Past Simple vs. Present Perfect – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Choose the best option (a, b, c, or d) to complete each sentence.
1 Interviewer: “Welcome! To start, how long _______ in the marketing industry?”
(a) have you worked
(b) did you work
(c) have you work
(d) are you working
2 Applicant: “I _______ in marketing for a total of six years now.”
(a) was
(b) have been
(c) am being
(d) have be
3 Interviewer: “That’s impressive. When _______ your previous position at ABC Company?”
(a) have you started
(b) did you start
(c) do you start
(d) were you start
4 Applicant: “I _______ that role in January 2020 and stayed there until last month.”
(a) started
(b) have started
(c) start
(d) was started
5 Interviewer: “I see. _______ any international projects during your time there?”
(a) Did you managed
(b) Have you managed
(c) Do you manage
(d) Have you manage
6 Applicant: “Yes, I _______ a team of five people for a project in Japan last year.”
(a) have led
(b) led
(c) leaded
(d) was lead
7 Interviewer: “Great. _______ our company’s website yet to see our latest products?”
(a) Did you visit
(b) Have you visited
(c) Have you visit
(d) Do you visit
8 Applicant: “Yes, I _______ it last night. The new interface looks very modern.”
(a) have checked
(b) checked
(c) check
(d) was checked
9 Interviewer: “We _______ many awards for our website design since 2022”
(a) won
(b) have won
(c) have win
(d) are winning
10 Applicant: “I noticed that! In fact, I _______ a similar award at my old job in 2021”
(a) have received
(b) received
(c) receive
(d) was receive
11 Interviewer: “Excellent. How many different software tools _______ in your career?”
(a) have you used
(b) did you use
(c) have you use
(d) are you using
12 Applicant: “I _______ Photoshop and Canva many times for various campaigns.”
(a) used
(b) have used
(c) have use
(d) am used
13 Interviewer: “What about coding? _______ any programming languages?”
(a) Have you ever studied
(b) Did you ever studied
(c) Have you ever study
(d) Do you ever study
14 Applicant: “I _______ a Python course three years ago, but I don’t use it often.”
(a) have taken
(b) took
(c) taked
(d) was taken
15 Interviewer: “We need someone reliable. _______ late for work in the last year?”
(a) Have you been
(b) Were you
(c) Have you be
(d) Did you be
16 Applicant: “No, I _______. I always arrive 10 minutes early.”
(a) didn’t
(b) haven’t
(c) haven’t be
(d) don’t
17 Interviewer: “Good to hear. My assistant _______ you a cup of coffee five minutes ago. Is it okay?”
(a) has brought
(b) brought
(c) bringed
(d) was brought
18 Applicant: “Yes, thank you. This is the best coffee I _______ in a long time!”
(a) had
(b) have had
(c) have have
(d) am having
19 Interviewer: “Well, we _______ many candidates today, but your profile is strong.”
(a) interviewed
(b) have interviewed
(c) have interview
(d) are interviewed
20 Applicant: “Thank you. I _______ forward to this interview since I saw the job post.”
(a) looked
(b) have looked
(c) have look
(d) was look
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (a) have you worked
- Why: We use Present Perfect to ask about a duration that started in the past and continues to the present (“how long”).
- Analysis: (b) is for a finished period; (c) is missing the past participle (-ed); (d) is Present Continuous.
2 (b) have been
- Why: “For… now” indicates a state continuing until the present.
- Analysis: (a) is Past Simple (finished); (c) is Present Continuous; (d) is a structural error (V3 of ‘be’ is ‘been’).
3 (b) did you start
- Why: The question asks “When,” which requires a specific point in the past (Past Simple).
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (using Present Perfect with “when”); (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error.
4 (a) started
- Why: “In January 2020” is a finished, specific time.
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a passive voice error.
5 (b) Have you managed
- Why: Asking about life/career experience without a specific time.
- Analysis: (a) is a structural error (did + V2); (c) is Present Simple; (d) is missing the V3 form.
6 (b) led
- Why: “Last year” is a specific past time.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is an irregular verb error (“led” not “leaded”); (d) is a structural error.
7 (b) Have you visited
- Why: “Yet” is used with Present Perfect to talk about expectations up to now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is missing V3; (d) is Present Simple.
8 (b) checked
- Why: “Last night” is a finished time.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a passive error.
9 (b) have won
- Why: “Since 2022” indicates an action starting in the past and continuing/relevant now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is a V3 error; (d) is the wrong aspect.
10 (b) received
- Why: “In 2021” is a specific past year.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error.
11 (a) have you used
- Why: Asking about total career experience (up to now).
- Analysis: (b) is a meaning trap (implies the career is over); (c) is missing V3; (d) is Present Continuous.
12 (b) have used
- Why: “Many times” indicates repeated experience in an unspecified time.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap (too specific); (c) is a V3 error; (d) is a structural error.
13 (a) Have you ever studied
- Why: “Ever” is used for life experience in the Present Perfect.
- Analysis: (b) is a structural error (did + V2); (c) is missing V3; (d) is Present Simple.
14 (b) took
- Why: “Three years ago” requires Past Simple.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is a passive error.
15 (a) Have you been
- Why: “In the last year” refers to a period of time continuing up to now.
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake; (c) is a V3 error; (d) is a structural error.
16 (b) haven’t
- Why: Short answer for a “Have you…?” question.
- Analysis: (a) is a common auxiliary mistake; (c) is redundant; (d) is Present Simple.
17 (b) brought
- Why: “Five minutes ago” is a specific past point.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is a passive error.
18 (b) have had
- Why: “In a long time” indicates a period leading to the present. “Have” (auxiliary) + “had” (V3 of ‘have’).
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is a V3 error; (d) is Present Continuous.
19 (b) have interviewed
- Why: The “day” is not over yet, and the action has present relevance.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is a V3 error; (d) is a passive error.
20 (b) have looked
- Why: “Since…” requires Present Perfect to show an action continuing until now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is a V3 error; (d) is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Use Present Perfect (Have/Has + V3) to summarize: When you talk about your total experience (“I have worked for 5 years”) or skills (“I have learned Excel”). You don’t say exactly when.
- Use Past Simple (V2) for details: Once you mention a specific date, year, or company you no longer work for (“In 2018, I worked at…”, “I graduated 2 years ago”), you must use the Past Simple.
- Signal Words for Interview Success:
- Present Perfect: Since (starting point), For (duration), Already (completed early), Yet (not yet, but expected).
- Past Simple: Ago, Yesterday, Last (month/year), In (2020).
- The “When” Question: If the interviewer asks “When…”, always answer in the Past Simple. If they ask “How long…”, usually answer in the Present Perfect.