English Exercises > verb tenses exercises

PRESENT PERFECT or SIMPLE PAST?




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PRESENT PERFECTSIMPLE PAST?

PRESENT PERFECT -�This tense�looks in the present at actions completed in the past - so�there is always some kind of�connection with the present.
a)�RECENT PAST ACTIONS -��for recently finished�past actions�whose results are still visible in the present - "Look! The taxi has (just) arrived." (the taxi is probably still parked outside).
b) GENERAL PAST EXPERIENCES - for actions which happened in an indefinite time (we are not interested in when, but in the action itself) - "Have you ever been to New York?" - No, but I have been to Washington."
c) UNFINISHED�ACTIONS - for actions which started in the past but which continue up to the present moment - "I have lived here since 1998." (and I will continue to live here).
SIMPLE PAST - This tense refers to a specific occasion in the past and to the details of what happened - so it is a completely finished past action with no connection with the present - "I went to Disneyland last year." - "Really? Did you like it?" (it tells us when something happened - so unlike the Present Perfect it is a definite past).
PRACTISE
a) Read and choose the correct alternative:
1. He �for the lift for over 10 minutes.
2. any gold yet? - Yes, he has.
3. Richard the tickets for "Avatar" yesterday.
4. He still�a shower.
5.�My football team the cup twice so far.
6. The alarm clock at 7 a.m.
7. Kevin the school bus last Monday.
8. I �my paperwork.
9.��a lot of pictures when you visited Paris?
10.�He �United's�best football player in 2008.
b) Read and complete the sentences with either the Present Perfect or the Simple Past of the verbs in brackets:
1. I �(not go)to school last week because�I �(be) sick.
2. Paul �(just/start)reading a new book.
3. He �(never/eat)��such delicious cookies.
4. Michael �(drink)�too much last night.
5. �(you/ever/be)�late for school?
6. I��(already/do)the laundry. Now I need to do some ironing.
7.��(they/wash)�their father's car on Sunday?
8. I �(arrive)��from Italy yesterday morning.
9. Linda's husband only �(leave)�5 minutes ago and she already misses him.
10.�Sarah��(work)in this company since she was very young.
c) Find in the grid and in any direction the missing verb forms and fill in the table.
1. begin - �- begun����������� 2. break - broke -
3. �- built - built������������ 4. choose - chose -
5. come - �- come�������������� 6. do - did -
7. drive - �- driven�����������8. �- felt - felt
9. forget - forgot - ����10. �- gave - given
11. go - went - ������������������12. know - �- known
13. make - �- made�������������14. �- met - met
15. say - said - ���������������� 16. see - saw -
17. sell - �- sold���������������� 18. �- slept - slept