Mastering Present Perfect and Past Simple Tenses

Posted on Jan 25, 2025 in Physical and Sports Activities

Choose the Correct Verb Tense

  1. Andrew drank 10 glasses of wine last night.
    • a) drank
    • b) has drunk
    • c) have drunk
  2. I met Will Smith last summer at the Oscar Awards.
    • a) met
    • b) has met
    • c) have met
  3. We have lived in the same house since 2012.
    • a) lived
    • b) has lived
    • c) have lived
  4. Have you ever sold anything on eBay?
    • a) Did you sell
    • b) Have you ever sold
    • c) Have you ever sell
  5. I haven’t taught the simple present tense lesson yet.
    • a) didn’t teach
    • b) hasn’t taught
    • c) haven’t taught
  6. When I was younger, I didn’t drive my mother’s car.
    • a) didn’t drive
    • b) hasn’t driven
    • c) haven’t driven
  7. She is so sad; she has listened to the same song 20 times today.
    • a) listened
    • b) has listened
    • c) have listened
  8. Excuse me! I have to ask you something: Did you break my mom’s vase last night?
    • a) Did you break
    • b) has you broken
    • c) have you broken
  9. He has been so preoccupied for the last couple of weeks.
    • a) were
    • b) has been
    • c) have been

Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using present perfect simple or past simple.

  1. Have you ever passed (pass) an English exam?
  2. What did you do (do) last night?
  3. She has just arrived (arrive) from Manchester.
  4. They saw (see) Mary last week.
  5. Have you seen (see) Mary lately?

Complete with Past Simple or Present Perfect

Ann has lived (live) in Birmingham all her life. Yesterday when Ann was (be) on her way to the train station, it began (begin) to rain. She ran (run) back to get her umbrella, but this made (make) her late for her train. When she got (get) to the station, she asked (ask) a woman on the platform: “How long have you been (be) here, Madam?” “Not long, the train to London has just left (leave), I’m afraid.”

When Ann arrived (arrive) at the office, her boss looked (look) at her and said (say): “You have been (be) late every morning this week. What has happened (happen) this time?” “I have missed (miss) my train.”

Choose the Correct Verb Tense

  1. She has put on (put on) a lot of weight recently.
    • a) has put on
    • b) put on
  2. Have you ever had (have) a pet?
    • a) Did have
    • b) Have had

    Yes, I had (have) a dog when I lived with my parents.

    • a) had
    • b) have had
  3. My parents lived (live) in Paris for ten years and then they moved to Hamburg.
    • a) lived
    • b) have lived

    They have lived (live) in Hamburg for five years now.

    • a) lived
    • b) have lived
  4. Lady Di visited (visit) a lot of poor countries. The Queen has visited (visit) a lot of poor countries, too.
    • a) visited has visited
    • b) has visited has visited
  5. When did you give up (give up) smoking? Oh, a long time ago.
    • a) have given up
    • b) did give up

    I think I haven’t smoked (not smoke) since 2000.

    • a) didn’t smoke
    • b) haven’t smoked
  6. My great-grandfather died (die) forty years ago. I never met (meet) him.
    • a) died met
    • b) has died have met
  7. I don’t know Jane’s fiancé. I have never met (meet) him.
    • a) have met
    • b) met
  8. When we were on holiday, the weather was (be) awful. Since we came back, the weather has been (be) great.
    • a) was has been
    • b) has been was
  9. How long have you studied (study) English? For five years now. I started (start) when I finished university.
    • a) have studied started
    • b) did study started
  10. My bicycle is not here anymore. Someone has taken (take) it.
    • a) has taken
    • b) took

