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) the lottery last year.

2. We (prepare / already) dinner.

3. James (find) your ring in the garden yesterday.

4. He (come / just) home.

5. They (buy) their car two years ago.

Negative Sentences

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. I (see / not) anyone yet.

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.

Questions

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. (you / read) the book yet?

2. How many letters (they / write) so far?

3. When (he / tell) you that?

4. (you / be) at home last night?

5. How often (you / travel) abroad till now?

Text

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. A: (you / taste / ever) sushi?

2. B: Yes, I (eat) sushi at least five times so far.

3. A: When (you / eat) sushi for the first time?

4. B: I (eat) sushi for the first time on my dad's 50th birthday.

He (invite) the whole family to a Japanese restaurant.

5. A: (you / like) it?

6. B: Absolutely. In fact, it (be) so good that we (be) to that

restaurant three times yet. And on my mum's birthday, we (order) some sushi

and(have) it at home.

Positive Sentences

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1. William (tidy / already) up his room.

2. Caroline (miss) the schoolbus yesterday.

3. I (finish / just) my homework.

4. I cannot go out tonight. My grandparents (come) to see us.

5. In 2004, the Olympic Summer Games (take) place in Athens.

Negative Sentences

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. We (watch / not) TV last night.

2. Joanna (read / not) the book yet.

3. Collin (not / go) on holiday last year.

4. I (have / not) any problems so far.

5. They (learn / not) the new words yet.

Questions

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. (they / be / ever) to New York?

2. (you / see) Catherine a minute ago?

3. What time (you / get) up today?

4. (he / hear) the news yet?

5. How often (you / play) that game up to now?

Text

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

1. A: I (see / not) you for a long time. Where (you / be) ?

2. B: I (come / just) back from Canada.

3. A: Oh really? What (you / do) in Canada?

4. B: I (take) a nature tour.

5. A: Wow! (you / see) many wild animals there?

6. B: Of course. I (watch) bears, wolves and whales in the wild.

That (be) so interesting. (you / spend / ever) a holiday in Canada?

7. A: Yes, I (travel) around Canada twice so far.

8. B: When (you / go) there?

9. A: The first time I (go) there (be) in 1997 and the second time
in 2004.

10. B: (you / enjoy) it?

11. A: I absolutely (love) 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
I spoke he / she / it has spoken

regular verbs: infinitive + ed regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example: Example:

I worked 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:
admit - admitted
 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

certain time in the past just / already / not yet

Example: Example:

I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago. 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: Example:
He went to Canada last summer. 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: Example:

I bought a new bike. (just telling I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want
what I did in the past.) 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