year.	subjunctive mood	expresses order

See Answer

Maybe I'll pass the year.	subjunctive mood	expresses hypothesis
Year Pass.	imperative mode	expresses order
I'll pass the year.	indicative mode	expresses certainty

These are the three verb moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative. Each of them indicates a different way of action of the verbs.

question 9

Indicate the sentences whose highlighted verbs are in the perfect past tense.

i. Walked every day.

II. I would walk if I could.

III. I walked all day.

IV. I've been walking every day.

v. I will walk.

SAW. Walked yesterday.

a) I and III

b) III

c) III and IV

d) I and VI

Answer explained

In the sentence "I walked all day.", the verb is indicating an action completed in a given time.

As for the remaining alternatives:

i. walked every day. (past perfect tense)

II. would walk if I could. (future of past tense).IV. I've been walking every day. (compound perfect tense) v. I will walk. (future of the present) VI. Andara yesterday. (past-perfect tense indicative)

question 10

The pairs of sentences below manifest the same action in different ways. Explain what they express.

a) Speak, dear. and Let him speak.
b) I slept until now. and I would sleep if there was no noise.
c) Don't come back here! When he comes back, we'll talk.

See Answer

a) Speak, dear. and Let him speak.
The first sentence expresses a request (affirmative imperative), while the second sentence expresses a desire (present subjunctive).

b) I slept until now. and I would sleep if there was no noise.
The first clause expresses something that actually happened (past perfect tense), while the second clause expresses a hypothetical action (future tense).

c) Don't come back here! When he comes back, we'll talk.
The first sentence expresses a request (negative imperative), while the second sentence expresses a possible but not yet realized fact (future subjunctive).

Read too:

Verb tenses
verbal moods
Verb tenses and moods
activities about verbs
Exercises on verbs for 7th grade
Exercises on verbs for 9th grade

FERNANDES, Marcia. Exercises on verb tenses and moods (with commented feedback).All Matter, [n.d.]. Available in: https://www.todamateria.com.br/exercicios-sobre-tempos-e-modos-verbais/. Access at:

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