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PAST SIMPLE OR PRESENT PERFECT?

Grammar » B1 Grammar lessons and exercises » Past
simple or present perfect? » Page 2

Exercises Explanation Downloads

Exercises: 1 2 3

Past simple or present

perfect?

Exercise 2

Choose past simple or present perfect

for each gap below.

You have completed this test.

Correct answers: 10/10.

Your score is 100%.

Check your answers:

1 A: Mary isn't here. She ______ to

Egypt. B: I ______ to Egypt.

a. has gone / have never

gone

b. has gone / have never

been

c. went / have never gone

➪ We use the present perfect to

talk about past actions or events
when time is not mentioned, i.e.
we don’t say when these events
happened (She has gone to
Egypt).
➪ We often use the words never,
ever, or before to talk about
experiences (I've never been to
Egypt).
➪ We say someone has gone
somewhere when this person is
still away, and we say someone
has been somewhere when this
person has already come back
from that place.

2 I ______ my arm. I ______ it

playing with my cousin.

a. 've broken / broke

b. 've broken / 've broken

c. broke / 've broken

➪ We use the present perfect to

introduce a past event or
experience and we don't say
when (I've broken my arm), but if
we continue talking and we give
details, then we use the past
simple (I broke it playing with...).

3 ______ a ghost?

a. Have you ever seen

b. Did you ever see

c. Have you ever see

➪ We often use the words never,

ever, or before to talk about
experiences.

4 A: I ______ to China this year. B:

When ______ there?

a. have been / have you been

b. have been / did you

go

c. was / have you gone

➪ We can use the present

perfect with time expressions
when the time we mention has not
finished: today, this week, this
year, etc (I've been to China this
year).
➪ We use the past simple (NOT
present perfect) when
we mention or ask about when
something happened (When did
you go?).

5 I'm sure I ______ this man

before.

a. 've seen

b. saw
c. 've see

➪ We often use the words never,

ever, or before to talk about
experiences.

6 A: How long ______ a teacher?

B: I ______ teaching a long time ago.

a. were / started
b. have you been / have
started

c. have you been /

started

➪ We can use the present

perfect with for and since and
how long to ask or talk
about situations that started in the
past and have not finished.
➪ We use the past simple (NOT
present perfect) when
we mention or ask about when
something happened, or when
the time is known by the speaker
and the listener. (a long time ago).

7 ______ Titanic?

a. Did you see

b. You have seen

c. Have you seen

➪ We use the present perfect to

talk about past experiences when
we don’t say or we don’t
know when something happened.

8 A: I ______ the keys. B: Where

______ them?

a. have found / did you

find

b. found / have you found

c. found / did you find

➪ We use the present perfect to

introduce a past event or
experience (we don't say when),
but if we continue talking and we
give details , then we use the past
simple.

9 Here are your shoes. I ______

them.

a. just cleaned

b. 've just cleaned

c. just have cleaned

➪ We use the present perfect

with just for events that happened
a very short time before speaking.

10 She ______ to be a singer since

she ______ a kid.

a. wanted / was
b. has wanted / has been

c. has wanted / was

➪ We can use the present

perfect with for and since and
how long to ask or talk
about situations that started in the
past and have not finished.
➪ We use since before the
moment in the past when
something started. If we use a
verb after since, it's usually in past.

Exercises: 1 2 3

Related tests:

Present perfect – form and use

Present perfect or past simple?

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