Page 43 - Grasp English B1 (Grammar Book)

The Biosphere 7

Present perfect vs simple past

The simple past and the present perfect are similar because they can both be used to talk about
completed past actions.
We use the present perfect to talk about what happened, not when it happened. We use the following
time expressions ever, just, already, yet, before, many times, etc. in present perfect tense.
e.g.
This is my favourite movie. I have seen it many times. (We don’t know when the speaker saw the movie,
but we know that s/he saw it)
When we want to say when an action happened, we use the simple past and we use time expressions
such as: yesterday, ago, last week,/month/year.
e.g.
This is my favourite movie. I saw it last night. (We know when the speaker watches the movie: last night)
Note: When we talk about our experiences using ever, we continue the conversation with simple past
to receive more details.
e.g.
A: Have you ever been abroad?

B: Yes, I have.
A: Really? Where did you go?
B: I went to Germany last year.

A. Complete the blanks with the present perfect simple or simple past form of the verbs in brackets.

1. A: I a hamburger for a long time. (not – eat)
B: That’s strange. I one half an hour ago. (eat)
2. There a civil war in the country, and it for 30 years. It
years to rebuild the destroyed cities. (be/last/take)
3. A: When you the fish? (buy)
B: Yesterday, but I it yet. (not – cook)
A: Would you like to eat some fish?
B: Thank you. I my dinner. (already – eat)

4. Alice to the bank. She wants to cash a cheque. (go)
5. I first-aid for one year, and it me in my life. (study/help)

6. Last week, I three interviews to get a job, but nobody me so far.
(have/call)
7. I know how this book ends. I it before. (read)
8. My younger brother is very interested in football. He more than six sports magazines
this week. (buy)

9. A: you a trip to Greece? (ever – take)
B: Yes, I to Greece when I was a university student five years ago. (go)
10. Your son . He’s a young man now. (grow up)

Grasp English B1 Grammar Book © Prime Press, 2021 | www.primepress.com 41