This document provides information about the simple past and present perfect tenses in English. It discusses how the simple past is used to talk about completed actions that occurred at a specific time in the past, while the present perfect is used to talk about actions that are unfinished or unspecific in time, or have relevance to the present. Examples are provided to illustrate the different uses of these tenses. Activities are also included for students to practice using and understanding the simple past and present perfect.

1. Present Perfect
and
Simple Past

2. Simple past
PAST EVENTS
DEFINITETIME INTHE PAST

3. play
REGULAR
VERB.
Play + ed
YESTERDAYThey _________soccerplayed
Specific time
(definite time)

4. see
IRREGULAR
VERB.
see
They ________a moviesaw last Sunday.
a movie
saw
Specific time
(definite time)

5. go
didn’t + go
He to school last week.
To school
IRREGULAR
VERB.
Specific time
(definite time)
wentdidn’t go
Negative
sentences

6. Present perfect
for
ACTIONS - EVENTS
EXPERIENCES
NO SPECIFICTIME

7. I _______________ to the beach twice.have gone
I ______to the beach last January.went
Specific time
(definite time)
go
have
past
participle
No Specific time

8. I _____________ Titanic several times.have seen
I ______the movie Titanic in 2009 and in 2011saw
Specific time
(definite time)
see
have
past
participle
No Specific time

9. I _____________ Adele’s new song. twice.have heard
I ________ Adele’s new song last Friday.heard
hear
Specific time
(definite time)
have
past
participle
No Specific time

10. I
You
We
they
He
She
It
Present Perfect
Pronoun
Affirmative= have / has Negative= haven’t / hasn’t
studied
played
seen
gone
have
has
studied
Cooked
worked
Aux. Verb Principal Verb. Complement.
A
B
haven’t
hasn’t
English.
soccer with my friends
that movie twice.
to that concert.
Japanese.
ceviche and cabrito.
late twice this weekend.
The verb changes in past participle.

11. YES / NO QUESTIONS (Confirmation)
He
She
It
have
has
I
You
We
they
studied
played
seen
gone
English?
soccer with my friends?
that movie twice?
to that concert?
studied
cooked
worked
Japanese.
ceviche and cabrito.
late twice this weekend.
You have studied English.
Have you studied English?
Yes, I have
No, I haven’t
auxiliary

12. I _________ The Avengers twice.have seen
I ________ The Avengers last Friday.saw
SEE
Specific time
(definite time)
have
past
participle
No Specific time

13.  Something that happened at some unspecified
time in someone's life (or other period of time that
continues up until the present)
I've been to Japan.
( I went to Japan at some time in my life. We don't
know when or how many times.)

14. Something that started in the past and continues
up until now
 I've lived in Madrid for five years. ( I moved here five
years ago and I still live here now)

15. Something that happened in the past and has
some result or relevance to the present.
I've spilt some tea.
(You recently spilt some tea. There's tea on the floor.
It needs cleaning up)

16. ACTIVITIES

18. - I’ve been to ................
- Really? When did you go?
-I went to ............... 2 years ago
-Did you like it?
-Yes, I enjoyed a lot.

19. - I’ve been to ................
- Really? When did you go?
-I went to ............... last summer
-Did you like it?
-Yes, I enjoyed a lot.

20. - I’ve been to ................
- Really? When did you go?
-I went to ............... last summer
-Did you like it?
-Yes, the weather was great.

22. Where have you been?

23. Match a sentence on the left with an
explanation on the right.
SENTENCE EXPLANATION
1) They've bought a
new flat.
2) We've had it for a
year.
a. We bought it a year
ago and we still
have it.
b. They bought it
recently.This is
news.

24. Match a sentence on the left with an
explanation on the right.
SENTENCE EXPLANATION
1) I went to Australia
last summer.
2) I've been to
Australia.
a) This happened at
some time in my
life
b) This happened at a
specific time in the
past.

25. Match a sentence on the left with an
explanation on the right.
1) I've known him
since I was at
school.
2) I knew him when I
was at school.
a) I met him when I was
at school and we are
still in touch.
b) This happened at
some time in my life

26. Choose the correct verb forms and then
ask your partner the questions.
1) How long are you doing / did you do / have you
done your present job?
2) How long did you do / have you done the job
before that?
3) Did you have / have you had dinner yet?
4) Did you ever / have you ever played truant when
you were at school?

27. Choose the correct verb forms and then ask
your partner the questions.
1) How many hours did you work / have you worked today?
2) How many countries have you visited / did you visit?
3) Where did you go / have you been the last time you went
abroad?
4) How long have you stayed / did you stay there?
5) Tell me everything you have eaten / you ate today?
6) Did you do / have you done any physical exercise recently?

28. Choose the correct verb forms and then ask
your partner the questions.
 How long are you doing / did you do / have you done your
present job?
 How long did you do / have you done the job before that?
 Did you have / have you had dinner yet?
 Did you ever / have you ever played truant when you were
at school?
 How many hours did you work / have you worked today?

29. Choose the correct verb forms and then
ask your partner the questions.
 How many countries have you visited / did you visit?
 Where did you go / have you been the last time you
went abroad?
 How long have you stayed / did you stay there?
 Tell me everything you have eaten / you ate today?
 Did you do / have you done any physical exercise
recently?

30. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TENSE
 http://www.eltbase.com/quiz/215_03.htm
 http://www.perfect-english-
grammar.com/past-simple-present-perfect-
1.html
 http://www.perfect-english-
grammar.com/past-simple-present-perfect-
2.html