Present perfect or past simple: up to now or finished time? Present perfect vs past simple exercises for A2
About this lesson
This A2 drill lesson gives present perfect vs past simple exercises: have or has + past participle for life up to now, the past simple for a finished time.
- Grammar
- Ever, never, so far, since and How long…? against yesterday, ago, in 2019 and When…?, for with both tenses, short answers, and went or gone.
- Topic
- A job interview at an invented kayak tour company in Seattle: the manager's notes, the candidate's thank-you email, part of the interview and the manager's texts to you.
- Activities
- True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, tables, memory games, an anagram, quizzes, drag-and-drop texts, matching, word order and a chat, every item self-marking.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: present perfect or past simpleGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the time words: present perfect or past simple?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right formChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: the helping verbFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Went or gone? Three verb forms
- Fill in the table: past simple and past participleFill in the tableTry it
- Find the matching pairs: past simple and past participleMemory gameUnlock
- Unscramble the past participlesAnagramUnlock
- Choose the right verb formChoose the optionUnlock
- Write the past simple or the past participleFill in the gapsUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 3Up to now or finished?
- Choose the right form: look at the time wordsChoose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps: present perfect or past simpleFill in the gapsUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Which sentence is correct? Choose oneQuizUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: still now or finished?Fill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Rosalind's blog post and fill in the gaps: present perfect or past simpleFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 4Have you ever…? When did you…?
- Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock
- Write the questionsFill in the gapsTry it
- Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
- Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
- Read the conversation and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: The job interview
- Read the manager's interview notesReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the notes again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Renata's email and fill in the gaps: present perfect or past simpleFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read part of the interview and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read the notes on another candidate and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Desmond texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: news from friendsChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: present perfect or past simple at workFill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the questions: Have you…? or Did you…?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: verb and past participleMemory gameUnlock
- Drag the words into the gaps: everyday newsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the sentences and their meaningsMatchUnlock
- Find the mistake in each sentenceQuizUnlock
- Fill in the table: When…? and How long…?Fill in the tableUnlock
- Decide: is the sentence correct?True or falseUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with the right time wordFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the short conversations and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Beatrix's postcard and fill in the gaps: present perfect or past simpleFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the diner review and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
Grammar: present perfect or past simple?
The present perfect and the past simple both look back, and the time decides which one fits. Up to now: present perfect. Finished time: past simple. I've been to Mexico says nothing about when; I went to Mexico in 2023 names a time that is over.
Present perfect or past simple: up to now or finished time?
No time said, or time up to now → have / has + past participle. A finished time in the past → past simple.
Which tense? Look at the time words
Ever, never, so far, since and How long…? go with have / has + past participle; yesterday, last week, two days ago and When…? take the past simple. On the timeline: I've been to Peru twice, but I went there in 2021.
Which tense?
Present perfect: have / has + past participle
- Experience in your life up to now, with no time said
- I've been to Mexico. · Have you ever eaten sushi?
- Time up to now: ever · never · so far · since · How long…?
- I've known Max since 2015. (We're still friends.)
Past simple: worked, went, saw…
- A finished time: we say or know when
- I went to Mexico in 2023. · Did you eat sushi yesterday?
- yesterday · last week · in 2019 · two days ago · When…?
- I met Max in 2015. (That time is finished.)
On a timeline
- I've been to Peru twice. (my life up to now)
- I went there in 2021. (finished time)
- now
The forms side by side
Negatives are haven't seen or didn't see; questions start with Have or Did, and short answers repeat that helper. Many irregular verbs have a separate participle: went – gone, saw – seen, ate – eaten, took – taken.
The forms side by side
| Form | Present perfect | Past simple |
|---|---|---|
| + | I / you / we / they have ('ve) seen it. · He / she / it has ('s) seen it. | I / you / he / she / we / they saw it. |
| − | I haven't seen it. · She hasn't seen it. | I didn't see it. · She didn't see it. |
| ? | Have you seen it? · Has she seen it? | Did you see it? · Did she see it? |
| Short answers | Yes, I have. · No, she hasn't. | Yes, I did. · No, she didn't. |
| Wh- questions | How long have you known him? | When did you meet him? |
Three forms of the verb
| Verb | Past simple | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| work (regular) | worked | worked |
| be | was / were | been |
| go | went | gone |
| see | saw | seen |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| do | did | done |
| have | had | had |
| meet | met | met |
| take | took | taken |
| write | wrote | written |
| fly | flew | flown |
| know | knew | known |
For with both tenses, since with one
For + a period fits both, and the meaning decides: I lived in Boston for three years (not now), I've lived here for three years (still now). Since takes the present perfect, and a clause after it takes the past simple: I've known her since we were kids.
for: finished, or up to now?
for + a period goes with both tenses, and the meaning decides. I lived in Boston for three years. (I don't live there now.) · I've lived here for three years. (I still live here.) since + a point in time goes with the present perfect: I've lived here since 2023. After since, the start is in the past simple: I've known her since we were kids.
