Dr.

Swamy
Grammar Basics – Tenses
Simple Present

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) General Truths and Facts
1. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
2. Honey is sweet.
3. Fortune favors the brave.
4. Water boils at 100 Degree Celsius (100 ºC).
5. Children need loves.

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2) Habits and Routines
1. I get up every morning at 6 O‟clock.
2. He speaks English very well.
3. My daughter works for International Consultant Office Company.
4. My watch keeps good time.
5. Our children sing the song very sweetly.
6. My daughter, Catherine, goes to school everyday.
7. She goes to Delhi twice a year.
8. I often hear my neighbors arguing.
3) Timetable
1. My office starts working at 7:15 am and closes at 5:30 pm.
2. The train starts at 7:45 am every morning.
3. The English class starts at 6:30 pm.
4. The plan lands at 2:10 pm in the afternoon.
5. The football match between Brazil and Germany begins at 13:55 pm and lasts 2 hours.

Common Language Indicators

always occasionally every day/week/month/year
usually rarely once a day/week/month/year
frequently seldom twice a day/week/month/year
sometimes hardly three/four times a day/week /
never often month/year

Exercise 1

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Exercise 2

Present Continuous or Progressive

The structure

The Timeline

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Main Uses
1) Happening now
1. I am teaching English now.
2. Children are watching television at the neighbor‟s house.
3. She is still working at a private company.
4. We are talking about the business.
5. A clerk is typing the computer in this time.
2) Planned future
1. She is cooking food for the party tonight.
2. I am leaving for Canada tomorrow.
3. Due to the severe flood, most people are starving on a diet.
4. You are going to cry if you meet such miserable life like her.
5. Who are you speaking to in the next seminar?

Common Language Indicators

1) Happening now (now, right now, at the moment, at this moment, at present, currently, today)
2) Planned future (this afternoon, this week, this month, tomorrow)

Exercise 3 (Present Simple vs Present Continuous)

Put the following verbs into the correct tense—either the present simple or the present progressive. Use all the elements
in the brackets. Note the importance of certain key words. Use a highlighter to indicate the key words.

1. They (sell) my grandfather six eggs every Saturday. 10. I (look) for my glasses and I (not, can) find them

2. Mr Brown (have) a cold shower every morning, but at anywhere.

the moment he (have) a hot bath. 11. We (have) lunch with the Smiths on Tuesdays.

3. She (dislike) playing tennis but she (adore) swimming. 12. We (have) dinner with the Browns on Friday.

4. (he, not, work) in his room at the moment? 13. Mr Green (come) to see us next week.

5. Mrs Poole seldom (eat) crisps. 14. My cousins (go) to Greece this summer. They (go) there

6. The plane (leave) Heathrow at 8 a.m. and (arrive) at nearly every year.

Kennedy seven hours later. 15. James (want) a new pair of trousers.

7. He always (phone) me every Saturday evening. He 16. Julie (need) to have her hair cut.

never (forget). 17. Mr Stowcrat (own) five cars and a plane.

8. I (send) this book to Tim next week. 18. I (not, know) who these socks (belong to), but they

9. He (catch) the same train every evening. (smell) like cheese.

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19. John (hardly ever, write) to me these days, but he 30. What (you, do)? I (be) a dentist.

(usually, phone) me once a week. 31. What (you, do)? I (think) about what I‟ve got to do

20. They (want) to stay here for another week. tomorrow.

21. This tea (taste) like dishwater. 32. (you, think) he would come if we asked him?

22. Look! He (come) now. 33. How much (you, owe) me?

23. What (you, do)? I (try) to make some jam but 34. (I, not, go) with you tomorrow? Isn‟t there enough

everybody (keep) asking me what I (do), room in the car?

1) so I (not, make) much progress. 35. It (look) as if it is going to rain.

24. My car (always, break) down. 36. (you, not, want) to come walking with me?

25. She (not, earn) very much but she (buy) her first car next 37. I hope you (understand) what I (talk) about today.

week. 38. (you, go) to market on Wednesday?

