English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Past simple and present perfect exercise

1. Complete the sentences. Use the past simple or present perfect simple of the verbs below. Sometimes you need a passive verb.

be • be • change • come • invent • live • prove • rule • see • start • tell

1   Come quickly! The film …………………….!

2   She …………………… a lot since I last …………………… her. I hardly recognised her.

3   ‘…………………… paper …………………… by the Chinese or the Egyptians?’

     ‘By the Chinese.’

4   Queen Victoria …………………… for 63 years, until her death in 1901.

5   Tom …………………… very busy this week.

6   As a child I …………………… in Oxford for a number of years.

7   ‘When …………………… you first …………………… to the UK?’

      ‘In 2012, so I …………………… here for about five years.’

8   Ever since he was little he …………………… that he wasn’t very bright. Now he …………………… them wrong!

2. Choose the correct tense. Sometimes both answers are possible.

1   ‘What’s happened / been happening?’

      ‘I’ve cut / been cutting my finger.’

2   How long have you known / been knowing Jason?

3   Haven’t you finished / been finishing your essay yet?

     You’ve worked / been working on it for days!

4   I wonder why we haven’t heard / been hearing from Kate.

     I’ve expected / been expecting her to phone for a while now.

5   How long have you lived / been living in France?

6   Who’s used / been using my phone? The battery’s dead.

3. Write suitable responses. Use the present perfect simple or present perfect continuous.

1   Your hands are covered in mud!

      Yes, I’ve been working in the garden.

2   I wonder why Ben hasn’t been at school lately.

     I guess ……………………………………… .

3   The floor in the kitchen is slippery.

      That’s because Dad ……………………………………… .

4   Harry and Jess aren’t speaking to each other.

     I know ……………………………………… .

5   You’re looking very slim!

      Thanks. ……………………………………… .

6   Why aren’t you going to the football match.

     Didn’t you know? It ……………………………………… .

7   Why are you so tired?

     ……………………………………… .

8   Look outside. The road is all wet.

     Yes, ……………………………………… .

4. Complete the email with the verbs in brackets. Use the past simple, present perfect simple and present perfect continuous.

To: sally@email.com

Hi Sally,

I’m so sorry I (1) ………………… (not be) in touch for a while. I (2) ………………… (try) phoning you a couple of times last week but you (3) ………………… (not pick up). Anyway, I (4) ………………… (hardly / have) a moment to myself these past few weeks – I (5) ………………… (revise) for my exams, which (6) ………………… (start) on Monday. I (7) ………………… (have) three already: French, maths and history. Maths and history (8) ………………… (be) awful, but French (9) ………………… (go) well, which was a bit of a surprise as I (10) ………………… (only / learn) it for two years.

As soon as I (11) ………………… (finish) my exams I plan to go to France. I (12) ………………… (apply) for quite a few jobs and I (13) ………………… (receive) a couple of offers. But I (14) ………………… (not hear) back yet from the one I really want – working as an au pair in Bordeaux.

Anyway, give me a ring when you have a spare moment.

Love, Hannah