Simple Past

action in the past taking place once, never or several times

Past Perfect
action taking place before a certain time in the past

actions in the past taking place one after the other

sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive

action in the past taking place in the middle of another action

puts emphasis only on the fact (not the duration or course of the action)

Questions in Past Perfect Simple

Complete the questions in Past Perfect Simple.

1. (what / Bob / do) that he was kept in after school? 2. (you / eat) anything before you went to the theatre? 3. (he / live) in London before he moved to Glasgow? 4. (she / find) a new job by that time? 5. (they / book) a room before they went to Dublin? 6. (how often / you / ring) the bell before he answered the door? 7. (why / they / have) dinner before they came to the party? 8. (Carly / wash) the dishes when her mum came home? 9. (you / read) the contract before you signed it? 10. (who / live) in the house before we moved in? 11. The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build) . 12. He (not / be) to Cape Town before 1997. 13. When she went out to play, she (do / already) her homework. 14. My brother ate all of the cake that our mum (make) . 15. The doctor took off the plaster that he (put on) six weeks before. 16. The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order) . 17. I could not remember the poem we (learn) the week before. 18. The children collected the chestnuts that (fall) from the tree. 19. (he / phone) Angie before he went to see her in London? 20. She (not / ride) a horse before that day.

English Tenses Graphic Comparison

Problems with the English tenses? Have a look at the time line, it might help you understand when to use which tense. As there is a similarity between past, present and future tenses, there are just a few rules to keep in mind. If you know how to use the present progressive correctly to express present actions, you will as well be able to use the past progressive correctly to express past actions. Legend

Legend

moment in time

action that takes place once, never or several times actions that happen one after another actions that suddenly take place

period of time Result

action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond that moment actions taking place at the same time

action taking place before a certain moment in time puts emphasis on the result action taking place before a certain moment in time

Course / Duration

puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action

English Tenses Examples

Explanation Past
Simple Past action that takes place once, never or several times

Present
Simple Present

Future
Future I Simple He will / is going to play football every Tuesday. He will play football and then he will go home. He will love football. Future I Progressive He will be playing football.

He played football every He plays football every Tuesday. Tuesday. He plays football and then he goes home. He loves football. Present Progressive

actions that happen one He played football and after another then he went home. state He loved football. Past Progressive action going on at that moment actions taking place at the same time

He was playing football. He is playing football. He was playing football and she was watching.

He is playing football and He will be playing she is watching. football and she will be watching. Present Perfect Simple Future II Simple

Past Perfect Simple

action taking place before He had won five matches He has won five matches He will have won five a certain moment in time; until that day. so far. matches by then. emphasises the result Past Perfect Progressive action taking place before He had been playing a certain moment in time football for ten years. (and beyond), emphasises the duration Present Perfect Progressive He has been playing football for ten years. Future II Progressive He will have been playing football for ten years.

Use
Simple Past Present Perfect

action in the past taking place once, never or several action that stopped recently or is still going on times

actions in the past taking place one after the other

finished action that has an influence on the present

action in the past taking place in the middle of another action

action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Use of Present Perfect

puts emphasis on the result Example: She has written five letters. action that is still going on Example: School has not started yet. action that stopped recently Example: She has cooked dinner. finished action that has an influence on the present Example: I have lost my key. action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking Example: I have never been to Australia.

Signal Words of Present Perfect

already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now

Exercise on Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

I (not / work) today. We (buy) a new lamp. We (not / plan) our holiday yet. Where (be / you) ? He (write) five letters. She (not / see) him for a long time. (be / you) at school? School (not / start) yet. (speak / he) to his boss? No, he (have / not) the time yet.

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

you / correct / my mistakes you / practise / your English she / tidy up / her room the boss / sign / the letter Mary / shut / the door -

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Tony has built a house. Avril has crossed the street at the traffic lights. They have never been to Australia. Rupert has dialled the number. Betty has spent 200 euros at the shopping mall. -

Test
Write the participle forms of the following verbs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. shut spend give teach sell

Complete the table in present perfect simple.

positive
We have chatted.

negative

question

The lesson has not started.