26. We (think) of going there next week. 39. (you, remember) when you were very small?

27. I (see) the doctor on Thursday. 40. I (wish) he would stop phoning me at eleven o‟clock at

28. He (always, forget) to bring his books. night. He (always, do) it!

29. This book (belong) to Brian.

Present Perfect Tense

The structure

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The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Happened just now or up to now
1. I have just finished my homework.
2. He has not received my reply from you yet.
3. Have you passed your 12 grade examination yet?
4. Mr. Kimhong has recently completed his book, Tenses to Paragraphs Book.
2) Started in the past and continue till now
1. I have been in Hyderabad since 1980.
2. She has worked for English Japanese Khmer Training School.
3. It is the most interesting book I have never read before.
4. Have you ever visited Angkor Wat Temple?
5. My son, Mohammed, has bought a new car.
3) Happened in the past but has a result now
1. I don‟t know because I have lost it.
2. He used to tell me his name but I have forgotten.
3. She has just gone out.

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Exercise 4

Exercise 5

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Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The structure

Note: Use „has been + V-ing‟ for III person singular subjects.

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Started in the past and continues now (the action may prolong into the future time)
1. I have been expecting this matter to happen again.
2. They have been playing card since 9 O‟clock.
3. She has been waiting for you about 30 minutes.
4. I have been living in Phnom Penh for over 10 years.
5. We have just been talking about you.
6. How long have you been learning English?
7. He has been thinking of changing his job for several times.

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Exercise 6

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Exercise 7

Put the following verbs into the correct tense—either the present perfect simple or the present perfect
progressive, but use the progressive form wherever possible. Use any other information given, and select for
or since where necessary. Note the importance of certain keywords.

1. They (just, arrive) from New York.

2. We (already, eat).

3. I (now, study) your ideas, and I regret to say I cannot accept them.

4. They (live) there (for/since) December.

5. I (read) four books (since/for) I arrived here.

6. We (wait) (for/since) three o‟clock.

7. I (already, write) to him, but he (not yet, reply).

8. It‟s eleven o‟clock and Helen (make) cakes all morning, but I (not, make) any.

9. He (not, work) there (for/since) the last year.

10. I (read) magazines all evening; so far I (read) seven.

11. How long (you, drive)?

12. She (not, do) a single thing all morning.

13. They (build) that house (for/since) more than a year and they (still, not, finish) it.

14. It‟s May 30th and I (not, receive) a letter from him this month.

15. Come quickly! Your father (break) his arm.

16. I am awfully sorry, but I (drop) your clock. I hope it (not, break).

17. “Is John in?” – “No, I‟m afraid he (be/go) to Margate.”

18. (you, stand) in the rain (for/since) all that time?

19. (you, not, ever, be/go) to San Francisco?

20. (Jim, fall) off his bike again? Oh, no!

21. I (never, see) a flying saucer (fliegende Untertasse) when I‟ve been sober.

22. My sister (never, be/go) to Italy.

23. “Mr Mortimer (fish) all morning. So far he (catch) fifteen, but he (let) each one go free.” – “Perhaps he (catch) the same

one fifteen times.”

24. She (just, lose) all her money.

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25. This company (lose) money (for/since) ages.

26. Roger (just, break) his new watch.

27. I (already, say) this several times, but now I shall say it again.

28. I (often, hear) strange noises in the night.

29.Mrs Kensington (recently, notice) that her chauffeur prefers rock music to Brahms.

29. The next door neighbour‟s dog (just, bite) the postman. It‟s the third time that it (bite) him.

30. You (come) too late, Doctor. The poor girl (just, die).

31. He (always, detest) travelling by bus, and he (never, like) travelling by car either.

32. Jane (see) the Loch Ness Monster five times.

33. A bee (sting) me!

34. The workers (now, finish) building that supermarket. Apparently it (take) them a lot longer to build it than they

thought it would.

35. That nice Dr Lindsay? No, officer, I (not, see) him or his vivacious wife (for/since) ages.

36. She (only, know) Charles (for/since) she was sixteen, but they (live) in the same town (for/since) they were born.

37. Old Mr Green (bring) me my newspapers (for/since) over fifteen years.

38. They (write) to me fourteen times (since/for) the beginning of the month.

39. She (work) on her book (for/since) last year, and she hopes to complete it by Christmas.

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Simple Past Tense

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Actions completed in the past.
1. He served in the army for one year ago.
2. It was terribly hot the day before yesterday.
3. I went to visit my mother-in-law last week.
4. They started learning French last month.
5. We met that beggar once at the park.

2) Habits and repeated actions in the past.

