Present perfect vs. past simple Exercises PDF

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Exercises with answers, PDF worksheets with keys and grammar rules with examples.

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Exercises with answers:

Present perfect vs. past simple (rewrite)

Rewrite statements and questions from the past simple into present perfect.

Present perfect vs. past simple (multiple choice)

Choose correct answers in a multiple choice quiz.

Free PDF worksheets to download:

Present perfect vs. Past simple worksheet PDF 1

Choose the correct tense to complete the conversation:
A: ___ Greg lately? (Have you seen - Did you see)
B: No, I ___ . (didn't - haven't) I ___ to him at the airport two weeks ago. (have talked - talked)

Present perfect vs. Past simple worksheet PDF 2

Choose the correct response:
1. Your house is finished. - A How long you worked on it? B How long did you work on it? C How long have you worked on it?

Present perfect vs. Past simple worksheet PDF 3

Correct mistakes:
He has waited for an hour and then he went away.
Here is your car. I just washed it.

Present perfect vs. Past simple worksheet PDF 4

Complete the sentences with the words in brackets:
This winter ___ long. When is it going to end? (be)
Where ___ when I called you? (you - be)

Present perfect vs. Past simple worksheet PDF 5

Use the underlined words to make statements or questions:
She sometimes wears a wig.
When ___ she last ___ it?

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Present perfect PDF rules

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English grammar PDF All PDF rules on e-grammar.org.

1. We use the present perfect to say that something happened in the past, but it is important now. We do not specify when the action happened because the time of the action is not relevant. If we give the time or it is clear from the context, we must use the past simple. The time of the action is relevant.
Have you had breakfast? - Did you have breakfast at the hotel?
I have received your letter. - I have received your letter yesterday.
They have told me. - They told me when we met.
Have you had the operation? - When did you have the operation?

2. The present perfect is often used with expressions indicating that the activities come up to now, such as: for 10 years, since 1995, all week, all the time, always, lately, recently ...
We have always worked in York. (We still work in York.)
It has been quite cold lately. (It is still cold.)

If the activity started and ended in the past we use the past simple.
I have smoked for 5 years. (= I still smoke.)
I smoked for 5 years. (= I smoked, for example, from 2000 to 2005, then I stopped.)