Mixed Tenses

Das Wichtigste kurz erklärt

Mixed Tenses in 3 Schritten – mit Beispielen.

1. Past perfect

   The past perfect (had + past participle) shows that one past action happened before another past action.

   When I arrived, the train had already left.

2. Present perfect vs. past

   A finished time (yesterday, last week) needs the simple past. 'already', 'yet' and 'ever' go with the present perfect.

   I saw it last week. / I have already seen it.

3. Narrative tenses

   In a story, the main events use the past simple, background actions in progress use the past continuous.

   While I was cooking, the phone rang.

Übungsaufgaben mit Lösungen

10 Beispielaufgaben aus diesem Thema – erst selbst überlegen, dann die Lösung aufklappen.

1. Which tense for an action happening right now?

   • Apast simple
   • Bpresent simple
   • Cpresent continuous (am/is/are + -ing)
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: C – present continuous (am/is/are + -ing)

   Das present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) beschreibt, was gerade jetzt geschieht: She is reading.

2. The signal word 'while' often goes with ...

   • Athe past continuous
   • Bthe present simple
   • Cthe future
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: A – the past continuous

   'while' (während) steht meist mit dem past continuous: While I was cooking, he called.

3. 'going to' is used for ...

   • Afinished actions
   • Bplans and predictions from evidence
   • Cspontaneous decisions
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: B – plans and predictions from evidence

   Plan / evidence.

4. The present perfect continuous stresses ...

   • Ahow long an action has been going on
   • Bthe future
   • Ca single finished action
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: A – how long an action has been going on

   Duration up to now. Regel: Zeit nach Signalwort: yesterday/ago→Simple Past, just/already/since→Present Perfect, vor anderer Vergangenheit→Past Perfect.

5. Why use the past perfect in 'When I arrived, the train had already left'? Choose the reason.

   • Abecause the past perfect is only for questions, the way it is often explained in everyday life
   • Bit shows that the leaving happened BEFORE the arriving, ordering two past events
   • Cbecause 'left' is wrong here
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: B – it shows that the leaving happened BEFORE the arriving, ordering two past events

   Ordering past events. Regel: Zeit nach Signalwort: yesterday/ago→Simple Past, just/already/since→Present Perfect, vor anderer Vergangenheit→Past Perfect.

6. Which tense shows an action that happened before another past action?

   • Athe past perfect
   • Bthe future
   • Cthe present perfect
   • Dthe simple past
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: A – the past perfect

   The past perfect marks the earlier past action. Regel: Zeit nach Signalwort: yesterday/ago→Simple Past, just/already/since→Present Perfect, vor anderer Vergangenheit→Past Perfect.

7. 'When I arrived, the train had ...'

   • Aalready left
   • Balready leave
   • Calready leaves
   • Dalready leaving
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: A – already left

   Past perfect: had already left.

8. 'They ___ in Berlin since 2010.'

   • Ahave lived
   • Blived
   • Care living
   • Dlive
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: A – have lived

   'since 2010' up to now: present perfect.

9. Which tense describes a finished habit in the past?

   • Athe present continuous
   • Bthe future
   • Cthe simple past (or used to)
   • Dthe present perfect
   Lösung anzeigen

   Richtig: C – the simple past (or used to)

   Past habits: simple past or 'used to'.

10. Weshalb nutzt man im Englischen das past perfect?

    • Aweil es lang ist
    • Bweil das past perfect im Englischen grundsätzlich immer nur über die ferne Zukunft sprechen kann
    • Cweil es eine Handlung vor einer anderen Vergangenheit zeigt
    Lösung anzeigen

    Richtig: C – weil es eine Handlung vor einer anderen Vergangenheit zeigt

    Past perfect = Vorvergangenheit.

Weitere Themen in Englisch · Klasse 10

Alle 11 Themen im Überblick