Present Perfect and Past Simple

Question 1

What has happened in these situations?

Jack had a beard. Now he hasn’t got a beard. He _______ his beard. (shave off). Have a look!

Answer 1

He has shaved off his beard.

He’s shaved off his beard.

Question 2

What has happened in these situations?

Linda was here 5 minutes ago. Now she’s in bed. She….. .

Answer 2

She has gone to bed. She isn’t here now.

She’s gone to bed.

Question 3

What has happened in these situations?

The temperature was 25 degrees. Now it is only 17. The temperature … .

Answer 3

The temperature has fallen.

The temperature’s fallen.

Question 4

What has happened in these situations?

The light was off. Now it is on. Somebody … .

Answer 4

Somebody has turned on the light.

Somebody’s turned on the light.

Question 5

What has happened in these situations?

The tree was only three metres high. Now it is four. The tree … .

Answer 5

The tree has grown.

Question 6

What has happened in these situations?

The plane was on the runway a few minutes ago. Now it is in the air. The plane … .

Answer 6

The plane has taken off.

Question 7

Present perfect or past simple?

“Where’s your key?”
“ I don’t know. I ___ it.” (lose)

Answer 7

I’ve lost it.

Question 8

Present perfect or past simple?

I ___ very tired, so I lay down on the bed and went to sleep. (be)

Answer 8

I was very tired, … .

Question 9

Present perfect or past simple?

Mary ___ to Australia for a while but she’s back again now. (go)

Answer 9

Mary went to Australia… .

Question 10

Present perfect or past simple?

‘Where’s Ken?’
“ He ____ out. He’ll be back in about an hour.’ (go)

Answer 10

He has gone out.
or
He went out.

Question 11

Present perfect or past simple?

Istudied German at school but I ____ most of it by now. (forget)

Answer 11

I have forgotten most of it by now.

Question 12

Present perfect or past simple?

I meant to phone Diane last night but I _____ . (forget)

Answer 12

…. I forgot.

Question 13

Present perfect or past simple?

I ____ a headache earlier but I feel fine now. (have)

Answer 13

I had a headache…. .

Question 14

Present perfect or past simple?

Look! There’s an ambulance over there. There _____ an accident. (be)

Answer 14

… there has been an accident.

Question 15

Present perfect or past simple?

They’re still building the new road. They ____ it. (not/finish)

Answer 15

They haven’t finished it.

Question 16

Present perfect or past simple?

‘Is Helen still here?’
‘No, she ___ out.’(just/go)

Answer 16

No, she has just gone out.
or
She just went out.

Question 17

Present perfect or past simple?

The police ___ three people but later they let them go. (arrest)

Answer 17

The police arrested three people … .

Question 18

Present perfect or past simple?

Ann ___ me her address the other day but I’m afraid I ___ it. (give/lose)

Answer 18

Ann gave me her address but I am afraid I’ve lost it.

Question 19

Present perfect or past simple?

Where’s my bike? It ____ outside the house a few minutes ago. It ____ ! (be/ disappear)

Answer 19

It was outside the house a few minutes ago. It has disappeared!

Question 20

Present perfect or past simple?

What do you think of my English? Do you think ____? (improve)

Answer 20

Do you think it has improved?

Question 21

Present perfect or past simple?
A: Look! Somebody ___ (spill) coffee on the carpet.
B: Well, it ____ (not/be) me. I ____ (not/do) it.

Answer 21

A: Look! Somebody has spilled coffee on the carpet.
B: Well, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.

Question 22

Present perfect or past simple?

A: Ben _____ (break) his leg.
B: Really? How _____ (that/happen)?
A: He _____ (fall) off a ladder.

Answer 22

A: Ben has broken his leg.

B: Really? How did that happen?

A: He fell of a ladder.

Question 23

Present perfect or past simple?

A: Your hair looks nice. _____ (you/have) a haircut?

B: Yes.

A; Who ____ (cut) it?
_____ (you/go) to the hairdresser?

B: No, a friend of mine _____ (do) it for me.

Answer 23

A: Your hair looks nice. Have you had a haircut?

B: Yes.

A; Who cut it?
Did you go to the hairdresser?

B: No, a friend of mine did it for me.

Question 24

Present perfect or past simple?

I don’t know where Amy is. ___ (you/see) her?

Answer 24

Have you seen her?

Question 25

Present perfect or past simple?

When I ____ (get) home last night, I ___ (be) very tired and I ___ (go) straight to bed.

Answer 25

When I got home last night, I was very tired and I went straight to bed.

Question 26

Present perfect or past simple?

Your car looks very clean. ___ (you/wash) it?

Answer 26

Have you washed it?
or
Did you wash it?

Question 27

Present perfect or past simple?

George ____ (not/be) very well last week.

Answer 27

George wasn’t very well last week.

Question 28

Present perfect or past simple?

Mr Clark _____ (work) in a bank for 15 years. Then he gave it up.

Answer 28

Mr Clark worked

Question 29

Present perfect or past simple?

Molly lives in Dublin. She _____ (live) there all her life.

Answer 29

She has lived there

Question 30

Present perfect or past simple?

A: ‘_____ ( you / go) to the cinema last night?’

B: ‘Yes, but it ___ (be) a mistake. The film ___ (be) awful.’

Answer 30

A: ‘Did you go to the cinema last night?’

B: ‘Yes, but it was a mistake. The film was awful.’

Question 31

Present perfect or past simple?

I don’t know Carol’s husband. I _____ (never/meet/him).

Answer 31

I have never met him.

Question 32

Present perfect or past simple?

A: Is your father at home?
B: No, I’m afraid he ____ (go) out.
A: When exactly _____ (he/go) out?
B: About ten minutes ago.

Answer 32

No, I’m afraid he has gone out.

When exactly did he go out?

Question 33

Present perfect or past simple?

A: Where do you live?
B: In Boston.
A: How long \_\_\_ (you/live) there?
B: Five years.
A: Where \_\_\_\_\_ (you/live) before that?
B: In Chicago.
A: And how long \_\_\_ (you/live) in Chicago?
B: Two years.

Answer 33

A: Where do you live?
B: In Boston.
A: How long have you lived there?
B: Five years.
A: Where did you live before that?
B: In Chicago.
A: And how long did you live in Chicago?
B: Two years.