Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?
Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet happened?
Simple Past | Present Perfect Simple |
certain time in the past Example: I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago. | just / already / not yet Example: I have just phoned Mary. |
Certain event in the past or how often so far?
Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an action has happened till now?
Simple Past | Present Perfect Simple |
certain event in the past Example: He went to Canada last summer. | whether / how often till now Example: Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to Canada twice. |
Emphasis on action or result?
Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasize the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?
Simple Past | Present Perfect Simple |
Emphasis on action Example: I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.) | Emphasis on result Example: I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.) |
Signal Words
Simple Past | Present Perfect Simple |
§ yesterday § ... ago § in 1990 § the other day § last ... | § just § already § up to now § until now / till now § ever § (not) yet § so far § lately / recently |
Source... EGO4U.COM
Here you have some exercises...
Exercises: Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple.
Exercise 1
1. Mother: I want to prepare dinner. (you / wash) ________________ the dishes yet?
2. Daughter: I (wash) ________________ the dishes yesterday, but I (have / not) ________________ the time yet to do it today.
3. Mother: (you / do / already) ________________ your homework?
4. Daughter: No, I (come / just) ________________ home from school.
5. Mother: You (come) ________________ home from school two hours ago!
6. Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy (call) ________________ when I (arrive) ________________ and I (finish / just) ________________ the phone call.
7. Mother: (you / see / not) ________________ Lucy at school in the morning?
8. Daughter: Yes, but we (have / not) ________________ time to talk then.
Exercise 2
1. A: I (cycle / just) ________________ 50 km.
2. B: I (cycle) ________________ 100 km last week.
3. A: I (write) ________________ an essay yesterday.
4. B: I (write / already) ________________ two essays this term.
5. A: I (ring / just) ________________ my friend.
6. B: I (ring) ________________ my friend 10 minutes ago.
7. A: Two days ago, I (watch) ________________ a Madonna concert on TV.
8. B: I (see / already) ________________ Madonna live in concert.
9. A: I (spend) ________________ my summer holiday in Australia last year.
10. B: I (be / not) ________________ to Australia yet.
Exercise 3
1. A: (you / be / ever) ________________ to London?
2. B: Yes, I (be) ________________ there three times.
3. A: When (be) ________________ the last time you (be) ________________ there?
4. B: Last summer. I (spend) ________________ two weeks in Brighton with my parents and we (go) ________________ to London one weekend.
5. (you / like) ________________ it?
6. Oh yes. We really (have) ________________ a great time in London.
7. Lucky you! I (be / never) ________________ to London.
Exercise 4
1. A: (you / try / ever) ________________ haggis?
2. B: Oh, yes!
3. A: How often (you / eat) ________________ haggis yet?
4. B: Two times exactly.
5. A: When (you / eat / first) ________________ haggis?
6. B: That (be) ________________ in 2005. We (have) ________________ a Scottish festival in our town and they also (sell) ________________ traditional Scottish food. So I (buy) ________________ haggis.
7. A: (you / like) ________________ it?
8. B: It (be / not) ________________ too bad. And I (know / not) ________________ anything about haggis then.
9. A: When (you / find out) ________________ ?
10. B: When I (be) ________________ in Scotland in 2007. I (go) ________________ to a restaurant and (order) ________________ haggis. Afterwards, the waiter (tell) ________________ me about haggis: it's the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep, boiled in the animal's stomach. Well, I (eat / never) ________________ haggis again since then.
Exercise 5
1. A: (you / buy) ________________ the tickets for our journey yet?
2. B: Yes, I (go) ________________ to the station yesterday and (buy) ________________ the tickets.
3. A: What time (you / go) ________________ there?
4. B: I (take) ________________ a friend to the station in the morning. His train (leave) ________________ at 9:45.
5. A: (you / pack) ________________ your bags yet?
6. B: Of course. And I (ask / already) ________________ my neighbor to empty my letter box. What about you?
7. B: I (pack) ________________ my bags two days ago.
Exercise 6
1. Yesterday, my brother (come) ________________ home from school, (switch) ________________ on the TV and(watch) ________________ TV until dinner (be) ________________ ready.
2. Oh no, it's raining and I (leave) ________________ my umbrella at home.
3. Look! There is so much food left. Nobody (eat) ________________ anything.
4. Where (you / be) ________________ yesterday? - I (go) ________________ to the shopping centre and (buy) ________________ a new computer game.
5. Why don't you want to play football with us this weekend? - I (break) ________________ my leg.
6. The road is closed. There (be) ________________ an accident.
7. I (have) ________________ an accident when I (be) ________________ in Manchester last year.
8. Come on, let's celebrate! Our team (win) ________________ the match.
Exercise 7
1. A: (you / play / already) ________________ the new computer game?
2. B: No, not yet. I only (buy) ________________ it yesterday and I (have / not) ________________ the time yet.
3. A: (you / go) ________________ to the cinema last night?
4. B: Yes. I (be) ________________ there with Sue and Louis. (you / be) ________________ to the cinema recently?
5. A: I last (go) ________________ to the cinema two weeks ago.
6. B: So you (see / not) ________________ the new action film yet.
7. A: No, unfortunately not. (you / enjoy) ________________ it?
8. B: Oh, I really (love) ________________ it. But Sue (like / not) ________________ it - too much action!
9. A: But why (you / take) ________________ her with you? She (tell) ________________ me last week that she (hate) ________________ action films.
10. B: I think she has an eye on Louis. She (try) ________________ to flirt with him all the time. So he (can / concentrate / not) ________________ on the film.
Exercise 8
1. I (just / finish) ________________ my homework.
2. Mary (already / write) ________________ five letters.
3. Tom (move) ________________ to this town in 1994.
4. My friend (be) ________________ in Canada two years ago.
5. I (not / be) ________________ to Canada so far.
6. But I (already / travel) ________________ to London a couple of times.
7. Last week, Mary and Paul (go) ________________ to the cinema.
8. I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) ________________ a new film yet.
9. (they / spend) ________________ their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
10. (you / ever / see) ________________ a whale?
To check your answers please sen me a mail to teacherroscba@gmail.com
I would like to leave you the words of one of my heroes...
