Past Simple vs. Present Perfect – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Choose the best option (a, b, c, or d) to complete each sentence.
1 Employee: “Ms. Helen, I _______ the project report you asked for. It is on your desk.”
(a) have finished
(b) finished
(c) have finish
(d) am finishing
2 Boss: “That’s great! When _______ it to my email?”
(a) did you send
(b) have you sent
(c) do you send
(d) were you send
3 Employee: “I _______ it exactly ten minutes ago.”
(a) have sent
(b) sent
(c) send
(d) was sent
4 Boss: “I _______ my inbox yet, so let me look now.”
(a) didn’t check
(b) haven’t check
(c) haven’t checked
(d) don’t check
5 Employee: “I _______ the attached files twice to make sure they are correct.”
(a) checked
(b) have checked
(c) have check
(d) am checking
6 Boss: “Wait, I see the email. You _______ it at 2:15 PM, right?”
(a) have sent
(b) sent
(c) send
(d) was sending
7 Employee: “Yes. I _______ some mistakes in the first draft this morning, so I fixed them.”
(a) have found
(b) found
(c) finded
(d) was found
8 Boss: “_______ the CEO about this update yet?”
(a) Did you tell
(b) Have you told
(c) Have you tell
(d) Do you tell
9 Employee: “No, I _______. I wanted to show it to you first.”
(a) didn’t
(b) haven’t
(c) haven’t tell
(d) don’t
10 Boss: “Good. We _______ this client for three years, and they are very important.”
(a) had
(b) have had
(c) have have
(d) are having
11 Employee: “I know. We _______ a meeting with them last month to discuss the details.”
(a) have had
(b) had
(c) have
(d) were had
12 Boss: “Actually, _______ the presentation for tomorrow’s meeting?”
(a) did you prepare
(b) have you prepared
(c) have you prepare
(d) are you prepared
13 Employee: “I _______ most of it yesterday, but I need to add the final numbers.”
(a) have prepared
(b) prepared
(c) prepare
(d) was prepared
14 Boss: “The accountant _______ me the final numbers two hours ago.”
(a) has given
(b) gave
(c) gived
(d) was given
15 Employee: “Perfect! This is the first time the team _______ the data so early.”
(a) submitted
(b) has submitted
(c) have submit
(d) is submitting
16 Boss: “I _______ very busy today, but I will read your report now.”
(a) was
(b) have been
(c) have be
(d) am being
17 Employee: “Thank you. I _______ the printed version on your desk just now.”
(a) have put
(b) put
(c) have putted
(d) was put
18 Boss: “Oh, I see it. You _______ a lot of effort into this, Mark.”
(a) put
(b) have put
(c) have putted
(d) are put
19 Employee: “I _______ to work harder since I joined this department.”
(a) tried
(b) have tried
(c) have try
(d) am tried
20 Boss: “It shows! You _______ late for any deadlines this month.”
(a) weren’t
(b) haven’t been
(c) haven’t be
(d) didn’t be
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (a) have finished
- Correct because: Use Present Perfect to announce a completed action with a present result.
- Analysis: (b) lacks present connection; (c) is a structural error (V3 needed); (d) is the wrong aspect (ongoing).
2 (a) did you send
- Correct because: Questions starting with “When” always require Past Simple.
- Analysis: (b) is a common mistake (using Present Perfect with ‘when’); (c) is Present Simple; (d) is a structural error.
3 (b) sent
- Correct because: “Ten minutes ago” is a specific, finished time marker.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is present tense; (d) is a passive voice error.
4 (c) haven’t checked
- Correct because: “Yet” is used in negative Present Perfect sentences for expectations up to now.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (b) is a structural error (missing -ed); (d) is Present Simple.
5 (b) have checked
- Correct because: Focuses on the experience/action completed without specifying when.
- Analysis: (a) is too narrative; (c) is a structural error; (d) is ongoing.
6 (b) sent
- Correct because: A specific time “at 2:15 PM” is mentioned.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is present tense; (d) is the wrong aspect.
7 (b) found
- Correct because: “This morning” is treated as a finished period in this context.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is a structural error.
8 (b) Have you told
- Correct because: Checking for completion of an action up to the present.
- Analysis: (a) is too specific; (c) is a structural error; (d) is Present Simple.
9 (b) haven’t
- Correct because: Short answer for a “Have you…?” question.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake (wrong auxiliary); (c) is a structural error; (d) is Present Simple.
10 (b) have had
- Correct because: “For three years” indicates a state continuing from the past to now.
- Analysis: (a) implies the state is finished; (c) is a structural error; (d) is the wrong aspect.
11 (b) had
- Correct because: “Last month” is a specific, finished time.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is present tense; (d) is a structural error.
12 (b) have you prepared
- Correct because: Asking about the current status of the work.
- Analysis: (a) asks about a past point; (c) is a structural error; (d) is a passive error.
13 (b) prepared
- Correct because: “Yesterday” is a specific, finished time.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is present tense; (d) is a passive error.
14 (b) gave
- Correct because: “Two hours ago” requires Past Simple.
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is an irregular verb error; (d) is a passive error.
15 (b) has submitted
- Correct because: The structure “This is the first time…” is always followed by Present Perfect.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is a structural error; (d) is the wrong tense.
16 (b) have been
- Correct because: “Today” is an unfinished time period.
- Analysis: (a) implies the day is over; (c) is a structural error; (d) is the wrong aspect.
17 (b) put
- Correct because: “Just now” refers to a very recent but specific past moment. Note: ‘put’ is the same in V1, V2, and V3
- Analysis: (a) is a meaning trap; (c) is a structural error; (d) is a passive error.
18 (b) have put
- Correct because: Commending a process that has led to a present successful result.
- Analysis: (a) is too narrative; (c) is a structural error; (d) is a passive error.
19 (b) have tried
- Correct because: “Since” indicates an action starting in the past and continuing until now.
- Analysis: (a) is a common mistake; (c) is a structural error; (d) is a passive error.
20 (b) haven’t been
- Correct because: “This month” is a period of time that is still continuing.
- Analysis: (a) implies the month is finished; (c) is a structural error; (d) is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Use Present Perfect (Have/Has + V3) for Results: When reporting that a task is done (without saying exactly when) or using words like just, already, and yet.
- Use Past Simple (V2) for Specific Times: When you mention when the action happened (e.g., at 2 PM, yesterday, 10 minutes ago, last week).
- The “When” Question: Never use Present Perfect with the word “When?”. Always use “When did you…?”
- Duration (Since/For): Use Present Perfect for things that started in the past and are still true now (e.g., “I have worked here since 2021”).
- Unfinished vs. Finished Time: * Today/This month (Unfinished) -> Present Perfect.
- Yesterday/Last month (Finished) -> Past Simple.