MIXED TENSES - Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Grammar Info
Activity 1: Complete Sentences
Answer Key

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

When to Use Each Tense

Present Perfect

Use for:

  • Unfinished time (today, this week, this year)
  • Life experiences (ever, never)
  • Recent actions (just, already, yet)
  • Actions that continue to the present (for, since)
  • Past actions with present results

Examples:

  • I have lived here for 5 years.
  • She has visited three countries so far.
  • We haven't finished yet.

Past Simple

Use for:

  • Finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020)
  • Completed actions
  • Specific times in the past
  • Sequences of actions
  • Historical events

Examples:

  • I lived there in 2018.
  • She visited Paris last summer.
  • We finished at 5 PM yesterday.

Time Expressions

Present Perfect

  • already
  • yet
  • just
  • ever
  • never
  • so far
  • up to now
  • recently
  • for
  • since

Past Simple

  • yesterday
  • last week/month/year
  • ago
  • in 1999, in June
  • when I was a child
  • at 5 o'clock
  • the other day
  • then
  • at that moment

Common Mistakes

Avoid these errors:

  • ❌ I have seen him yesterday.
  • ✅ I saw him yesterday. (specific time)
  • ❌ She lived here since 2020.
  • ✅ She has lived here since 2020. (continues to present)
  • ❌ Did you ever visit Paris?
  • ✅ Have you ever visited Paris? (life experience)

Quick Decision Guide

Use Present Perfect if:

  • The time period is not finished (today, this week)
  • No specific time is mentioned
  • The action has a result in the present
  • With words: already, yet, just, ever, never
  • With for/since for duration

Use Past Simple if:

  • The time period is finished (yesterday, last year)
  • A specific time is mentioned
  • The action is completely finished
  • With words: yesterday, ago, last, in [year]
  • When telling a story about the past

Activity 1: Complete with Correct Tense

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets (Present Perfect or Past Simple).

Your Result

Answer Key

Here are the correct answers for all the sentences:

Complete Answer Key

  1. So far, Jill has read almost half of the book. (READ)
    Present Perfect: "so far" indicates unfinished time period
  2. Do you know who invented the telephone? - It was Alexander Graham Bell. (INVENT, BE)
    Past Simple: specific historical event
  3. On her trip across Asia, Mum has visited three countries up to now. (VISIT)
    Present Perfect: "up to now" indicates unfinished time
  4. How many books has he written in the last few years? (HE WRITE)
    Present Perfect: "in the last few years" connects to present
  5. Martha lives in Dublin. She has lived there her whole life, ever since her dad died a few years ago. (LIVE, DIE)
    Present Simple (current state), Present Perfect (duration), Past Simple (specific past event)
  6. Paul and Gina arrived an hour ago. They had problems with their flight. (ARRIVE, HAVE)
    Past Simple: "an hour ago" is specific past time
  7. Drugs have become a huge problem in the United States. (BECOME)
    Present Perfect: action with present relevance
  8. Granddad has been in hospital since Monday. He has never been in hospital before. (BE, NEVER BE)
    Present Perfect: "since Monday" (duration), "never" (life experience)
  9. Have you ever seen the Queen in person? No, but I saw Prince Andrew at a concert a few months ago. (YOU EVER SEE, SEE)
    Present Perfect (life experience), Past Simple (specific past time)
  10. Mozart wrote over 600 pieces of music during his lifetime. (WRITE)
    Past Simple: completed action in the past
  11. They went to Spain on holiday last summer. (GO)
    Past Simple: "last summer" is finished time
  12. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything for hours. (NOT EAT)
    Present Perfect: "for hours" indicates duration up to now
  13. I have lost my key and can't find it anywhere. (LOSE)
    Present Perfect: past action with present result
  14. He worked as a war correspondent during the second Iraq war. (WORK)
    Past Simple: specific past period
  15. I had a huge meal for lunch and simply can't eat anything at the moment. (HAVE)
    Past Simple: completed action (lunch is finished)
  16. It hasn't rained yet this week, but last week it really rained a lot. (NOT RAIN, RAIN)
    Present Perfect (unfinished week), Past Simple (finished week)
  17. According to her statement, she stayed at the Crown Hotel from last Monday to Thursday. (STAY)
    Past Simple: specific finished period
  18. Who did you meet at the cinema last night? (YOU MEET)
    Past Simple: "last night" is specific past time
  19. I don't need any new driving lessons. I have already passed the test. (ALREADY PASS)
    Present Perfect: "already" + past action with present result
  20. Fortunately, I have never broken any bones. (NEVER BREAK)
    Present Perfect: "never" for life experience

Study Tips

  • Look for time expressions to decide which tense to use
  • Remember: Present Perfect connects past and present
  • Past Simple is for finished actions in finished time
  • Practice with both regular and irregular verbs
  • Pay attention to signal words (already, yesterday, etc.)