English Exercises > verb tenses exercises

Downloadable worksheets: Simple Past or Present Perfect? Level: intermediate Age: 12-17 Downloads: 3301   Present Perfect or Past Simple ( B&W and KEY included ) Level: elementary Age: 11-17 Downloads: 3161   Simple Past or Present Perfect Level: intermediate Age: 13-17 Downloads: 2490   simple past or present perfect Level: elementary Age: 11-17 Downloads: 1588   Simple Past or Present Perfect? - An Inductive Approach Level: intermediate Age: 12-17 Downloads: 1069   Present Perfect or Past Simple? Level: intermediate Age: 13-14 Downloads: 836

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 has waitedwaited for the lift for over 10 minutes. 2. Has he foundDid he find any gold yet? - Yes, he has. 3. Richard has boughtbought the tickets for "Avatar" yesterday. 4. He still hasn't haddidn't have a shower. 5. My football team wonhas won the cup twice so far. 6. The alarm clock ranghas rungat 7 a.m. 7. Kevin didn't catchhasn't caught the school bus last Monday. 8. I already finishedhave already finished  my paperwork. 9.  Have you takenDid you takea lot of pictures when you visited Paris? 10. He has beenwas  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