Choose the Correct Verb Tense

  1. I have lost my purse. I can’t find it anywhere.
    • a) have lost
    • b) lost
  2. Marianne earned a lot of money last month, but she has spent it all on clothes since then.
    • a) has earned
    • b) earned
  3. He studied in Amsterdam for four years and then he went on to do an M.A. in the States.
    • a) has studied
    • b) studied
  4. The match has started. They are winning 1-0.
    • a) has started
    • b) started
  5. Real estate prices have gone down this year. We hope to buy a new house soon.
    • a) have gone
    • b) went
  6. He won the Pulitzer but two days later he died of a heart attack.
    • a) has won
    • b) won
  7. A young couple bought the house on the hill, but they didn’t live there long.
    • a) have bought
    • b) bought
  8. Jane has already read this book twice.
    • a) has already read
    • b) already read
  9. How long were you in Berlin last summer?
    • a) have you been
    • b) were you
  10. How long have you lived in Barcelona since you moved to Spain?
    • a) have you lived
    • b) did you live

Match the Questions and Answers

AB
  1. How long have you lived in London?
  2. Where did you meet your husband?
  3. Have you ever been abroad?
  4. When did you start working?
  5. What’s the most expensive thing you have ever bought?
  6. Have you had breakfast this morning?
  7. How long have you known your best friend?
  8. When did you have your first baby?
  9. Have you seen the headmaster today?
  10. How long did it take you to get home yesterday?

2 I met him in Paris.

3 Yes, I have. I went to Egypt last summer.

8 I had my oldest daughter two years ago.

4 Right after I graduated.

6 No, I haven’t. I got up late and left without eating.

10 More than two hours. The motorway was congested.

7 Since primary school.

9 Yes, I have. He has just arrived.

1 I’ve lived here for five years.

5 Probably my flat.

Choose the Correct Verb Tense

  1. Have you booked your hotel room yet?
    • a) Did book
    • b) Have booked

    No, I wrote to the hotel last week but they haven’t answered yet.

    • a) wrote haven’t answered
    • b) have written haven’t answered
  2. I have just had my first driving lesson.
    • a) did have
    • b) have had

    How did it go? Did you enjoy it?

    • a) did it go did you enjoy
    • b) have gone have enjoyed

    Well, I didn’t hit anything but I made every other possible mistake.

    • a) didn’t hit made
    • b) haven’t hit have made
  3. Where have you been?
    • a) have been
    • b) did be

    I have been shopping in Oxford Street.

    • a) was
    • b) have been

    I found a shop where shoes were on sale and I got 3 pairs.

    • a) found were got
    • b) have found were have got
  4. Have you met Angelica?
    • a) Did meet
    • b) Have met

    Yes, we met last year at a conference in Austria. We have stayed in contact since then.

    • a) have met have stayed
    • b) met have stayed

Choose the Correct Verb Tense

  1. Tom has seen that movie three times already.
    • a) Saw
    • b) has seen
  2. I read yesterday’s newspaper, but I haven’t read today’s.
    • a) Read haven’t read
    • b) have read read
  3. The students had eight exams last month.
    • a) Have had
    • b) had
  4. The students have had eight exams this month. [The month hasn’t ended yet.]
    • a) Had
    • b) have had
  5. The students have had eight exams in the month.
    • a) Have had
    • b) had
  6. They have practiced for the concert for over three hours today.
    • a) Practiced
    • b) have practiced
  7. Have you ever been to a professional football game?
    • a) Have been
    • b) Did were
  8. Did you enjoy the game?
    • a) Have enjoyed
    • b) Did enjoy
  9. How long have you worked here?
    • a) Did worked
    • b) have worked
  10. The children have grown a lot since the last time I saw them.
    • a) Have grown saw
    • b) grew have seen
  11. We have never seen snow.
    • a) Have seen
    • b) didn’t see
  12. What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had a coffee and a croissant.
    • a) Have had
    • b) had
  13. Have you sung professionally this year?
    • a) Have sung
    • b) Did sing
  14. Have you ever eaten snails?
    • a) Have eaten
    • b) Did eat
  15. Last year she worked a lot.
    • a) Has worked
    • b) worked