1. I used to fight each other on the street when I was a child.
2. My brother used to have a motorbike, but he sold it.
3. They never used to eat so much.
4. Bharath used to wake up very early.
5. We used to live in the countryside.

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Common Language Indicators
1) Actions completed in the past
(yesterday, yesterday morning, yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening, last week, last month, last year, a
week ago, a week ago, the previous day/week, the day/week before)

2) Habits and repeated actions

(used to, would, )

Exercise 8

Exercise 9

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Past Continuous Tense

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Actions that were happening in the past.
1. This time last year I was walking together with my sweetheart along the riverside.
2. She was feeling much better then.
3. Mr. Daniel was writing a novel last time when I saw him.
4. It was raining hard at 7 O‟clock this morning.
5. Rishi and Rohith were working in the lab last night.
2) Two actions that were happening simultaneously in the past.
1. Just as I was leaving the house, the phone rang.
2. The sun was shining when I got up this morning.
3. The good idea came to me while I was riding to work.
4. As Sana and Sam walked down the street, they were singing.
5. A suspect was shooting the President at the front door at that time.

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Common Language Indicators
1) Actions that were happening in the past.
(yesterday, yesterday morning, yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening, last week, last month, last year, a
week ago, a week ago, the previous day/week, the day/week before)

3) Two actions that were happening simultaneously in the past.

(when, while, as)

Exercise 10

Exercise 11 (Simple Past and Past Continuous)

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Exercise 12 (Simple Past and Past Continuous)

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Past Perfect Tense

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action that was completed before another action in the past
1. My parents had already eaten lunch when I got home.
2. After the guests had left, I went to bed.
3. I realize that we had met her before.
4. Until you told me, I had heard nothing of what happened.
5. The patient had died as the doctors arrived.
2) Action that showed an earliest past
1. He had hardly begun his speech during the interview.
2. They had never seen this article before.
3. We cleared up as soon as our guests had left.
4. Vineela failed the exam because he hadn‟t studied.
5. I had already had time to catch the bus.

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Exercise 1

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Exercise 2

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Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action started in the past and continue till another past point of time
1. They had been corresponding regularly for many years before his death.
2. At that time I had been writing three English books.
3. The English Teacher, Margaret, had been teaching English for 8 years.
4. When I found a widow, she had been crying for several time.
5. When Stephen got home, her hair was still wet because she had been swimming.

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Simple Future

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action that occurs in the future
1. My assistant will assist you to post this letter.
2. I shall fly to California for Universal New year next month.
3. We promise that we shall be there in time.
4. Who will be at the meeting tomorrow?
5. They will let me know the exact schedule to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

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Future Continuous

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action that is progress in the future
1. This time tomorrow I shall be lying on the beach.
2. You will be hearing from my aids about the news concerning the assassination.
3. They will be still cooking the meal in that restaurant.
4. I expect that I will be seeing you once of these days.
5. When we arrive home, our children will be playing with the dog.

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Future Perfect

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action that is expected to complete by a future point of time
1. I shall have written my books by that time.
2. The builders say they will have finished the roof by Thursday.
3. I save $50 in a month and I started in December 2009, so that by the end of the year 2019, I shall have saved
$6000.
4. By the end of next month, she will have been here for 8 years.
5. Before going to see him, he is going to have left the place.

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Future Perfect

The structure

The Timeline

Main Uses
1) Action that will be continuing/completed before another point of time in the future
1. I will graduate in June. I will see you in July. By the time I see you, I will have graduated.
2. I will have finished my homework by the time I go out on a date tonight.

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Tense - Recap

Simple Present Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verb given in the brackets:
1. Birds………………… (fly) in the air.
2. The Gita…………………. (say) : Man is mortal.
3. The Muslims………………….. (bury) their dead.
4. Wheat…………………. (sell) at two rupees a kilo.
5. Beauty…………………. (need) no ornaments).
6. Good boys…………………..(obey) their elders.
7. ………………….he…………………… (go) to school every day ?
8. All work and no play …………………….. (make) Jack a dull boy.
9. Our examination …………………….. (begin) on 3rd March this year.
10. The sun ………….. (rise) in the east and ………….. (set) in the west.

Present Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. It ………………….(rain) outside now.
2. I……………..(come) back tonight.
3. He……………..still…………..(lie) on the cot.
4. What……………you…………….(do) these days?
5. They…………….(go) to see their parents.
6. Where………………….you…………………..(go) now?
7. The players…………………..(warm) themselves.
8. We……………….(leave) for Delhi tomorrow.
9. Usha…………………(prepare) for an examination these days.
10. We…………….(go) to Kashmir during the summer vacation.

