Past Simple vs. Present Perfect – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Choose the best option (a, b, c, or d) to complete each sentence.
1 Alex: “You should watch ‘The Galactic Quest’. I _______ it three times already!”
(a) watched
(b) have watch
(c) have watched
(d) am watching
2 Sam: “Really? When _______ it for the first time?”
(a) did you see
(b) have you seen
(c) do you see
(d) were you see
3 Alex: “I _______ it last summer when it first came out in theaters.”
(a) have seen
(b) saw
(c) see
(d) was seen
4 Sam: “I _______ of that movie before. Is it a sci-fi?”
(a) never heard
(b) have never hear
(c) haven’t never heard
(d) have never heard
5 Alex: “Yes! The director _______ a famous award for it two months ago.”
(a) has won
(b) winned
(c) won
(d) is winning
6 Sam: “_______ the trailer yet? I want to see what it looks like.”
(a) Did you watch
(b) Have you watched
(c) Have you watch
(d) Do you watch
7 Alex: “Yes, I _______ it to you on WhatsApp just now. Check your phone!”
(a) sent
(b) have sent
(c) send
(d) have send
8 Sam: “I got it! Wait, I recognize that actor. He _______ in a comedy last year.”
(a) acted
(b) has acted
(c) acts
(d) was act
9 Alex: “That’s right! He _______ a professional actor for over ten years.”
(a) was
(b) has been
(c) is being
(d) has be
10 Sam: “I _______ to the cinema since last Christmas. I really miss the popcorn!”
(a) didn’t go
(b) haven’t go
(c) haven’t been
(d) went
11 Alex: “Then let’s go! I _______ a new cinema near the mall yesterday.”
(a) have found
(b) found
(c) finded
(d) am finding
12 Sam: “Great! _______ to that specific cinema before?”
(a) Did you go
(b) Have you been
(c) Have you gone
(d) Were you go
13 Alex: “No, I _______. My sister went there last week and loved it.”
(a) didn’t
(b) haven’t
(c) haven’t be
(d) don’t
14 Sam: “The tickets _______ very expensive when she bought them, right?”
(a) weren’t
(b) haven’t been
(c) didn’t be
(d) aren’t
15 Alex: “Actually, this is the best movie I _______ this year.”
(a) saw
(b) have seen
(c) see
(d) am seeing
16 Sam: “Oh! My phone battery _______, so I can’t watch the trailer now.”
(a) died
(b) has died
(c) has die
(d) was dying
17 Alex: “Don’t worry. I _______ my laptop with me, so we can watch it here.”
(a) brought
(b) have brought
(c) bringed
(d) have bring
18 Sam: “Wait, I remember now! My brother _______ ‘The Galactic Quest’ last week.”
(a) has watched
(b) watched
(c) watches
(d) was watched
19 Alex: “He _______ me about it, but he didn’t give me any spoilers.”
(a) told
(b) has told
(c) tell
(d) has tell
20 Sam: “We _______ here for twenty minutes talking. Let’s just start the movie!”
(a) sat
(b) have sat
(c) have sit
(d) are sitting
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct: (c) have watched
- Why: Uses Present Perfect for life experience with the signal word “already.”
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (using Past Simple for experience); (b) is a structural error (missing -ed); (d) is a meaning trap (ongoing action vs. finished experience).
2 Correct: (a) did you see
- Why: Asking about a specific point in time (“the first time”).
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake (Present Perfect with a specific past focus); (c) is the wrong tense; (d) is a structural error (did/was confusion).
3 Correct: (b) saw
- Why: “Last summer” is a finished time period, requiring Past Simple.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is present tense; (d) is a passive voice error.
4 Correct: (d) have never heard
- Why: Present Perfect for experience (things you haven’t done until now).
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (b) is a structural error (missing -ed); (c) is a double negative error.
5 Correct: (c) won
- Why: “Two months ago” is a specific past time marker.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (b) is an irregular verb error (“winned” is not a word); (d) is the wrong aspect.
6 Correct: (b) have you watched
- Why: Using “yet” in a question requires Present Perfect.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is a structural error (V3 needed); (d) is Present Simple.
7 Correct: (b) have sent
- Why: “Just now” indicates a very recent action with a present result.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap (too narrative); (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error (V3 needed).
8 Correct: (a) acted
- Why: “Last year” is a finished time.
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error.
9 Correct: (b) has been
- Why: “For over ten years” indicates a state that started in the past and continues now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (implies he is no longer an actor); (c) is Present Continuous; (d) is a structural error.
10 Correct: (c) haven’t been
- Why: “Since” indicates a period from the past until now. “Been” is used for visiting/going.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (Past Simple with ‘since’); (b) is a V3 error; (d) is a meaning trap (affirmative vs. negative).
11 Correct: (b) found
- Why: “Yesterday” requires Past Simple.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is Present Continuous.
12 Correct: (b) Have you been
- Why: Asking about life experience (have you visited?).
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap (too specific); (c) is a meaning trap (“gone” implies you are still there); (d) is a structural error.
13 Correct: (b) haven’t
- Why: Short answer for Present Perfect “Have you been…?”
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (mixing auxiliary verbs); (c) is a structural error; (d) is Present Simple.
14 Correct: (a) weren’t
- Why: “When she bought them” refers to a specific finished moment.
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake; (c) is a structural error; (d) is Present Simple.
15 Correct: (b) have seen
- Why: Superlatives (the best/the most) are usually followed by Present Perfect.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is Present Continuous.
16 Correct: (b) has died
- Why: A recent event that has a result in the present (the phone is off now).
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap (narrative past); (c) is a structural error; (d) is a past progress error.
17 Correct: (b) have brought
- Why: Providing news/information about a current possession result.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (narrative); (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is a V3 error.
18 Correct: (b) watched
- Why: “Last week” is a finished time.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a passive voice error.
19 Correct: (a) told
- Why: Refers to the specific conversation that happened “last week.”
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error.
20 Correct: (b) have sat
- Why: “For twenty minutes” shows the duration of an action up to now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (ignores the duration); (c) is a V3 error; (d) is a meaning trap (focuses only on now, not the duration).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Past Simple (V2): Used for finished actions at a specific time in the past.
- Key markers: yesterday, last week, 2 hours ago, in 1995, when I was young.
- Present Perfect (Have/Has + V3): Used for experiences or actions that have a connection to the present.
- Key markers: ever, never, already, yet, just, for, since, recently.
- The “When” Rule: If you ask or say when something happened, use Past Simple. If the time is not important, use Present Perfect.
- Duration: Use Present Perfect with for (period of time) or since (starting point) to show how long an action has lasted until now.
- Irregular Verbs: Always remember the third column (V3/Past Participle) for Present Perfect (e.g., see – saw – seen; win – won – won; find – found – found).