Start with ever, go on with when
A talk often opens with the experience and moves to the details: Have you ever been to Japan? – Yes, I have. I went there in 2022. Once you say when, switch to the past simple. The scheme rules out When have you gone?
Examples
- Have you ever been to Japan? — Yes, I have. I went there in 2022.first the experience, then the details
- We've visited five countries so far.so far: up to now
- When did you start this job? — Two years ago.When…? → past simple
- How long have you had your dog? — For six years.How long…? → present perfect
- I haven't seen Lily since her wedding.negative, up to now
- She didn't call me last night.negative, finished time
Start with ever, go on with when
In a talk, we often ask about the experience in the present perfect, and then give the details in the past simple: Have you ever been to Rome? — Yes, I have. — When did you go? — I went there last spring. It was amazing! As soon as we say or ask when, the present perfect stops. (Not: When have you gone?)
Common mistakes
I have seen Tom yesterday, When have you started this job? and I've been to Paris in 2019 all go wrong on a finished time, and I have went there twice needs the participle been.
I have seen Tom yesterday.
I saw Tom yesterday.
yesterday is a finished time → past simple
When have you started this job?
When did you start this job?
When…? → past simple
I've been to Paris in 2019.
I went to Paris in 2019.
a year in the past → past simple
I have went there twice.
I've been there twice.
have + past participle (been, seen, eaten), not went, saw, ate
More lessons on this grammar: Present perfect lessons and exercises · Past simple lessons and exercises
Try the present perfect vs past simple exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 39 auto-checked exercises
- 5 games
- 1 real-life document
- 1 grammar scheme
- 1 picture
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
- use the present perfect when no time is said: Have you ever ridden a camel? So far, our team has won six games.
- switch to the past simple for a finished time: Ana lost her phone two days ago, not Ana has lost her phone two days ago
- ask When did you…? but How long have you…?: When did you move to Chicago? How long have you known Lisa?
- answer with the question's helper: Have you ever been to Canada? – Yes, I have. Did Tom call you yesterday? – Yes, he did.
- tell went from gone: Lucy isn't here. She has gone to the store. She went to Peru two years ago.
- Grammar:
- present perfect vs past simple · ever / never / so far · since / for · When…? / How long…? · past participles
- Topic:
- grammar practice · job interview · work experience · travel
Teaching tips
- Follow every yes with when: students ask Have you ever…? around the room, and each Yes, I have earns a past simple follow-up: When did you go? Who did you go with?
- Stage a mock job interview: after Desmond's notes on Renata, pairs interview each other for a summer job, mixing How long have you…? with When did you…?, and write two lines of notes.
- Underline the time words first: before each choice, students mark since, so far, ago or last… and only then pick the tense; with for, they look for still or now.
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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · A2
English Grammar Practice · A2 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the past simple and continuous, used to, comparatives, going to and will, the present perfect, modals, the zero and first conditionals and questions. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course
- 1Past simple with -ed: moving day!
- 2Past simple irregular verbs: we went, we saw, we bought
- 3Past simple negatives and questions: where did the cake go?
- 4Past continuous: what were you doing at 9 p.m.?
- 5Past simple or past continuous: what were you doing when it happened?
- 6Used to: how things were back then
- 7Comparatives: which one is better?
- 8Superlatives: the best in town
- 9As … as, too, enough: is it the right size?
- 10Adverbs of manner: how did she drive?
- 11Much, many, a few, a little: how much do we need?
- 12Possessive pronouns: whose is it?
- 13Be going to: what's your plan?
- 14Will: what will the future bring?
- 15Present continuous for plans: what are you doing tonight?
- 16Will vs going to: decided before or right now?
- 17Present perfect: have you ever tried it?
- 18Just, already, yet: have you done it yet?
- 19For and since: how long have you known her?
- 20Present perfect or past simple: up to now or finished time?
- 21Must and have to: what are the rules?
- 22Should: what should I do?
- 23Can, could, may: could you help me, please?
- 24Verb + to or -ing: what do you enjoy doing?
- 25Zero conditional: what happens if…?
- 26First conditional: what will you do if it rains?
- 27Articles: a, the or no article?
- 28Subject and object questions: who won the quiz?