Present Perfect Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. I …………………..(not see) the Taj as yet.
2. She ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,…,(know) me since 1972.
3. He…………………(meet) his friend recently.
4. Hari……………….(fail) twice in his attempt.
5. We…………………(see) the Red Fort only once.
6. Why……………….you……………….(not do) your work as yet?
7. I…………………….(tell) you already that I cannot help you.
8. No one…………….(hear) from him for the past two years.
9. She…………………(spend) all her life in the service of the poor.
10. They came to Delhi in 1980 and …………………….(live) here ever since.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. It ………………..(rain) since this morning.
2. How long…………….you…………..(wait) for me?
3. What……………..you……………….(do) all these years?
4. They………………(live) in this house since 1970.
5. Since when …………….you…………….(work) in this office?
6. Influenza…………….(rage) in the city since last week.
7. Suresh……………….(read) a novel for the last three hours.

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8. The juggler…………..(show) his tricks for half an hour.
9. Mahesh……………….(live) in Mumbai for the last ten years.
10. I am very much tired, for I……………..(wash) my car since morning.

Simple Past Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. When …………..he……………….(pass) his B.A.?
2. We……………(buy) a new house last year.
3. Last night, I ………………….(see) a horrible dream.
4. A thief…………………(break) into our house last night.
5. He……………..(come) to see me every day last week.
6. I told him that he……………………(not care) for me.
7. Prices……………………(rise) by twenty percent last year.
8. Captain Cook………………..(discover) Australia.
9. She…………………(sing) very beautifully before she was married.
10. Last year, Naresh……………….(go) to his office on foot but now he goes in his car.

Past Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs give in brackets:
1. Minu………………….(solve) sums at that time.
2. She found that the milk…………….(boil).
3. As he…………………..(get off) the bus, it began to rain.
4. When I saw him, he ………………….(learn) his lesson.
5. My sister…………………….(sleep) when I returned home.
6. I…………………….(arrange) my books when the bell rang.
7. She cut her finger while she……………..(cut) potatoes.
8. My mother………………..(read) a book when I entered the room.
9. Ravi…………….(write) some letters when I went to see him.
10. Mother ………………….(prepare) tea for all of us at that time.

Past Perfect Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. By 5 a.m., I ………………..(take) my bath.
2. I ……………….not…………………(sleep) the whole week.
3. I posted the letter after I ………………..(write) it.
4. She told me his name after he……………..(go).
5. I ……………..(not meet) her since her marriage.
6. The play ………………..(begin) when I reached the hall.
7. It ………………….(not rain) till I reached home safely.
8. If you …………………..(help) him, he would not have starved.
9. The thieves ………………..(run) away before the police arrived.
10. If she …………………..(go) in a taxi, she would have caught the train.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with correct forms of verbs given in brackets:
1. She…………….(sleep) for half an hour when I went to her house.
2. The maid……………(cook) the vegetables for fifteen minutes when my mother came.
3. Tenzing……………(try) to climb Everest for many years before he succeeded in his mission.
4. I ………….. (prepare) for the test for the last two months, when I received your letter.
5. Alexander, the Great, ………..(make) preparations for many years before he attacked India.

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Simple Future Tense
Fill in the blanks with correct forms of verbs given in brackets:
1. No one ……………..(enter) the room.
2. I hope you ………………(help) me.
3. She …………………..(come) here next Monday.
4. ……………you…………….(care) for a cup of tea?
5. We…………….(not go) to Mumbai tomorrow.
6. If you work hard, you…………(top) the class.
7. Now that he is ill, he…………….(keep) in-doors.
8. I……………. (return) the money before he asks for it.
9. ……………. He………….. (carry) your luggage to the station?
10. As soon as she comes, I ………….. (leave) this seat for her.

Future Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in the brackets :
1. She …………… (wait) for us at the appointed time.
2. When you call on me, I ……………. (do) my home-task.
3. Ramesh …………….. (play) tennis tomorrow at this time.
4. Dinesh …………….(read) a novel when you enter his room/
5. The farmers ……………..(water) their fields tomorrow morning.