Have we won?

She has turned around.

They have not arrived.

Write sentences in present perfect simple. 1. 2. 3. 4. we / reach / our goal our team / lose / the match she / underline / the word they / not / discover / the treasure -

5.

Ron / not / talk / about the problem -

Write questions in present perfect simple. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. you / knock / at the door the teacher / mark / the tests she / buy / a new computer they / rescue / the girl Brad / wear / a blue shirt -

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

They have seen him at the library. Robby Robber has robbed another bank. Bill has ordered three desserts. Clara has repeated the sentence five times. Jane has asked a question. -

Simple Past (Past Simple)

Exercises on Simple Past The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Use of Simple Past

action in the past taking place once, never or several times Example: He visited his parents every weekend. actions in the past taking place one after the other Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down. action in the past taking place in the middle of another action Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang. if sentences type II (If I talked, ) Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Signal Words of Simple Past

yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, )

Write the verbs in simple past.

1.

The first settlers (be) the Potawatomi.

2. They (call) this place Checagou (wild onion) because it (smell) like onions. 3. Constructions on the Sears Tower (begin) in 1970. 4. Until 1997, the Sears Tower (be) the highest building in the world. English pool of exercise

Exercise on Simple Present

Form positive sentences in Simple Present. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Anna / the window / open I / bread / buy they / their pens / count Christine / her home / decorate it / too much / weigh we / the game / lose the children / on the floor / sleep Benjamin / the rules / break you / the sentence / understand they / trees / plant

Exercise on Present Progressive

Form positive sentences in Present Progressive. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. we / in the mountains / walk I / a magazine / read we / her / an apple / give she / in a play / act the teacher / our homework / check my crush / at me / smile

7. 8. 9. 10.

you / English / speak your father / a lorry / drive Jamie / the race / win the boss / the contracts / sign

Level 3 Form positive sentences in Present Progressive. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. you / a question / ask the dog / bark she / a bag / carry she / home / walk they / their mum / thank my crush / at me / smile we / tea / drink they / their furniture / sell Katy / a lot of money / spend the passengers / panic

Exercise on Simple Past

Form positive sentences in Simple Past. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. the dog / bark you / high / jump You / a song / sing Eric / his homework / forget he / cash / pay

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

she / her room / tidy she / the chapter / copy we / the numbers / divide he / his girlfriend / marry she / the word / underline

Level 4 Form positive sentences in Simple Past. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. you / high / jump Albert / squash / play you / thirsty / be he / to school / go they / their calculators / use she / my mistakes / correct I / my point of view / defend the snowman / in the sun / melt he / to our question / refer his nose / bleed

Exercise on Past Progressive

Form positive sentences in Past Progressive. 1. 2. 3. you / a question / ask you / cards / play it /rain

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Betty / her best / do I / a magazine / read she / on a chair / sit your father / a lorry / drive he / a blue shirt / wear We / our holidays / enjoy the child / behind the tree / hide

Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Greg / the ball / kick you / in the garden / work you / thirsty / be we / fish / eat they / their calculators / use we / the game / lose he / his leg / hurt she / a friend / phone Harry / trouble / cause they / a new gadget / invent

Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple. 1. 2. 3. they / us / call you / a box / carry you / cards / play

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

you / the house / see she / on a chair / sit she / in a play / act Amelie / the door / close you / early / wake up she / poems / write he / his job / quit

Exercise on Past Perfect Simple

Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. they / us / call we / her / an apple / give the dinner / a fortune / cost he / cash / pay Henry / houses / build we / the numbers / divide they / computers / order the secretary / the documents / print out he / his goals / reach they / to my question / react

Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple. 1. 2. John / money / collect we / the door / open

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

she / in a play / act the policeman / the thief / arrest she / her teeth / brush it / too much / weigh she / in London / teach Jim / his head / cover the secretary / the documents / print out the girl / out of the house / creep