The simple past tense is used to say that something happened some time ago. When we use this tense form, we usually also specify when that particular activity occurred. The present perfect tense is also used to talk about completed past actions and states. There is an important difference, though. We do not normally use finished time expressions with the present perfect tense.
Test your knowledge of simple past and present perfect tenses with this grammar exercise.
1She ............... English for the last 20 years.
Wrong!
Use "has taught" with "for the last 20 years" because the period continues up to now.
2She ............... English at university before she became a full-time writer.
Wrong!
Use "taught" for a finished past situation before another past event.
3I ............... every book written by Jane Austen.
Wrong!
Use "have read" to describe life experience up to now without saying when it happened.
4Who ............... "Pride and Prejudice"?
Wrong!
Use "wrote" because Jane Austen's writing of the novel is a completed past event.
5Peter ............... a window last night.
Wrong!
Use "broke" with the finished past time expression "last night".
6She ............... all her childhood in Mexico.
Wrong!
Use "spent" because childhood is a finished period in the past.
7I can't walk because I ............... my leg.
Wrong!
Use "have broken" because the past action has a present result: she cannot walk now.
8Every summer when he was a teenager, Andrew ............... in love.
Wrong!
Use "fell" for a repeated habit in a finished past period.
9Who ............... you those marbles?
Wrong!
Use "gave" when asking about the specific past act of giving.
10I'm sure we ............... before.
Wrong!
Use "have met" for a past experience that is relevant now.
Answers
- She has taught English for the last 20 years.
- She taught English at university before she became a full-time writer.
- I have read every book written by Jane Austen.
- Who wrote “Pride and Prejudice”?
- Peter broke a window last night.
- She spent all her childhood in Mexico.
- I can’t walk because I have broken my leg.
- Every summer when he was a teenager, Andrew fell in love.
- Who gave you those marbles?
- I’m sure we have met before.
