English Test Simple Past – Present Perfect Simple Test your knowledge on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done in the test.
Form Write down the correct form (pronoun + verb).
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
I / open
he / write
they / do
you / swim
she / give
Use When do we use which tense?
1.
'Already' is a signal word for ...
2.
'Just' is a signal word for ...
3.
'2 years ago' is a signal word for ...
4.
'Yet' is a signal word for ...
5.
'Yesterday' is a signal word for ...
Positive Sentences Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
Mary (win)
2.
We (prepare / already)
3.
James (find)
the lottery last year. dinner. your ring in the garden yesterday.
4.
He (come / just)
5.
They (buy)
home. their car two years ago.
Negative Sentences Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
I (see / not)
2.
Phil (go / not)
to the cinema last night.
3.
We (be / not)
to the zoo so far.
4.
She (arrive / not)
yet.
5.
Emily (visit / not)
me last week.
anyone yet.
Questions Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
(you / read)
2.
How many letters (they / write)
3.
When (he / tell)
4.
(you / be)
5.
How often (you / travel)
the book yet? so far? you that? at home last night? abroad till now?
Text Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
A: (you / taste / ever)
2.
B: Yes, I (eat)
3.
A: When (you / eat)
4.
B: I (eat)
He (invite)
sushi? sushi at least five times so far. sushi for the first time? sushi for the first time on my dad's 50th birthday.
the whole family to a Japanese restaurant.
5.
A: (you / like)
6.
B: Absolutely. In fact, it (be)
it? so good that we (be)
restaurant three times yet. And on my mum's birthday, we (order) and(have)
it at home.
Positive Sentences Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
to that some sushi
1.
William (tidy / already)
2.
Caroline (miss)
3.
I (finish / just)
4.
I cannot go out tonight. My grandparents (come)
5.
In 2004, the Olympic Summer Games (take)
up his room. the schoolbus yesterday. my homework. to see us. place in Athens.
Negative Sentences Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
We (watch / not)
2.
Joanna (read / not)
3.
Collin (not / go)
4.
I (have / not)
5.
They (learn / not)
TV last night. the book yet. on holiday last year. any problems so far. the new words yet.
Questions Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
(they / be / ever)
2.
(you / see)
3.
What time (you / get)
4.
(he / hear)
5.
How often (you / play)
to New York? Catherine a minute ago? up today? the news yet? that game up to now?
Text Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1.
A: I (see / not)
2.
B: I (come / just)
3.
A: Oh really? What (you / do)
4.
B: I (take)
5.
A: Wow! (you / see)
6.
B: Of course. I (watch)
That (be)
7.
A: Yes, I (travel)
you for a long time. Where (you / be)
?
back from Canada. in Canada?
a nature tour. many wild animals there? bears, wolves and whales in the wild.
so interesting. (you / spend / ever) around Canada twice so far.
a holiday in Canada?
8.
B: When (you / go)
9.
A: The first time I (go)
there? there (be)
in 1997 and the second time
in 2004.
10.
B: (you / enjoy)
11.
A: I absolutely (love)
it? it, especially the west coast.
Simple Past – Present Perfect Simple Exercises and Tests
Form Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular
irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs
verbs
Example: Example:
I / you / we / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken
I spoke
regular verbs: infinitive + ed
regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example:
I worked
Example: I / you / we / they have worked he / she / it has worked Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed':
when the final letter is e, only add d Example: love - loved
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: it - itted
final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled
after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - worried but: play - played
See also explanations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple
Use In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.
Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the differences.
Certain time in the past or just / already / yet? Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet happened?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple just / already / not yet
certain time in the past Example: I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago.
Example: I have just phoned Mary.
Certain event in the past or how often so far? Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action has happened till now?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
certain event in the past
whether / how often till now
Example: He went to Canada last summer.
Example: Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada twice.
Emphasis on action or result? Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?
Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
Emphasis on action
Emphasis on result Example:
I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)
Example: I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)
Signal Words Simple Past
Present Perfect Simple
yesterday
just
... ago
already
in 1990
up to now
the other day
until now / till now
last ...
ever
(not) yet
so far
lately / recently