G3: Verbs IV - Present Perfect vs. Simple Past

by Tom Rohrbach

Do you know when to use 'present perfect' and when to use 'simple past'?

Let's find out. Try this quiz...

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
TENSE	SIMPLE PAST	PRESENT PERFECT
HOW TO DECIDE...	happened at a specific time in the past action is finished sentence uses past time words or expression	happened in the past, but no specific time mentioned happened before now, or continuing until now hasn't happened yet, or has just happened
EXAMPLE TIME WORDS	"last week" "a few minutes ago" "in 2009" "when I was young"	"already" "not ... yet" "still ... not" "just"

Miguel __ (go) to California last month.
1. went
2. has gone
I __ (visit) New York City twice already.
1. visited
2. have visited
Little Billy __ (break) two of his brother’s toys last week.
1. broke
2. has broken
I __ (already + hear) the news.
1. already heard
2. have already heard
We can’t go ice skating. The lake __ (not + freeze) yet.
1. didn't freeze
2. hasn't frozen
The little girl __ (grow) two inches this year.
1. grew
2. has grown
You missed her. Miss Sanders __ (leave) a few minutes ago.
1. left
2. has left
Our hockey team __ (win) almost all their games so far this season.
1. won
2. has won
Mom, Jennie __ (not + get ready) yet!
1. didn't get ready
2. hasn't got ready
3. hasn't gotten ready
Missy Franklin, from Colorado, __ (swim) for four gold medals in the last summer Olympics.
1. swam
2. swum
3. has swum
You know the present perfect verb tense. Our teacher __ (teach) us that last term!
1. teached
2. taught
3. has taught
You’re too late. The mailman __ (already + pick up) the mail.
1. already picked up
2. has already picked up
I can’t buy new golf clubs this month. My wife __ (spend) $2,000 on new clothes at the mall last weekend.
1. spent
2. has spent
I __ (know) Tracy when I was a child, but I haven’t seen her in many years.
1. knew
2. have known