Present Perfect & Simple Past

I love to travel. I
have been to more
than 10 countries.
The present perfect refers to actions that have
happened some time before now.
I love to travel. I
have been to
more than 10
countries.

2
The present perfect is formed by have/had + ed.

I have walked to school a few times.

She has skated on Lake Washington.
He’s discovered how to study effectively.

3
Present Perfect

She has already finished her homework.

homework
did

now

an activity that happened at

an indefinite time in the past

2 4
Present Perfect
Affirmative and Negative

I/You/We/They have (not) been to Paris

He/She/It has

They have been to many interesting places.

She has not been to North America.

5
Present Perfect
Question
Have I/you/we/they
been to Africa
Has he/she/it

Have you been to London?

Has he been to North or South America?

6
 There are many irregular past participles.

be been know known

begin begun make made
break broke pay paid
buy bought see seen
come come take taken
cost cost think thought
drink drunk understand understood
eat eaten wear worn

7
 The present perfect expresses an
experience as part of someone’s life.

I’ve travelled a lot in South America.

She has enjoyed many types of food.
He’s lived in many different places.
We have taken long boat rides down the Amazon.

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The present perfect expresses an
experience as part of someone’s life.
Ever and never are common with this use.

I’ve never travelled in South America.

Have you ever been to Egypt?
He’s never lived in Spain.
Have you ever been able to ski?
We have never ridden in a helicopter.

9
 The present perfect expresses an
action or state which began in the
past and continues to the present.

I’ve known Robert for years.

How long have you worked as a tour guide?

10
The present perfect expresses an action or state
which began in the past and continues to the
present. The time expressions for and since are
common with this use.

I’ve known Robert since I was a child.

I’ve worked as a tour guide for twelve years.
He’s had a beard since he left college.

11
The present perfect expresses a past
action with results in the present.

I’ve lost my passport.

The bus has arrived.
Has the mail been delivered?

12
The present perfect expresses a past action with
results in the present. The adverbs just, already,
and yet are common with this use.

I’ve just lost my passport.

The bus has already arrived.
Has the mail been delivered yet?

13
 The present perfect can express
unfinished actions. The past simple
expresses completed actions.

I’ve lived in New York for two months.

(I still live there.)
I lived in New York for two months.
(Now I live somewhere else.)

He’s written many books.

(He can still write more books.)

He wrote many books before he died.

(He can’t write any more.)
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 The present perfect can express unfinished actions.
The past simple expresses completed actions.

Present Perfect I have skated for a long time.

– indefinite He has skated since June.
We have skated once before.
They have skated recently.

Past Simple I skated last Saturday.

– definite He skated in June.
We skated once last year.
They skated this morning.
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 Present Perfect & Simple Past
Click on the correct phrases.
incorrect correct incorrect
She have eaten We have been Has you lost
She has eaten Have you lost

incorrect incorrect correct

We has worn They has taken It has arrived
We have worn They have taken

Have with I, You, We, They

Has with He, She, it
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 Present Perfect & Simple Past
Click on the correct phrases.
incorrect correct incorrect
She has beed I have been Have you taked
She has been Have you taken

incorrect incorrect correct

We have meeted They have taked We have come
We have met They have taken

There are many irregular past participles.

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 Present Perfect & Simple Past

Click on the correct tense of the underlined verb.

He visited the United States last June.

Present Simple
Perfect Past
incorrect correct

The simple past expresses completed actions.

His trip in last June is now over.

18
 Present Perfect & Simple Past

Click on the correct tense of the underlined verb.

She has visited the United States many times.

Present Past
Perfect Simple
correct incorrect

The present perfect can express unfinished

actions. (She many visit the U.S. again.)

19
 Present Perfect & Simple Past

Click on the correct tense of the underlined verb.

They have never met my cousin.

Present Past
Perfect Simple
correct incorrect

The present perfect can express an action that

happened at an indefinite time in the past.

20
 Present Perfect or Past Simple

Click on the correct sentences.

How long have you owned your car? correct

He works as a waiter all his life. incorrect

He has worked as a waiter all his life. correct

I have broken my arm last Monday. incorrect

I broke my arm last Monday. correct
Present Perfect & Simple Past

The End

Created by Laurette Poulos Simmons

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