Present Perfect vs. Past Simple Exercises

These present perfect and past simple exercises in the test format with answers were created by native English teachers. The explanation section includes clear usage examples, formulas, and grammar rules. All worksheets can be downloaded for free in Word or PDF format.

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

The Present Perfect and Past Simple tenses are both used to talk about past actions, but they are used in different situations. Understanding the difference is important for expressing time clearly in English.

Present Perfect

The Present Perfect connects the past to the present. It is used to talk about:

  • Experiences (without saying exactly when they happened)
  • Recent actions with present results
  • Unfinished time periods (e.g., today, this week)

Form: have/has + past participle

Examples:

  • She has visited Paris.
  • I have just eaten lunch.
  • We haven’t seen that movie yet.

Past Simple

The Past Simple is used to describe actions that:

  • Happened at a specific time in the past
  • Are completely finished
  • Often include a time expression (yesterday, last year, in 2020, etc.)

Form: verb + -ed (regular verbs) or use second form for irregular verbs

Examples:

  • She visited Paris in 2022.
  • I ate lunch at 12 o’clock.
  • We watched that movie last night.

Comparison: Past Simple vs Present Perfect

Present Perfect Past Simple
Focuses on result or experience Focuses on completed action in the past
Time is not specific Time is specific (e.g., yesterday, last year)
I have been to London. I went to London in 2019.
Used with: ever, never, already, yet, just, since, for Used with: yesterday, last night, in 2010, two days ago

Quick Tips

  • Use Present Perfect when the exact time is not important or not mentioned.
  • Use Past Simple when the action happened at a clear point in the past.
  • Signal words like “yesterday” or “last year” mean you should use the Past Simple.
  • If you see words like “ever”, “already”, or “yet”, use the Present Perfect.
Exercises
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Choose the correct option to complete the Present Perfect vs. Past Simple Exercises below.
1

A: _____ you ever _____ to Italy?B: Yes, I _____ there last year.

a.
Did / go / went
b.
Have / gone / have gone
c.
Have / been / was
2

I _____ my keys and I can't get into my house.

a.
lost
b.
have lost
c.
was losing
3

A: _____ you _____ the report yesterday?B: No, I _____. I was too busy.

a.
Have / finished / haven't
b.
Did / finish / didn't
c.
Did / finished / didn't
4

She _____ in London since 2015.

a.
was living
b.
has lived
c.
lived
5

When I was a child, we _____ to the beach every summer.

a.
go
b.
went
c.
have gone
6

He _____ five emails so far today.

a.
has sent
b.
was sending
c.
sent
7

A: Where's Sarah?B: She _____ to the supermarket.

a.
went
b.
was going
c.
has gone
8

I _____ my grandmother two weeks ago.

a.
visited
b.
was visiting
c.
have visited
9

He _____ in a bank before he started his own business.

a.
works
b.
has worked
c.
worked
10

They _____ just _____ dinner, so they aren't hungry.

a.
have / had
b.
did / have
c.
have / have
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