PAST SIMPLE VS PRESENT PERFECT

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs Example: I spoke	irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs Example: I / you / we / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken
regular verbs: infinitive + ed Example: I worked	regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example: I / you / we / they have worked he / she / it has worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed': when the final letter is e, only add d Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - worried but: play - played

See also explanations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

Use

In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.

Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst those who have to learn the differences.

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 emphasise 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

Exercises on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

• Certain time in the past or just / already / yet: Exercise 1, Exercise 2
• Certain event in the past or how often so far: : Exercise 3, Exercise 4
• Emphasis on action or result: Exercise 5, Exercise 6
• Mix: Exercise 7, Exercise 08
• Exercise on the text Grand Canyon
• Exercise on the text Edinburgh

Tests on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

• Test 1
• Test 2
• Test 3

VOCABULARY

VOCABULARY

QUESTIONS WITH / WITHOUT AUXILIARIES

QUESTIONS WITH / WITHOUT AUXILIARIES

https://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/preint/a_grammar/file02/grammar02_c01?cc=us&selLanguage=en


https://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/preint/a_grammar/file02/grammar02_c02?cc=us&selLanguage=en

Questions with and without auxiliary verbs   created by skypeless… on 24 Oct 12  General knowledge  Medium level (82% of success)    10 questions - 7 178 players An exercise to test the use of auxiliary verbs in questions

Q1.

What (. . . . . ) for breakfast today?

   Did you have

   You had

Q2.

Who (. . . . . . . ) the 'Mona Lisa'

   Did paint

   Painted

Q3.

What (. . . . . . . . ) to the boss?

   You said

   Did you say

Q4.

Where (. . . . . . . ) in the summer?

   You went

   Did you go

Q5.

Which country (. . . . . ) the best beaches?

   Does have

   Has

Q6.

Which team (. . . . . ) for?

   Did Ronaldo play

   Ronaldo played

Q7.

Which team (. . . . . ) the match last night?

   Did lose

   Lost

Q8.

What (. . . . . . . . . ) after you left the restaurant?

   Happened

   Did happen

Q9.

Where (. . . . . ) sleep, last night?

   Did you sleep

   You slept

Q10.

Which director (. . . . . ) the film 'Ghostbusters 2'

   Made

   Did make

Questions Without the Auxiliary Verb Exercise at Auto-English

Make a question about the word in bold in each sentence. Sometimes you need an auxiliary and sometimes you don't.

1	Queen Elizabeth I became queen of England in 1558.
	___________________________________________
2	Queen Elizabeth I became queen of England in 1558.
	___________________________________________
3	Lilith was Adam's first wife.
	___________________________________________
4	The Athenians sentenced Socrates to death in 399 BC.
	___________________________________________
5	The Athenians sentenced Socrates to death in 399 BC.
	___________________________________________
6	Aristotle taught Alexander the Great.
	___________________________________________
7	Aristotle taught Alexander the Great.
	___________________________________________
8	Apollo and Artemis were born in Delos, according to legend.
	___________________________________________
9	The archbishop of Valencia ordered the execution of an innocent school teacher in 1826.
	_________________________________________________________
10	Gema saw a fox cub.
	___________________________________________
11	Gema saw a fox cub.
	___________________________________________
12	Tony broke the video.
	___________________________________________

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