Both the simple past and the present perfect tenses are used to talk about finished actions and situations. However, the present perfect cannot be used with time expressions referring to the past.
Complete the following sentences using an appropriate simple past or present perfect tense.
1I ............... her since she moved to Kolkata.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "haven't met" because the period from then until now is still continuing.
2The police ............... the thieves yesterday.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "arrested" because "yesterday" is a finished time.
3He ............... voluntary retirement at the age of thirty-five.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "took" for an event completed at a specific age in the past.
4The teacher ............... the girl for her achievements yesterday.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "praised" because "yesterday" gives a finished time.
5When I opened the door, the cat ............... in.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "jumped" because the action happened after another completed past action.
6This is where my mother ............... her childhood.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "spent" because her childhood is a finished period of time.
7You ............... me a drink since we met.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "have never bought" because "since we met" connects the past to now.
8We ............... a gold medal at the Olympics.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "have never won" to describe experience up to now.
9I ............... to New Zealand.
Wrong!
Use the present perfect with "have never been" to talk about life experience up to now.
10He ............... in 2005.
Wrong!
Use the simple past with "graduated" because "in 2005" is a finished time.
Answers
- I haven’t met her since she moved to Kolkata.
- The police arrested the thieves yesterday.
- He took voluntary retirement at the age of thirty-five.
- The teacher praised the girl for her achievements yesterday.
- When I opened the door, the cat jumped in.
- This is where my mother spent her childhood.
- You have never bought me a drink since we met.
- We have never won a gold medal at the Olympics.
- I have never been to New Zealand.
- He graduated in 2005.