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Present Perfect vs. Past Tense - Exercises
1. Put in the correct verb form.
► ? I've done (I / do) all the housework. The flat is really clean now.
? A young couple bought (buy) the house next door. But they didn't live there long.
1. Our visitors............ (arrive). They're sitting in the garden.
2. There's still a problem with the television. Someone .. (repair) it, but then it broke down again.
3. .......... (I / lose) my bank card. I can't find it anywhere.
4. The match............ (start). United are playing well.
5. My sister............ (run) away from home. But she came back two days later.
6. Daniel............ (earn) some money last week. But I'm afraid he's already spent it all.
7. ...........(we / plant) an apple tree in the garden. Unfortunately it died.
8. Prices...... (go) up. Everything is more expensive this year.
9. Someone......... (turn) on the hi-fi. What's that song called?
10. ......... (I / phone) the office at eleven to speak to the manager, but he isn't there today.
11. ......... (I / make) a cake. Would you like a piece?
12. The runner Amos Temila........... (break) the world record for the
1500 metres in
2. Things that have happened today are on the radio and TV news. Give the news using the present perfect and past simple.
► the Prime Minister / visit
The Prime Minister has visited
1. the train drivers / go on strike / stop work / at twelve o'clock
2. the Queen / arrive in
3. two men / escape from Parkhurst Prison / get away / during the night
4. the actor Howard Bates / die in a car accident / his car / crash into a wall
5. Linda / Jones / win the women's marathon / run it / in 2 hours 27 minutes
3. Complete the conversations.
► Mike: This car is filthy. I haven't been to the car wash for about a year.
Tom: What! You mean it's twelve months since you last went to the car wash?
1. Laura: I haven't used my camera recently. June was the last time I took a photo.
Trevor: Really? I'm surprised you . June.
2. Rachel: I haven't seen Andrew for weeks.
Daniel: Nor me. It's .. him.
3. Tom: What about a game of cards? We haven't played since your birthday.
David: Really? You mean my birthday. cards?
4. Emma: I feel terrible. It's three days since I ate anything.
Vicky: What did you say? You . three days?
4. Complete this letter to a newspaper. Put in the present perfect or past simple.
A few days ago I (►) learned (learn) that someone plans to knock down the White Horse Inn. This pub VJ has been (be) the centre of village life for centuries. It (1)........... (stand) at our crossroads for 500 years. It (2)........... (be) famous in the old days, and Shakespeare once (3)............ (stay) there, they say. I (4)............ (live) in Brickfield all my life. The villagers (5)............(know) about the plans for less than a week and already there's a 'Save Our Pub' campaign. Last week we (6)........... (be) happy, but this week we're angry. We will stop them, you'll see.
5. Look at each conversation and choose the best sentence, a) or b).
► Have you heard about the woman walking across the
a)The walk is continuing, b) The walk has finished.
1. Have you ever played beach volleyball? ~ Yes, we played it on holiday.
a) The holiday is still going on. b) The holiday is over.
2. Did you know old Mr Green? ~ No, I never met him.
a) Mr Green is probably alive, b) Mr Green is probably dead.
3. Wayne Johnson is a great footballer. ~ Yes, he's scored 200 goals for United.
a) Wayne Johnson still plays for United, b) Wayne Johnson has left United.
6. Put in this, last, today or yesterday.
► Last month prices went up, but this month they have fallen a little.
1. It's been dry so far .. week, but .......... week was very wet.
2. I went shopping earlier ..and spent all the money I earned ..
3. We didn't have many visitors ..year. We've had a lot more year.
4. I don't feel so tired now. We got up quite late ...... .. morning. I felt really tired .. when we got up so early.
7. Put in the verbs.
Tom: (►) Have you heard (you / hear) the news about David?
Harriet: No. (1) .(what / happen)?
Tom: (2)... (he / have) an accident. He was walking down some steps. (3)............ (he / fall) and (4)............. (break) his leg.
Harriet: Oh, how awful! When (5).. (it / happen)?
Tom: Yesterday afternoon. Melanie (6).............. (tell) me about it last night.
Harriet: Last night! (7).......... (you / know) about it last night, and (8)........ (you / not / tell) me!
Tom: Well, (9) . (I / not / see) you last night. And (10) . (I / not / see) you today, until now.
Harriet: I hope he's all right. (11) (he / have) lots of accidents, you know. (12) . (he / do) the same thing about two years ago.
8. Put in the past participles of the verbs in brackets.
► We've found (find) all the answers.
