Question

Present perfect or past simple? Complete the sentences with the appropriate verb tense: 1. It.................................(be) four years since I moved to New York. 2. Mary .................(be) ill yesterday and ...................... (not/come) to school. 3. Last summer we ..........................(travel) to France and ...................(have) a great time. 5. When I was a child I ...............................(not like) vegetables but nowadays I love them! 6. ..................................(ever/be) to China? 7. My sister ...............................(not finish) her homework yet. 8. Our friends ...............................(go) to Mallorca last weekend. They ........................(drink) beer and ........................(sunbathe) on the beach. 9. When she ................(be) five she .....................(learn) how to cook an omelette. 10. Mike............................(travel) to five different countries. 11. John...............................(play) computer games yesterday evening. 12. Maria and I ............................(build) a snowman on a glacier. 13. We have friends who .................................(swim) with dolphins. 14. Jessica ......................................(already/watch) that film. 15. When we ......................(be) at university we ...........................(enjoy) spending time together. 16. In 1997 her husband ............................(leave) her and she .........................(feel) devastated. 17. When she ..............................(buy) her house last year she still .....................(have) a job, now she is jobless and can't pay the mortgage. 18. Our previous neighbours .........................(be) so nice! the current ones are so noisy! 19. I .............................(live) in this neighbourhood for years and I really love it! 20. ..............................(you/call) Tom last night?

Answer 1

1. have been
2. was; didn't come
3. travelled; had
4. ???
5. didn't like
6. have you ever been
7. hasn't finished
8. went; drank; sunbathed
9. was; learnt
10. has travelled
11. played
12. have built
13. have swum
14. has already watched
15. was; enjoyed
16. left; felt
17. bought;had
18. were
19. have been living
20. did you call

Answer 2

1. It has been four years since I moved to New York. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present.)

2. Mary was ill yesterday and didn't come to school. (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)

3. Last summer we traveled to France and had a great time. (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)

4. When I was a child, I didn't like vegetables, but nowadays I love them! (The first part of the sentence uses Past Simple to describe a past state, and the second part uses Present Simple to describe a present state.)

5. Have you ever been to China? (Present Perfect is used to ask about experiences in an unspecified time in the past.)

6. My sister hasn't finished her homework yet. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.)

7. Our friends went to Mallorca last weekend. They drank beer and sunbathed on the beach. (Past Simple is used to describe specific past actions with no connection to the present.)

8. When she was five, she learned how to cook an omelette. (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)

9. Mike has traveled to five different countries. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present.)

10. John played computer games yesterday evening. (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)

11. Maria and I built a snowman on a glacier. (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)

12. We have friends who have swum with dolphins. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.)

13. Jessica has already watched that film. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.)

14. When we were at university, we enjoyed spending time together. (Both verbs are in Past Simple to describe a specific past period.)

15. In 1997, her husband left her, and she felt devastated. (Both verbs are in Past Simple to describe specific past actions.)

16. When she bought her house last year, she still had a job. Now she is jobless and can't pay the mortgage. (The first verb is in Past Simple to describe a specific past action, and the second verb is in Present Simple to describe her current situation.)

17. Our previous neighbors were so nice! The current ones are so noisy! (Both verbs are in Past Simple to describe past and present situations.)

18. I have lived in this neighborhood for years, and I really love it. (Present Perfect is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has a connection to the present.)

19. Did you call Tom last night? (Past Simple is used to describe a specific past action with no connection to the present.)