Future Perfect Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of verbs given in brackets:
1. I ……………….. (start) on my journey before the day dawns.
2. My mother ………. (prepare) food before the guests arrive.
3. We …………… (complete) our courses by the end of this month.
4. Rajani …………. (leave) for Bombay by this time tomorrow.
5. The peon ………….. (ring) the bell by the time we reach the school.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets:
1. He ………….. (study) since morning before I reach home.
2. I ………… (read) for two hours before you return home.
3. By the end of this week, my sister …………. (learn) „Judo‟ for two months.
4. The washerman ………….(iron) clothes since morning when I go to his house.
5. Next year, we ………….. (learn) science for three years through the Distance Education Programme.

Mixed Exercises on Tenses - 1

Fill in the blanks with suitable forms of the verbs given in brackets :
Set (a) 1. The hen ……………(lay) four eggs yesterday.
2. We …………….(put up) a show.
3. It……………. (rain) since morning.
4. The sun has not yet ………….. (rise).
Set (b) 1. The bell …………….(ring) just now.
2. He …………… (lose) his temper and went away.
3. When he ……………… (meet) you, he will love you.
4. My brother ……………………. (arrive) here only last night.
Set (c) 1. It ………….. (not rain) now.
2. He has always ……………. (feed) the poor.
3. This book has …………….. (cost) me fifteen rupees.
4. Till yesterday, I ……………(never refuse) him anything.

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Set (d) 1. Have you ………….. (read) „Gulliver‟s Travels‟?
2. I…………(go) to the market just now.
3. The steamer ………. (sail) yesterday.
4. The river ………… (flow) under the bridge.
Set (e)1. In Srinagar, it always ………… (snow) in winter.
2. It ………… (rain) for nearly two hours now.
3. Mohan ………….. (read) the newspaper everyday.
4. Last year, Kapil Dev …………… (select) captain of the Indian team .

Mixed Exercises on Tenses – 2 (Contextual)

Read the following paragraphs and fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in brackets.
1. The marriage procession ………….. (a) ………….(start) when I ………… (b) ………. (reach) the bride groom‟s house. All the friends
………. (c) ……….. (begin) to force me to join the dance, I ………. (d) ……… (concede) to their demand even though the doctor
……. (e) …….. (advise) me not to exert myself. My joy ……. (f)…….. (know) no bounds on seeing an old friend in the group. The
procession ………… (g)…………. (cover) some distance when more guests ………. (h) ………… (join) us.

2. Yesterday when Naina ……… (a)……….. (reach) the dance party at her cousin‟s house she saw that many of her friends ………….
(b)………… (gather) there. She ……… (c)…….(take) sweets for all of them. Her cousin …… (d)………. (post) invitations in
advance and ……. (e)…….. (decide) to keep the party on Sunday. She ……… (f)…….. (prepare) a cake the previous night which
everyone ……….. (g) ……. (enjoy). Every one ………. (h) ………. (look) happy.

3. Diwali ……… (a)……… (approach) fast. There were only three days left. Kanishka ……. (b) ………. (go) out to burst crackers. He
……… (c)……… (be) outside for only a few minutes when his mother ………. (d)……… (call) out from inside. “Kanishka, you
…….. (e)…………;; (not clean) your room. Why ……………. You ………… (f) (play)”. “But all my friends are here,” he protested.
His friends ………..(g) ……… (finish) cleaning their home and ………… even ………….. (h) (decorate0 them. So they could play.
Kanishka went home.

4. Sunil …………. (a)…………. (go) for a walk daily in the evening. Last evening, he ………(b) ………… (come) back from the office
rather late. Even though it ………. (c) ……..(be) 8 p.m. he still ……….. (d) …………. (go) for his walk as usual. When he ………
(e)……….. (return) home, he …………. (f) ……….. (find) that his little son Vikas ………… (g) ……….. (injure) his left arm seriously.
So he ……….. (h)………… (rush) to the nearby doctor for first aid to little Vikas.

5. Yesterday I ………. (a) ………… (go) to the railway station to see off Mohit who ………… (b) ………… (come) to pay us a visit
during the Puja holidays. When we …………. (c)……. (reach) the station we were surprised to find that the train …….. (d) ……….
(arrive) already. I ……… (e) ………… (buy) a platform ticket and then we ………… (f)……….. (rush) towards the train. Passengers
………… (g) ………… (occupy) all the seats and some of them ……… (h) …….. (stand) in the corridors.

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