IMO Practice Test — Advanced Tenses — Nuance & Usage
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Choose the most appropriate option: 'I can't talk now — I ___ dinner.'
have
am having
had
will have
Explanation: Here 'have' = eat (dynamic) → present continuous 'am having'.
Question 2 of 8
Spot the error: 'She is wanting to become a scientist since childhood.'
is wanting → has wanted
since is wrong
become is wrong
no error
Explanation: 'want' is stative; a state continuing from the past uses the present perfect 'has wanted'.
Question 3 of 8
Which future form best fits? 'Don't worry, I ___ help you with that.'
am helping
help
will help
am about to help
Explanation: An offer/willingness uses 'will'.
Question 4 of 8
Identify the correctly used present simple for the future:
I will see you when I will arrive.
I'll call you as soon as I reach home.
I am reaching home tomorrow at the station.
The conference is going to start at 9 sharp daily.
Explanation: In a time clause, the present simple ('reach') refers to the future.
Question 5 of 8
Choose: 'By the look of him, he ___ faint.'
will
is going to
shall
is about
Explanation: A prediction from present evidence → 'is going to'.
Question 6 of 8
Which sentence correctly uses a stative verb dynamically?
I am seeing the manager at noon.
I am knowing the truth.
She is owning a flat.
It is containing sugar.
Explanation: 'seeing' = meeting (dynamic) is acceptable; the others remain stative.
Question 7 of 8
Rearrange: 'about / the / is / ceremony / begin / to'
The ceremony is about to begin.
The ceremony about is to begin.
About the ceremony is to begin.
The ceremony is to about begin.
Explanation: 'The ceremony is about to begin.' is correct.
Question 8 of 8
Choose the option that keeps tense consistent: 'He opened the door, ___ the light, and sat down.'
switches on
switched on
is switching on
will switch on
Explanation: Keep the narrative in the simple past: 'switched on'.