Fill in the blanks with a simple past or present perfect tense.
1I ............... to see my brother during my stay in Canada.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "went" because "during my stay in Canada" refers to a finished past time.
2I ............... anything from him since last week.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "haven't heard" with "since last week" for a period continuing to now.
3They ............... a couple of minutes ago.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "left" with the finished-time expression "a couple of minutes ago".
4They ............... married in January.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "got" because "in January" names a finished past time.
5She ............... school at 14.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "left" because leaving school at 14 is a finished past event.
6She ............... jobless ever since she moved to the country.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "has been" with "ever since" for a state continuing to now.
7He ............... his leg.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "has broken" when the result is important now and no finished time is given.
8She ............... working on the project yet.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect negative "hasn't started" with "yet" for something not done up to now.
9There ............... an explosion near the castle in the morning.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "was" because "in the morning" refers to a specific finished time here.
10I ............... in this town since I was a child.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "have lived" with "since I was a child" for a situation continuing to now.
11............... to Italy?
Wrong!
Use the present perfect "Have you ever been" to ask about life experience up to now.
12Nobody ............... the door when I rang the bell.
Wrong!
Use the simple past "opened" because "when I rang the bell" places the action in a finished past event.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- I went to see my brother during my stay in Canada.
- I haven’t heard anything from him since last week.
- They left a couple of minutes ago.
- They got married in January.
- She left school at 14.
- She has been jobless ever since she moved to the country.
- He has broken his leg.
- She hasn’t started working on the project yet.
- There was an explosion near the castle in the morning.
- I have lived in this town since I was a child.
- Have you ever been to Italy?
- Nobody opened the door when I rang the bell.

