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)

5.

(they / book)

6.

(how often / you / ring)

7.

(why / they / have)

8.

(Carly / wash)

9.

(you / read)

the contract before you signed it?

10.

(who / live)

in the house before we moved in?

a new job by that time?

a room before they went to Dublin?
the bell before he answered the door?
dinner before they came to the party?
the dishes when her mum came home?

11. The storm destroyed the sandcastle that we (build)

12. He (not / be)

had built

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)
16. The waiter brought a drink that I (not / order)
17. I could not remember the poem we (learn)

six weeks before.

.
the week before.

18. The children collected the chestnuts that (fall)

19. (he / phone)

from the tree.

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

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

Result

Course /
Duration

action taking place before a certain moment in time

puts emphasis on the result
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

action going on at that

moment

He was playing
football.

actions taking place at

the same time

He was playing football He is playing football

and she was watching.
and she is watching.

Past Perfect Simple

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

He had won five

matches until that day.

Past Perfect
Progressive
action taking place
before a certain
moment in time (and
beyond), emphasises

He had been playing

football for ten years.

He is playing football.

Present Perfect Simple

He has won five
matches so far.

Present Perfect
Progressive
He has been playing
football for ten years.

Future I Progressive
He will be playing
football.
He will be playing
football and she will be
watching.
Future II Simple
He will have won five
matches by then.

Future II Progressive
He will have been
playing football for ten
years.

the duration

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)

have not w orked

today.

2.

We (buy)

3.

We (not / plan)

4.

Where (be / you)

5.

He (write)

6.

She (not / see)

7.

(be / you)

8.

School (not / start)

9.

(speak / he)

10.

No, he (have / not)

a new lamp.
our holiday yet.
?
five letters.
him for a long time.
at school?
yet.
to his boss?
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)

2.

They (call)

the Potawatomi.
this place Checagou (wild onion) because it (smell)

like onions.
3.

Constructions on the Sears Tower (begin)

4.

Until 1997, the Sears Tower (be)

English pool of exercise

Exercise on Simple Present

Form positive sentences in Simple Present.
1.

Anna / the window / open

in 1970.
the highest building in the world.

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

Check answ ers

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