Putting the verbs in brackets into the present perfect or past

simple. If two answers are possible, write the more likely one.

Ann Jones is one of the most interesting people I (1.meet): she is

only twenty five, but she (2.travel) to over fifty different

countries. Five years ago, she (3.be) a typist in Birmingham, but

she (4.decide) to give up her job and see the world. Since then, her

life (5.change) completely.

The first time she (6.go) abroad was seven years ago, when

she (7.be) just eighteen. She (8.take) a boat to France and

then (9.hitch-hike) around Europe for five weeks.

She (10.visit) Europe many times since that first trip, of course,

but this holiday (11.be) the one which (12.make) her start

travelling. She (13.never forget) the excitement of those five

weeks - although it (14.be) not all enjoyable. When

she (15.be) on a train, somebody (16.steal) her purse:

she (17.lose) all hermoney, and (18.have) to work in a

restaurant for a fortnight. She (19.make) some good friends there,

however, and (20.return) several times since then.

How did she find the money for her travels? After her first trip abroad,

she (21.go) home and (22.work) for two years, saving all the
time. Now she travels continually, finding work when her money gets low.

She (23.make) a lot of friends, she says, and (24.learn)

quite a few languages. Although she (25.have) occasional difficulties

and (26.often be) sick, she (27.never think) about

giving up her travels. "The first time I (28.go)

abroad (29.change) my life", she says, "and I (30.want) to

travel ever since".
PRESENT PERFECT / PAST SIMPLE

I (do) lots of horrible jobs in my life, but the worst job

I (ever have) was selling hotdogs. I (always be) a

vegetarian and I (never eat) a hotdog in my life and never

will. I (start) the job two years ago at the beginning of the summer

holidays because I (need) the money to pay for my

studies. We (have) to sell the hotdogs from little trolleys in London's

Green Park. I (think) I would like the job because

I (always like) working outdoors. I was so wrong !

I (never make) such a big mistake in my whole life. The hotdogs and

the onions (smell) disgusting, the customers (be)

rude and we (often have) problems with the police. The

boss (be) a big, fat man in a leather jacket. He (shout)

at us all the time. 'How many (you sell)

today?''You (not sell) enough!' One day, the

police (arrest) him and that (be) the end of the

job. I (never be) so happy in my whole life!

1. Complete with the past simple or present perfect simple form of the verbs in box.

Go hear leave particle write live watch particle come not go

1. Martin ................................................ school when he was 16.

2. ................................................ (you) the film about penguins last night?

3. Wendy isnt here now she ................................................ to the shops.

4. I ................................................... a story do you want to read it?

5. The footballers ................................................ onto the pitch twice.

6. I might buy this CD. ................................................. of it?

7. People ............................................. in Athens for thousands of years.

8. You ............................................. to the party yesterday. Why?

2. Complete with the past simple or present perfect simple form of the verbs in box.

See arrive go discover not speak do have not see be not eat
be go

1. Columbus _______________________________ America more than 400 years ago

2. I ____________________________ you for more than a week.

3. I _____________________________ caviare since I was in Moscow.

4. ________________________________ (you) the moon last night?

5. I ___________________ this sort of work when I ________________ an apprentice.

6. How long ago __________________________ the last moon landing?

7. You ______________________ a new one every day for the last six weeks.

8. How long ago you __________________________ here?

9. They ___________________________ to each other since they quarrelled.

10. John isnt in. He ______________________ to the pictures again although he

________________________ twice already this week.

Put in the Present Perfect or Past Simple of the verbs in box.

Do have work get never see win tidy be go come

1 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . these shoes since my eighteenth birthday.

2 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my desk, but now its in a mess again.
3 The last time I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . to Brighton was in August.
4 Id like to meet a ghost, but I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one.
5 Ive finished my homework. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it before tea.
6 And the race is over! And Micky Simpson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in a record time!
7 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for a computer company for a year. That was after college.
8 What time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (you) to work this morning?
9 Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to Greece five times. He loves the place.
10 The President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . out of the building and is going to make a speech.

Be get ring not ride be see be ever bake move

1 You wont believe this, but Ive got some tickets for the concert. ~ Oh, well done.
How . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . them?
2 Of course I can ride a bike. But I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one for years.
3 Marilyn Monroe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in about thirty films.
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (you) your own bread? ~ No, but I might try it some time.
5 Janet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . very ill three years ago.
6 Rupert has left a message for you. He . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . last night.
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (you) the news today? ~ No, not yet. Ill watch it at ten.
8 We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . here in 1993. We . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. here a long time now.
 IMPORTANT

Put in the Present Perfect or Past Simple of the verbs in box.

Play live leave just finish play steal go already eat not be never
be spend live finish not arrive die

1. I __________________________ in Seattle for five years.

2. Someone __________________________ my bike! Now Ill have to walk home.
3. When Bob was young he __________________________ in London.
4. I would like to visit Berlin sometime. Unfortunately, I __________________ there
5. Tim __________________________ to Scotland last year.
6. Im afraid Im not hungry anymore. I __________________________
7. They dont live here any more. They _________________________ two years ago
8. Ann, __________________________ reading the newspaper yet?
9. We __________________________ football yesterday afternoon.
10. The weather __________________________ very good last week.
11. Where are the girls? They __________________________ yet.
12. Her friend is an actor. He __________________________ in many movies.
13. We __________________________ our vacation in Florida last summer.
14. His grandfather __________________________ in April last year.
15. Im ready to go shopping. I __________________________ my homework.