1. Have you.......... (wash) the car?
2. You haven't . (eat) very much.
3. They've......... (open) a new supermarket.
4. You've........... (write) it in pencil.
5. I've......... (make) the sandwiches.
6. We've...... . (have) our lunch.
7. United have......... (score) a goal.
8. The balloon has...... (land) in a field.
9. Who's............ (break) this glass?
10. It's warm because the heating has (be) on.
11. Have you (sell) your flat yet?
12. I've........... (finish) that job at last.
9. Complete the second sentence so that it follows on from the first. Use the present perfect.
► My hair is tidy now. I've brushed my hair.
1. The door is open. Someone .. the door.
2. This is Oliver's drawing, look. Oliver ......a picture.
3. The calculator is broken. Someone........... the calculator.
4. United are the winners. United.... the game.
5. There's no more wine in the bottle. We all the wine.
6. The floor is clean now. I the floor.
7. I know my number now. I.......... ..my number by heart.
8. The guests are here now. The guests
9. I'm still working on the computer. I with the computer yet.
10. Decide which word is correct.
► I'd like to borrow this book. Has Anna read it yet? a) done b) for c) just d) yet
1. Ben writes very quickly. He's............ finished his essay. a) already b) been c) for d) yet
2. What are you going to do? ~ I don't know. I haven't decided .. . a) just b) long c) since d) yet
3. I've. to
4. Have you ..done any skiing? a) ever b) for c) just d) long
5. My boyfriend hasn't rung.......... week.a) for b) last c) since d) this
6. I haven't seen that coat before. How have you had it? a) already b) for c) long d) since
7. The girls have .. to the cinema. They won't be back until ten o'clock. a) already b) been c) gone d) just
8. I haven't seen my parents last Christmas.a) already b) before c) for d) since
9. This is the first . I've ever lived away from home.a) already b) since c) that d) time
10. This programme must be new. I've seen it before. a) ever b) never c) since d) yet
11. Some of these sentences are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. If the sentence is correct, put a tick (√). If it is incorrect, cross the unnecessary have or has out of the sentence and write it in the space.
► ? Susan has lost her keys. She can't find them anywhere. √
? Christopher has hurt his hand, but it's OK now. has
1. The directors have arrived half an hour ago, but they didn't stay long.
2. It's raining, and Peter has left his umbrella behind, look.
3. It's a long time since your friends have last visited us.
4. None of you have called me for weeks. Aren't we friends any more?
5. We can play tennis now. The others have finished.
6. The company has bought some land, but then it sold it.
7. The computer isn't on now. Someone has turned it off.
8. Tessa has posted the parcel. It's on its way to you.
9. Several bombs have gone off in the city centre. It has happened an hour ago.
10. Simon has left. He and Oliver have left after lunch.
12. Put in the present perfect or past simple of the verbs in brackets.
► ? I've had (have) these shoes since my eighteenth birthday.
? I tidied (tidy) my desk, but now it's in a mess again.
1. The last time I .. (go)
to
2. I'd like to meet a ghost, but I .(never / see) one.
3. I've finished my homework. I (do) it before tea.
4. And the race is over! And Mickey Simpson (win) in a record time!
5. I . (work) for a computer company for a year. That was after college.
6. What time .(you / get) to work this morning?
7. Martin . (be) to
8. The President .. (come) out of the building and is going to make a speech.
9. You won't believe this, but I've got some tickets for the concert. ~ Oh, well done. How (you / get) them?
10. Of course I can ride a bike. But I ..... ..(not / ride) one for years.
11. Marilyn Monroe..(be) in about thirty films.
12. (you / ever / bake) your own bread? ~ No, but I might try it some time.
13. Janet . (be) very ill three years ago.
14. Rupert has left a message for you. He (ring) last night.
15. ............... (you / see) the news today? ~ No, not yet. I'll watch it at ten.
16. We moved here in 1993. We..(be) here a long time now.
13. Choose a verb with either the present perfect or past simple for these sentences.
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► 1. Research has shown that cycling can help patients overcome their illnesses.
2. The rabbit just ......... in my garden one day last week.
3. With this promotion, I feel that I ........... a turning point in my career.
4. Oh, no! My car ...........!
5. Quite early in the negotiations, they .......... to lower the prices.
6. In 1788 he ......... his last great
work in
7 .There's not much more to do, now that we ......... the main problem.
8. Throughout the summer of 1980 Malcolm ....... to divide his time between London and New York.
9. When he was 13, his parents .......... to the United States.
14. Suggest a verb that can complete both sentences in each pair. Use either the present perfect or the past simple.
1. a. The price of houses ...... dramatically in recent years.
b. Unemployment ......... every year until 1985 and then started to fall.
2. a. At his wedding he ........ a green suit and red tie.
b. These are the glasses I .......... ever since I was 30.
3. a. The company .......... many setbacks in its 50-year history, but it is now flourishing.
b. Few of the trees in our village ......... the storms during the winter of 1991.
