Simple Past Past Perfect

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

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.

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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

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

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

Course / Duration

action taking place before a certain moment in time puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action

English Tenses – Examples

  Explanation Past Present Future

 Simple Past Simple Present Future I Simple

action that takes place once, never or several times

He played football every Tuesday.

He plays football every Tuesday.

He will / is going to play football every Tuesday.

actions that happen one after another

He played football and then he went home.

He plays football and then he goes home.

He will play football and then he will go home.

state He loved football. He loves football. He will love football.

  Past Progressive Present Progressive Future I Progressive

action going on at that moment

He was playing football.

He is playing football. He will be playing football.

actions taking place at the same time

He was playing football and she was watching.

He is playing football and she is watching.

He will be playing football and she will be watching.

  Past Perfect Simple Present Perfect Simple Future II Simple

action taking place before a certain moment in time; emphasises the result

He had won five matches until that day.

He has won five matches so far.

He will have won five matches by then.

  Past Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect Progressive

Future II Progressive

action taking place before a certain moment in time (and beyond), emphasises the duration

He had been playing football for ten years.

He has been playing football for ten years.

He will have been playing football for ten years.

Use

Simple Past Present Perfect

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

action that stopped recently or is still going on

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. I (not / work) today.

2. We (buy) a new lamp.

3. We (not / plan) our holiday yet.

4. Where (be / you) ?

5. He (write) five letters.

6. She (not / see) him for a long time.

7. (be / you) at school?

8. School (not / start) yet.

9. (speak / he) to his boss?

10. No, he (have / not) the time yet.

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1. you / correct / my mistakes -

2. you / practise / your English -

3. she / tidy up / her room -

4. the boss / sign / the letter -

5. Mary / shut / the door -

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

1. Tony has built a house. -

2. Avril has crossed the street at the traffic lights. -

3. They have never been to Australia. -

4. Rupert has dialled the number. -

5. Betty has spent 200 euros at the shopping mall. -

Test

Write the participle forms of the following verbs.

1. shut →

2. spend →

3. give →

4. teach →

5. sell →

Complete the table in present perfect simple.

positive negative question

We have chatted.

The lesson has not started.

Have we won?

She has turned around.

They have not arrived.

Write sentences in present perfect simple.

1. we / reach / our goal -

2. our team / lose / the match -

3. she / underline / the word -

4. they / not / discover / the treasure -

5. Ron / not / talk / about the problem -

Write questions in present perfect simple.

1. you / knock / at the door -

2. the teacher / mark / the tests -

3. she / buy / a new computer -

4. they / rescue / the girl -

5. Brad / wear / a blue shirt -

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

1. They have seen him at the library. -

2. Robby Robber has robbed another bank. -

3. Bill has ordered three desserts. -

4. Clara has repeated the sentence five times. -

5. 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 exerciseExercise on Simple Present

Form positive sentences in Simple Present.

1. Anna / the window / open

→

2. I / bread / buy

→ 3. they / their pens / count

→ 4. Christine / her home / decorate

→ 5. it / too much / weigh

→ 6. we / the game / lose

→ 7. the children / on the floor / sleep

→ 8. Benjamin / the rules / break

→ 9. you / the sentence / understand

→ 10. they / trees / plant

→

Exercise on Present Progressive

Form positive sentences in Present Progressive.

1. we / in the mountains / walk

→ 2. I / a magazine / read

→ 3. we / her / an apple / give

→ 4. she / in a play / act

→ 5. the teacher / our homework / check

→ 6. my crush / at me / smile

→ 7. you / English / speak

→

8. your father / a lorry / drive

→ 9. Jamie / the race / win

→ 10. the boss / the contracts / sign

→

Level 3 Form positive sentences in Present Progressive.

1. you / a question / ask

→ 2. the dog / bark

→ 3. she / a bag / carry

→ 4. she / home / walk

→ 5. they / their mum / thank

→ 6. my crush / at me / smile

→ 7. we / tea / drink

→ 8. they / their furniture / sell

→ 9. Katy / a lot of money / spend

→ 10. the passengers / panic

→

Exercise on Simple Past

Form positive sentences in Simple Past.

1. the dog / bark

→ 2. you / high / jump

→

3. You / a song / sing

→ 4. Eric / his homework / forget

→ 5. he / cash / pay

→ 6. she / her room / tidy

→ 7. she / the chapter / copy

→ 8. we / the numbers / divide

→ 9. he / his girlfriend / marry

→ 10. she / the word / underline

→

Level 4 Form positive sentences in Simple Past.

1. you / high / jump

→ 2. Albert / squash / play

→ 3. you / thirsty / be

→ 4. he / to school / go

→ 5. they / their calculators / use

→ 6. she / my mistakes / correct

→ 7. I / my point of view / defend

→ 8. the snowman / in the sun / melt

→

9. he / to our question / refer

→ 10. his nose / bleed

→

Exercise on Past Progressive

Form positive sentences in Past Progressive.

1. you / a question / ask

→ 2. you / cards / play

→ 3. it /rain

→ 4. Betty / her best / do

→ 5. I / a magazine / read

→ 6. she / on a chair / sit

→ 7. your father / a lorry / drive

→ 8. he / a blue shirt / wear

→ 9. We / our holidays / enjoy

→ 10. the child / behind the tree / hide

→

Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple.

1. Greg / the ball / kick

→ 2. you / in the garden / work

→ 3. you / thirsty / be

→

4. we / fish / eat

→ 5. they / their calculators / use

→ 6. we / the game / lose

→ 7. he / his leg / hurt

→ 8. she / a friend / phone

→ 9. Harry / trouble / cause

→ 10. they / a new gadget / invent

→

Form positive sentences in Present Perfect Simple.

1. they / us / call

→ 2. you / a box / carry

→ 3. you / cards / play

→ 4. you / the house / see

→ 5. she / on a chair / sit

→ 6. she / in a play / act

→ 7. Amelie / the door / close

→ 8. you / early / wake up

→ 9. she / poems / write

→ 10. he / his job / quit

→

Exercise on Past Perfect Simple

Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple.

1. they / us / call

→ 2. we / her / an apple / give

→ 3. the dinner / a fortune / cost

→ 4. he / cash / pay

→ 5. Henry / houses / build

→ 6. we / the numbers / divide

→ 7. they / computers / order

→ 8. the secretary / the documents / print out

→ 9. he / his goals / reach

→ 10. they / to my question / react

→

Form positive sentences in Past Perfect Simple.

1. John / money / collect

→ 2. we / the door / open

→ 3. she / in a play / act

→ 4. the policeman / the thief / arrest

→ 5. she / her teeth / brush

→ 6. it / too much / weigh

→

7. she / in London / teach

→ 8. Jim / his head / cover

→ 9. the secretary / the documents / print out

→ 10. the girl / out of the house / creep

→