Present Perfect and Past Simple

Exercise 1. Put a word from the box into each gap.

have/haven’t has/hasn’t did/didn’t never

ever just yet ago last

a. __________ you go to America __________ year?

b. “__________ he __________ been to India?” “Yes, he __________.”
c. “__________ you __________met the Queen?” “No, I __________.”
d. “When __________ you meet your husband?” “Ten years __________.”
e. I _________ _________________ finished my homework. Now I can watch TV.
f. “___________ you finished your homework ___________?” “No, I _______________.”
g. I ___________ play tennis ___________ weekend because it was wet.
h. Kate _____________ written her thank – you letters ___________.
i. We ___________ been to Spain, but we __________ __________ been to Portugal.
j. “__________ they moved to their new house __________?” “Yes, they moved three days
__________.”

Exercise 2. The present perfect. Use the present perfect in the sentences below, except those in
which the simple past tense is required. Use the verb at the left of each sentence.

find 1. John ____________________ a dollar yesterday.

be 2. Mr. Todd knows Rome well. He ________________ there many times.
see 3. Let’s not go to that movie. I ____________________ it already.
buy 4. Mary ______________________ a new coat last week.
eat 5. There’s no more cake. We ______________________ it.
know 6. Tom’s an old friend of mine. I ________________________ him for 10 years.
use 7. I bought her a pen, but I don’t think she __________________________ it yet.
sell 8. Mr. Jones bought a car last year and then ________________ it a few months later.
take 9. I can’t study because someone ____________________________ my book.
play 10. Mr. Davis _____________________________ tennis with me last summer.

Exercise 3. Complete the story. Put the verb in brackets into the Present Perfect or Past
Simple Tense.
“A SAD STORY OF A SAD MAN”

One Sunday evening two men (a) _____________________ (meet) in a London pub. One of
them was very unhappy.
“Life is terrible, everything in the world is really boring”, he said.
“Don’t say that”, said the other man. “Life is marvelous! The world is so exciting! Think
about Italy. It’s a wonderful country. (b) ___________________________ (you, ever, be) there?”
 “Oh, yes. I (c) _____________________ (go) there last year and I (d) __________________
(not like) it.”
“Well, (e) ____________________________ (you, be) to Norway? (f) _________________
(you, ever, see) the midnight sun?”
“Oh, yes. I (g) ____________________ (go) in 1984 and I (h) ____________________ (see)
the midnight sun. I (i) _________________________________________ (not enjoy) it.”
“Well, I (j) ___________________________________ (just, return) from a safari in Africa.
(k) _______________________________________________ (you, visit) Africa yet?”
“Yes, I (l) ________________________________ (go) on safari in Africa last year and I (m)
_______________________________ (climb) Mount Kilimanjaro. It was really boring.”
“Well”, said the other man, “I think that you’re very ill. Only the best psychiatrist can help
you. Go to see Dr. Greenbaum in Harley Street.”
“I am Dr. Greenbaum”, answered the man sadly.

Exercise 4. Complete this conversation by putting the verbs in brackets into the present
perfect or simple past.

Rachel Hello, Bob.

Bob Hello. I _________________________________________ (not see) you for a long time.
Rachel I ______________________________ (see) you in town two or three weeks ago, but you
_______________________________ (not see) me. I _______________________ (be) on a bus.
Bob Well, how are things? Are you still living over the shop?
Rachel No, I _____________________________ (move) now. I _____________________
(find) a super flat just before I went on holiday. I ___________________ (be) there three months.
Bob _______________________________ (you, pass) your driving test yet?
Rachel Yes, I have. I _______________________ (pass) in October. I __________________
(not buy) a car yet, though. But what about you, Bob? ___________________________________
(anything exciting, happen) to you lately?
Bob No, not really. My mother ___________________ (not be) very well for a few months now.
Rachel Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear that.
Bob And my brother’s out of work
Rachel ______________________________________ (he, leave) school in the summer, then?
Bob Yes. He ____________________ (not do) very well in his exams and he _______________
(not find) a job yet.
Rachel Are you still working at Scott’s?
Bob Yes. They ____________________________________________ (just, give) me a pay rise.
Rachel Well, that’s one piece of good news.