4. a. This ....... his home for over 20 years and he doesn't want to leave it.
b. When I picked up the coffee I ......... surprised to find it that it was cold.
5. a. So far it's been so cold that we .......... in the house all day.
b. We .......... with Mike and Sue last weekend.
6. a. I last .......... you in Beijing three years ago.
b. I never .......... anyone play so well in my whole life.
15. Find the following: (i) three sentences that are incorrect; (ii) three sentences with the present perfect which could also have the past simple (consider the difference in meaning), (iii) three sentences where only the present perfect is correct.
►1. Jane has agreed to lend us her car. (ii)
2. Do you know how many people have walked on the moon?
3. Phone for an ambulance. I think Keith's broken his arm.
4. In his twenties, Lawrence has spent many years travelling around Spain.
5. The Vikings have established a settlement at what is now York, in the north of England.
6. The house looks so much bigger now that we've painted the walls in brighter colours.
7. My brother has gone into town to buy some new shoes.
8. The Earth has been formed about 4,500 million years ago.
9. I've worked in Malaysia for three years.
16. Complete these sentences with the verb given. Choose the present perfect or past simple.
1. According to yesterday's newspapers, astronomers in Australia .......... a planet in a galaxy close to our own. (discover)
2. To help today's customers make a choice, a company in New York ......... a video trolley - a supermarket trolley with a video screen to display advertisements and price information. (develop)
3. At the start of his career, Cousteau ........ the aqualung, opening the oceans to explorers, scientists, and leisure divers. (invent)
4. He proudly told reporters that the company ......... software to prevent the recent increase in computer crime. (produce)
5. John Grigg .......... the comet now called Grigg-Skjellerup, at the beginning of the 20th century. (discover)
17. Complete the sentences with appropriate verbs. Use the same verb for each sentence in the pair. Use either the present perfect or the past simple.
1. a. A lot of people ....... about the painting, and I always say it's not for sale.
b. The police ........ me several questions about my car before they let me go.
2. a. Until she retired last month, she ......... in the customer complaints department.
b. Sullivan ........ hard to change the rules and says that the campaign will go on.
3. a. I ........... skiing ever since I lived in Switzerland.
b. She once ........ the support of the majority of the Democratic Party.
4. a. His father ........ so many complaints about the noise that he told Chris to sell his drums.
b. We ......... over 50 letters of support in the last 10 days.
5. a. The Bible more copies than any other book.
b. When it became clear that we would be moving to Austria, we ........ the house to my brother.
6. a. I .......... moving to London from the day I arrived. I'd love to go back to Rome.
b. At first I ............ inviting them to stay, but we soon became great friends.
18. Here are some parts of a newspaper article. Study the underlined verbs. Correct them if necessary, or put a √.
CYCLE ROUTE SUCCESS IN
New cycle routes (1) have been built
in and around the centre of
19. Put а √ or correct the sentences.
1. Terry drove to Glasgow last week to visit his father.
2. I have known a woman once who had sixteen cats.
3. Ann Baker already did four radio interviews about her new book.
4. Julia felt hungry. Then she has remembered the salad in the fridge.
5. I'll introduce you to Dr Davies - or have you met her before?
6. We've had enormous problems recently with ants in the kitchen. We just can't get rid of them.
7. I have talked to her yesterday about doing the work.
8. They still live in the small house they have bought 30 years ago.
9. You have not yet explained clearly what you want me to do.
10. We lived in Newcastle for three years now and like it a lot.
20. Complete these sentences with an appropriate verb. Use either the present perfect or past simple.
1. Maria hasn't wanted to drive since she ......... her car.
2. I ........ really hard this morning. Another two shelves to put up and then I think I'll have lunch.
3. Since the eruption ........., all the villages on the slopes of the volcano have been evacuated.
4. So far this week there .......... three burglaries in our street.
5. I .......... a committee meeting since 1986, so I don't want to miss the one today.
6. It was so hot today that I .......... shorts and a T-shirt at work.
7. A great deal ............ since I last spoke to you.
8. We .......... £200 on food this month already.
9. Since he ..... the girl from the frozen pond, he has been on TV and in the newspapers almost every day.
21. Choose one of these verbs and write Have you ever or Did you ever at the beginning of these questions.
be eat have hear learn meettalkthink
► 1. Have you ever been in a cave?
2.
........... durian (= a fruit) when
you lived in
3. ......... somebody really famous?
4. ....... what it must be like to be a cat?
5. ....... to play a musical instrument as a child?
6. ....... to Michael when you worked in the same company?
7. ....... a song called 'Close to the Edge'?
8. ........ a pet when you were young?
