Present Perfect vs. Past Simple Exercises
In these exercises, you have to choose between the present perfect and past simple. These conversations will help you understand the difference between these two verb tenses and when to use them appropriately.
Exercise 1
22 questions and answers with explanations.
How do I do these exercises?
Question: Recently, I ________ (eat) a lot of cakes.
Answer： I have eaten a lot of cakes.
1.
👱♀️ Emma: “I _______ (live) in London all my life. I really like living here.”
✅ Emma: “I have lived in London all my life. I really like living here.”
ℹ️ Emma uses the present perfect tense because she is still living in London now. She has lived in London ‘all her life’ – This started in the past and still continues to the present.
2.
🧕🏼 Sara: “I ________ (move) here in 1995, and I have lived here since then.”
✅ I moved
ℹ️ Sara uses the past simple because she describes when something finished in the past.
Note: She also uses the present perfect and says “I have lived here since then” (It is not important when, just since that time).
3.
🧕🏼 Sara: “So, tell me about your partner?”
👱♀️ Emma: “Well, I ______ (meet) my boyfriend in 1996.”
✅ I met
ℹ️ She uses the past simple because she is describing when she met her boyfriend in the past. This event is finished in the past.
4.
👱♀️ Emma: “We _______ (get) married in 1997.”
✅ We got married
ℹ️ She uses the past simple tense because she wants to say when the event (wedding) finished in the past.
5.
👱♀️ Emma: We _______ (be) married for over 20 years. We are still very happy together!
✅ We have been
ℹ️ She uses the present perfect because they are still married. The event happened in the past, but the marriage is still good.
6.
🧕🏼Sara: Oh that’s nice.
👱♀️Emma: Tell me about your husband?
🧕🏼Sara: Sure, my husband ______(be) an engineer for the same company for five years. He loves his job.
✅ has been
ℹ️ We use the present perfect because her husband started this job in the past and he is still working as an engineer.
7.
🧕🏼Sara:” He _______(start) his job in 2016.”
✅ He started
ℹ️ We use the past simple because he started his job in the past.
8.
👱♀️ Emma: “Ah ok, _________ (he/always/ live) in London?”
✅ has he always lived
ℹ️ She is asking about his experience. This started in the past and continues now, so we use the present perfect.
9.
🧕🏼Sara: No, he ________ (live) in Manchester when he was a little kid.
✅ he lived
ℹ️ This event is completely finished in the past.
10.
👱♀️Emma: Oh, I _______ (never/be) to Manchester.
✅ I have never been
ℹ️ We use the present perfect here because from the past until now this is something Emma has not done.
11.
👱♀️Emma: So, why ______ (you/decide) to move to London?
✅ why did you decide
ℹ️ We use the use this question form to ask questions about the past:
Question Word+ Did + (subject) + (base form/infinitive of the verb)
12.
🧕🏼Sara: Well, I ____(be/offer) a job by a really good company and I decided to move.
✅ I was offered
ℹ️ This offer was in the past.
13.
👱♀️Emma: That sounds great. Where did live when ______ (you/arrive) in London?
✅ you arrived
ℹ️ She arrived in the past. This action is finished.
14.
🧕🏼Sara: We lived in the north of London. It’s a nice area. So what hobbies do you like to do?
👱♀️Emma: Well, I _________(always/enjoy) playing golf, so I decided to join a club.
✅ I’ve always enjoyed
ℹ️ We use the present perfect because this is something that started in the past and continues until now.
15.
🧕🏼Sara: When ________ (you/learn) to play golf?
✅ did you learn
ℹ️ Sara uses the past simple because she is asking ‘when’ something happened.
16.
👱♀️Emma: I can’t remember, I ______(play) golf all my life, it’s my favourite sport.
✅ I’ve played golf
ℹ️ She uses the present perfect because she started playing golf in the past and this has continued until now.
17.
🧕🏼Sara: I _________ (never/play) golf before, but it looks relaxing.
✅ I’ve never played
ℹ️ We use the present perfect because up until this moment in time, Sara has never played golf.
18.
👱♀️Emma: What about tennis? _______ (you/ever/play) here in London?
✅ Have you ever played
ℹ️ She uses the present perfect because she is asking if Sara has ever played at any time in the past until now.
19.
🧕🏼Sara: No… When I was a kid I _____(have) a great tennis teacher, but now I don’t play.
✅ I had
ℹ️ She uses the past simple because this event is finished. She does not have this teacher any more.
20.
👱♀️Emma: That’s a shame… Last week I ______(watch) a lot of tennis on T.V because of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
✅ I watched
ℹ️ She uses the past simple because the tennis event has finished.
21.
🧕🏼Sara: Ya? Who ____ (win) the tournament?
✅ Who won
ℹ️ The event is finished so past simple is used again.
22.
👱♀️Emma: Alcaraz won the Tournament. It _______(be/not) an easy game for him though… Sara I am sorry I have to go now. See you!
✅ It wasn’t
ℹ️ She is still talking about the same finished tennis event in the past.
Exercise 2.
This conversation is between 3 friends at university. Choose between the past simple and the present perfect.
