Tenses

Tenses MDCAT MCQs with answers

38 past paper MCQs on Tenses, from the Formal and Lexical Aspect of Language unit of MDCAT English. The year each question appeared is shown where known; tap “Show answer” for the correct option and a short solution.

Read the notes first Practise the unit as a quiz

1.I suggest that you _____ visit a doctor. (NUMS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Must
  2. Should
  3. Ought to
  4. Have to
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Correct answer: (b) Should

After suggest that, English takes should with the plain form of the verb.

2.Choose the sentence with the correct tense and sentence structure: (KMU MDCAT 2024)

  1. He is going to the market yesterday.
  2. I had been waiting for the bus, and it arrives.
  3. She will finish her homework before she went to bed.
  4. They were playing football when it started to rain.
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Correct answer: (d) They were playing football when it started to rain.

Only the fourth keeps its tenses consistent: the past continuous interrupted by the simple past.

3.Choose the correct sentence: (KMU MDCAT 2024)

  1. She didn't knew about the surprise party.
  2. She hasn't knew about the surprise party.
  3. She didn't know about the surprise party.
  4. She doesn't know about the surprise party.
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Correct answer: (c) She didn't know about the surprise party.

After did, the verb takes its plain form: she did not know.

4.After she ______ the stairs, her heart almost gave out from exhaustion. (KMU MDCAT 2024)

  1. Has climbed
  2. Have climbed
  3. Had climbed
  4. Was climbing
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Correct answer: (c) Had climbed

The climbing was over before her heart gave out, so it takes the past perfect.

5.Fill in blank with Past Perfect Continuous: He _____ home from work regularly since he joined his office. (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Had walked
  2. Had been walking
  3. Walked
  4. Has been walking
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Correct answer: (b) Had been walking

Had been walking is the past perfect continuous, which suits an action running on since a point in the past.

6.All desire wealth and some acquire it. The sentence exemplifies _____ tense. (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Present indefinite
  2. Past indefinite
  3. Present perfect
  4. Simple future
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Correct answer: (a) Present indefinite

Desire and acquire are simple present forms stating a general truth.

7.If I were a doctor, I would serve humanity. The sentence is an example of _____ conditional. (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Zero
  2. Type I
  3. Type II
  4. Type III
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Correct answer: (c) Type II

Were with would marks the second conditional, for something imagined and unreal.

8.Choose the sentence which is correctly structured: (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life.
  2. If we had found him earlier, we have saved his life.
  3. If we had found him earlier, we had saved his life.
  4. If we had found him earlier, we could save his life.
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Correct answer: (a) If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life.

The third conditional pairs had found with could have saved.

9.Q.181 To give one some idea of Rabies' horrors, one ........ only read such descriptions as the following: spasms, restlessness, shudders at the least breath of air, an ardent thirst, convulsive movements, and fits of furious rage. (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. needs
  2. need
  3. needed
  4. has needed
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Correct answer: (a) needs

One is singular, so the verb takes its s: one needs only read.

10.Q.182 By 2030, people .............. been reading the works of Charles Dickens for more than 190 years. (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. had
  2. will
  3. have
  4. will have
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Correct answer: (d) will have

By a future date, a state running on since the past takes will have been.

11.I don’t think I be able to go. (SZABMU MDCAT 2023)

  1. Can
  2. Should
  3. Shall
  4. must
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Correct answer: (c) Shall

With the first person, plain futurity takes shall.

12.Engineers working on a new project for the last three days. (SZABMU MDCAT 2023)

  1. Are
  2. Has been
  3. Have been
  4. Ought to be
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Correct answer: (c) Have been

A plural subject with an action running on since a past point takes have been.

13.I ________ English for five years. (NUMS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Study
  2. Am Studying
  3. Have been studying
  4. studies
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Correct answer: (c) Have been studying

An action begun in the past and still going on takes the present perfect continuous.

14.Unless we _________ now, we cannot be on time (NUMS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Start
  2. Will start
  3. Do not start
  4. Are starting
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Correct answer: (a) Start

Unless introduces a condition, which in English takes the present tense.

15.We just _________ a game of tennis. (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Has
  2. Had
  3. Have
  4. Have had
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Correct answer: (b) Had

Just with a completed action in the recent past takes the simple past here.

16.The pen is expensive; still I _________ it. (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Bought
  2. Will buy
  3. Have bought
  4. Buyed
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Correct answer: (a) Bought

The buying is over and done with, so the simple past is right.

17.Choose the sentence in the future tense: (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. He went to school yesterday
  2. He loves apples
  3. I will go to the market
  4. He is fighting with John
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Correct answer: (c) I will go to the market

Only will go refers to time still to come.

