Simple Past

 Finished actions
I drove back from London last night.
 With words for a finished time. (Yesterday, in 1990, ago, then, when…)
I saw Mark yesterday.
 Stories
A man walked into a cafe and sat down at a table. The waiter asked….
 Details (time, place, etc) of news.
The cat has eaten your supper. She took it off the table.

Present Perfect

 Thinking about the past and present together.

Jane has found my glasses, so I can see again.
 News.
The Prime Minister has left for Paris.
 Up to now: how much/ many: how often.
I’ve drunk six cups of coffee today.
 Up to now: Things that haven’t happened; questions; ever and never.
John hasn’t phoned.
 Already, yet and just.
Has the postman come yet?
 To say how long (often with since and before)
How long have you been in this country?
Put the verbs into the correct tense- Simple past or Present perfect.

You ________________ (not/come) to see us last week.

You ________________ (not/come) to see us since you left the office.
I ________________ (sell) a lot of my old pictures lately.
I ________________ (sell) a lot of my old pictures a few months ago.
She ________________ (keep) us waiting a long time last night.
She ________________ (keep) us waiting for a long time this evening.
It ________________ (not/rain) yesterday and it ________________ (not/ rain) today.
I ________________ (not/see) the exhibition yet but Michael ________________ (see)

it last night.
I ________________ don’t want to go to the cinema. I ________________ (see) this

film some weeks ago.

I ________________ (just/do) my homework but Peter ________________ (do) a long

time ago.
He ________________ (visit) twelve different countries now.
You’ll have to wait. I ________________ (not/finish) yet.
I _______________ (see) you in town two or three days ago but you _____________

(not/see) me.
I ________________ (go) to the circus at the weekend.
I’m going to do it again. I ________________ (already/do) it once.
He ________________ (not/pay) his taxes yet. He must pay them soon.
He ________________ (write) some articles for the school magazine last year but this

year he ________________ (not/write) any.

Have you seen my glasses? They ________________ (disappear).
I _______________ (see) Jane twice this week but last week I _______________

(not/set) eyes on her.