Using Verbs - Answer Key

1.  Choose the principal part that answers the following question: What is the past participle of the verb CARRY?

(A) carries
(B) carrying
(C) carried

Correct Answer: (C)  With most verbs, add -ed to the end of the verb. Since carry ends with y, the y changes to an i.

2.  Choose the principal part that answers the following question: What is the present participle of the verb FENCE?

(A) fenced
(B) fencing
(C) fences

Correct Answer: (B)  Add -ing to form the present participle, after dropping the e.

3.  Choose the answer that identifies the tense of the capitalized verb in the following sentence: My finger slipped, and I DIALED a number in Fairbanks, Alaska.

(A) present
(B) past
(C) future
(D) present perfect

Correct Answer: (B)  Dialed is the past tense of dial.

4.  Choose the answer that identifies the tense of the capitalized verb in the following sentence: Most afternoons, a layer of fog BLANKETS the city of San Francisco.

(A) future
(B) past
(C) present
(D) future perfect

Correct Answer: (C)  Blankets is the present tense of the verb blanket.

5.  Choose the answer that correctly identifies the capitalized words in the following sentence: On Friday, the Coast Guard WILL HAVE BEEN SEARCHING three days for the missing plane.

(A) past perfect
(B) future perfect progressive
(C) future progressive
(D) present perfect progressive

Correct Answer: (B)  Since this verb phrase contains will and have, and a form of the verb be, it is in the future perfect progressive tense.

6.  Choose the answer that correctly identifies the capitalized words in the following sentence: We DID VOLUNTEER to help, but there was nothing left to do.

(A) past perfect progressive
(B) present perfect progressive
(C) past emphatic
(D) present progressive

Correct Answer: (C)  The word did puts this in the past emphatic tense because it gives special force to the verb.

7.  Choose the answer that correctly identifies the capitalized words in the following sentence: Melanie IS MAKING an effort to improve her carpentry skills.

(A) present emphatic
(B) present perfect progressive
(C) future progressive
(D) present progressive

Correct Answer: (D)  With is as a form of be, this verb is in the present progressive tense.

8.  Choose the verb that correctly completes the following sentence: Irving Berlin was a composer who _________ many popular American songs.

(A) wrote
(B) will written
(C) writes

Correct Answer: (A)  The word was tells you that the verb should be in the past tense.

9.  Choose the verb that correctly completes the following sentence: Daniel Boone explored the wilderness and _________ trails for settlers.

(A) blazes
(B) has blazed
(C) blazed

Correct Answer: (C)  The verb in the blank is part of a compound predicate. Since the other verb, explored, is in the past tense, blazed is used.

10.  Choose the principal part that correctly completes the following sentence: Yesterday in shop class, the power saw _________ easily through six boards.

(A) tear
(B) teared
(C) tore
(D) torn

Correct Answer: (C)  This verb should be in the past tense, and tore is the correct form.