18.Which one is not a past tense sentence? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. She finished all the exercices
  2. Dr Smith healed the patient
  3. Michael studied hard all year
  4. He will have eaten lunch
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Correct answer: (d) He will have eaten lunch

Will have eaten is future perfect; the other three are simple past.

19.There will be a rush for the seats when the train _______. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Will arrive
  2. Arrived
  3. Is arriving
  4. Arrives
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Correct answer: (d) Arrives

A clause of time about the future takes the present tense.

20.I am going to the U.S.A next year. Which type of tense is it? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Present
  2. Past
  3. Future
  4. Interrogative
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Correct answer: (c) Future

Going to with next year points to time still to come.

21.When I was young,I______ (use) play cricket a lot. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Use
  2. Used
  3. Used to
  4. Use to
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Correct answer: (c) Used to

A past habit takes used to with the plain form of the verb.

22.Choose the present tense. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. They lived happily
  2. They live happily
  3. They will live happily
  4. They had lived happily
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Correct answer: (b) They live happily

They live is the simple present.

23.One day people ______ to Moon (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Travel
  2. Travelled
  3. Will travel
  4. Were travelling
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Correct answer: (c) Will travel

One day points to time still to come, so the verb is will travel.

24.He often _ _ _ to school on time. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. will go
  2. goes
  3. will be going
  4. have gone
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Correct answer: (b) goes

Often marks a habit, which takes the simple present.

25.Which sentence is correct? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. If it had not been this sort of a school, I would probably not have gotten into this university.
  2. If it had not been this sort of school, I would probably not have gotten into this university.
  3. If it had not been this sort of a school, I will probably not have gotten in this university
  4. If it have not been this sort of a school, i will probably not have gotten in this university.
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Correct answer: (b) If it had not been this sort of school, I would probably not have gotten into this university.

Sort of takes no article after it, and the third conditional pairs had been with would have gotten.

26.I _ _ _ to quit my job and have planned to apply for another one. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. decided
  2. have decided
  3. had decided
  4. was decided
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Correct answer: (b) have decided

The decision still stands, so the present perfect is right.

27.Children always ______ the truth. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. are speaking
  2. speak
  3. will speak
  4. spoke
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Correct answer: (b) speak

Always marks a habit, which takes the simple present.

28.We will go to Dubai. Which tense is used here? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Present
  2. Past
  3. Future
  4. Past Perfect
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Correct answer: (c) Future

Will go points to time still to come.

29.Which one is future tense? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. They are going to the market.
  2. I will play football.
  3. We watched a movie yesterday.
  4. He has done his work.
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Correct answer: (b) I will play football.

I will play football is the simple future.

30.I_____ to learn a lot of new words within one month. (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. am going
  2. will
  3. about
  4. can be
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Correct answer: (a) am going

Am going to expresses an intention already formed.

31.The head master ______ to speak to you. (NUMS MDCAT 2022)

  1. Wants
  2. is wanting
  3. was wanting
  4. Want
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Correct answer: (a) Wants

Want is a state verb and is not used in the continuous.

32.Which verb is NOT in the present tense? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. She listened
  2. She talks
  3. She waits
  4. She eats
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Correct answer: (a) She listened

Listened is the simple past; the other three are present.

33.Have you ________ the examination? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Take
  2. Took
  3. Taken
  4. Taking
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Correct answer: (c) Taken

After have the verb takes its past participle, taken.

34.They will bake the pies. Which tense is used here? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Present
  2. Past
  3. Future
  4. Universal
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Correct answer: (c) Future

Will bake points to time still to come.

35.I ____________ English since my childhood. (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Study
  2. Am studying
  3. Have been studying
  4. Studied
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Correct answer: (c) Have been studying

An action begun in the past and still going on takes the present perfect continuous.

36.Find an error in the following sentence: (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. If I had been thirsty
  2. I would have
  3. Drank the lemonade
  4. Without waiting for you.
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Correct answer: (c) Drank the lemonade

After would have the verb takes its past participle, drunk.

37.Find the error in the following sentence: (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. They have been
  2. Very close friends
  3. Until they quarelled
  4. Over a petty issue.
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Correct answer: (a) They have been

The friendship ended at the quarrel, so it takes the past perfect: they had been friends.

38.‘She always carried an umbrella’. The sentence indicates ____ tense. (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Present Simple
  2. Past Simple
  3. Past Perfect
  4. Present Perfect
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Correct answer: (b) Past Simple

Carried is the simple past.

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