Can you use simple past and present perfect tenses correctly? Test your understanding of tenses with this grammar exercise.
1His father ............... last year.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with the finished past time expression "last year", so the correct answer is "died".
2James ............... school at fourteen.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with the finished past time expression "at fourteen", so the correct answer is "left".
3I ............... him for ten years.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect for a situation that began in the past and continues now, so the correct answer is "have known".
4I ............... all of her novels so far.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "so far" to show experience up to now, so the correct answer is "have read".
5You ............... me for anything so far.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "so far" to talk about the period up to now, so the correct answer is "have not thanked".
6I ............... a strange experience last night.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with the finished past time expression "last night", so the correct answer is "had".
7Suddenly I ............... a knock on the door.
Wrong!
Use the simple past for a completed event in a past story, so the correct answer is "heard".
8When we arrived, there ............... no one to rescue the child.
Wrong!
Use the simple past for the situation at that finished past moment, so the correct answer is "was".
9The fox ............... to eat the bunch of grapes hanging from the vine.
Wrong!
Use the simple past to narrate an event in a story, so the correct answer is "wanted".
10This castle ............... in the 16th century.
Wrong!
Use the simple past passive with the finished past time expression "in the 16th century", so the correct answer is "was built".
11When I saw him, I ............... pity for the poor beggar.
Wrong!
Use the simple past for a completed reaction at a finished past moment, so the correct answer is "felt".
12Congratulations! You ............... for the grand finale.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect passive to announce a recent result with present importance, so the correct answer is "have been selected".
Answers
- His father died last year.
- James left school at fourteen.
- I have known him for ten years.
- I have read all of her novels so far.
- You have not thanked me for anything so far.
- I had a strange experience last night.
- Suddenly I heard a knock on the door.
- When we arrived, there was no one to rescue the child.
- The fox wanted to eat the bunch of grapes hanging from the vine.
- This castle was built in the 16th century.
- When I saw him, I felt pity for the poor beggar.
- Congratulations! You have been selected for the grand finale.