Play visit never forget go meet not eat clean buy just read win

1. Peter __________________________ football yesterday.

2. They __________________________ the car. It looks new again.
3. Last year we __________________________ to Italy.
4. John and Peggy ______________________ the book. Now they can watch the film.
5. I __________________________ my friend two days ago.
6. We __________________________ another country before.
7. She __________________________ a new car in 2011.
8. Im sorry but I __________________________my homework.
9. __________________________ the game of chess?
10. The girls __________________________ their lunch yet.
 IMPORTANT

Put in the Present Perfect or Past Simple of the verbs in box.

Lose phone live write do arrive not see break see leave stay

1. I __________________________ my keys, so I cant open that door.

2. Columbus __________________________ in the New World in 1492.
3. Nina __________________________ her leg. She is still in hospital.
4. I __________________________ here all my life.
5. Colin __________________________ for Brazil this morning.
6. Last winter Robin __________________________ with his friend in the Alps for
three days.
7. Ellen __________________________ with her left hand.
8. She __________________________ a language course in Paris last summer.
9. __________________________ (anyone) yet?
10. I ______________________ Paul today, but I ________________ him last Sunday.

Be never watch have not see write not come read eat not have speak

1. I __________________________ Michael last week he wasnt at work.

2. __________________________ a birthday party last year?
3. How many times __________________________ (you) Indian food?
4. I __________________________ to Africa but I would like to go.
5. Who __________________________ the book War and Peace? Do you know?
6. I __________________________ all of Shakespeares plays. I love them all.
7. __________________________ that TV programme about the Beattles at the
weekend? It was great!
8. I __________________________ to work yesterday because I was ill. Sorry.
9. I __________________________ a cigarette for three days. Im trying to give up
10. ____________________________ to Martin in the last week?
1. A: Did you like the movie "Star Wars?"
B: I don't know. I (see, never) that movie.

2. Sam (arrive) in San Diego a week ago.

3. My best friend and I (know) each other for over fifteen years. We still
get together once a week.

4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short stories in

the last year. One day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway.

5. I (have, not) this much fun since I (be) a kid.

6. Things (change) a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first

(start) working here three years ago, the company (have,
only) six employees. Since then, we (expand) to include
more than 2000 full-time workers.

7. I (tell) him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he

(wander) off into the forest and (be) bitten by a snake.

8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You
(be) late to work too many times. You are fired!

9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see,
never) the ocean. He should come with us to Miami.

10. How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died, but
he didn't make it. He (see, never) the ocean.

11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) much easier and very
comfortable. In the 19th century, it (take) two or three months to cross
North America by covered wagon. The trip (be) very rough and often
dangerous. Things (change) a great deal in the last hundred and fifty
years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours.
12. Jonny, I can't believe how much you (change) since the last time I
(see) you. You (grow) at least a foot!

13. This tree (be) planted by the settlers who (found) our
city over four hundred years ago.

14. This mountain (be, never) climbed by anyone. Several mountaineers

(try) to reach the top, but nobody (succeed, ever) . The
climb is extremely difficult and many people (die) trying to reach the
summit.

15. I (visit, never) Africa, but I (travel) to South America

several times. The last time I (go) to South America, I
(visit) Brazil and Peru. I (spend) two weeks in the Amazon,
(hike) for a week near Machu Picchu, and (fly) over the
Nazca Lines.

1. Complete the sentences with the verb in brackets in past simple or present
perfect.

Have be go work live be go be paint write read watch not see

1. She loves Paris. She ........................... there many times.

2. Bill ............................... in that company for 3 years. (He still works there).
3. They .................................. to London on holiday last summer.
4. I .................................... that book. Its good.
5. His parents ..................................... here yesterday.
6. They ................................ to Germany when he ....................... only 4.
7. .......................................... (you) any film last night?
8. I ..................................... a couple of toasts for breakfast this morning.
9. He .................................... in Rome since he was a teenager.
10. The house looks different. ....................................... (you) it?
11. I .................................... you in class last Friday.
12. Shakespeare ....................................... over one hundred sonnets.
Choose the present perfect or past simple:
See be break arrive walk be know see unpack become go get
break know see
1. I _________________ three police cars this morning
2. After he _________________ home, he _________________ and _______________
to bed early.
3. A: Whats wrong?
B: I _________________ a glass!
4. My grandparents only _________________ each other for a few months before they
_________________ married.
5. I _________________ in London for three years. I love it here.
6. We _________________ Julie last night.
7. He _________________ a teacher before he _________________ a musician.
8. When the boss _________________ into the room, we ________________ someone
was going to get fired.
9. The children _________________ a window in the school last week.
10. He _________________ that film last year.

Break be arrive know see arrive be not find arrive break fall
know arrive

1. Lucy _________________ her leg, so she cant come skiing.

2. Julie _________________! Come and say hello!
3. They _________________ cold when they _________________ home.
4. Jack _________________ his arm when he _________________ off a horse in 2005.
5. I _________________ about the problem for months, but I _________________ a
solution yet.
6. A: When _________________ (you)?
B: At 10pm last night.
7. She _________________ a teacher for ten years, and she still enjoys it.
8. How long _________________ (you) Jill? I know you see her often.
9. I _________________ the sea before.
10. A: Hello
B: Hi Mum, its me. I just wanted to say I _________________ safely and everything is
fine.