1. By the time the rescue team arrived, the hikers _____ in the cave for three days.

2. This is the first time I _____ such a sophisticated piece of equipment.

3. By next December, she _____ as the head of the department for ten years.

4. I was exhausted because I _____ since five o'clock in the morning.

5. It is high time the government _____ something about the rising inflation.

6. I _____ for a promotion for months before I finally got one.

7. If he _____ the train, he would be here by now.

8. We _____ through the park when it suddenly started to pour with rain.

9. Scientists _____ the effects of climate change for decades.

10. I _____ my homework by the time my parents get home tonight.

11. She _____ her keys; she's been looking for them for an hour.

12. At this time tomorrow, we _____ across the Atlantic.

13. He _____ in London for five years before he moved to New York.

14. I _____ to the cinema tonight. Would you like to join me?

15. The sun _____ when we reached the summit of the mountain.

16. I _____ English for over ten years now.

17. By the end of this month, I _____ all the books on the reading list.

18. I _____ her for years, so I was surprised to hear she had moved.

19. It _____ for hours, and the ground is still very wet.

20. I _____ my project by Friday, so I can relax at the weekend.

21. She _____ at the bank since she graduated from university.

22. They _____ for over an hour when the bus finally arrived.

23. I _____ my keys somewhere! I can't find them anywhere.

24. We _____ dinner when the lights went out.

25. He _____ several awards for his research in physics.