Exercise – Present Perfect Vs. Past Simple

The Present Perfect vs. The Past Simple

Exercise Set 1

  1. I can’t login to my account. I ____________________ (to forget) my password.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] forgot [/show_more]
  2. I ____________________ (to buy) a lot of groceries, so my refrigerator is full.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] bought [/show_more]
  3. I meant to write you last night, but I ____________________ (to fall) asleep.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] fell [/show_more]
  4. William ____________________ (to be) on vacation in the mountains, but is back home now.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] was [/show_more]
  5. How are you?          I ____________________ (to have) the flu for the past couple of days but am all better now.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] had [/show_more]
  6. Excuse me, can you help? We ____________________ (to get? OR to be?) lost.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] are, got, have gotten [/show_more]

Exercise Set 2

  1. Did you hear about the bridge? It ____________________ (to fall) into the river.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] fell [/show_more]
  2. Rocky Balboa ____________________ (to train) to box under [[[Mickey Goldmill]]].
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] trained [/show_more]
  3. How many battles ____________________ (Alexander the Great / to lose)?
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] did Alexander the Great lose [/show_more]
  4. I ____________________ (to eat) a spicy burrito and now my mouth is burning.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] ate [/show_more]
  5. The book he released a few years ago ____________________ (to become) one of the bestsellers of all time.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] has become [/show_more]
  6. Who ____________________ (to discover) the principle of evolution?
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] discovered [/show_more]
  7. Where ____________________ (you / to graduate) from high school?
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] did you graduate [/show_more]
  8. The bridge is gone. I ____________________ (to collapse) into the river.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] collapsed [/show_more]
  9. Isaac Newton ____________________ (to be) one of world’s great geniuses, who ____________________ (to invent) both physics and calculus.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] was / invented [/show_more]

Exercise Set 3

  1. I ____________________ (to stop) eating McDonald’s for a while, but here I am again.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] stopped [/show_more]
  2. I toured Europe 10 years ago, and went again last month, and wow, Europe ____________________ (really / to change).
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] has changed [/show_more]
  3. I made a lot of money this year, but I ____________________ (already / to spend) almost all of it.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] already spent [/show_more]
  4. The model ____________________ (to eat) two cheeseburgers, but then put her finger down her throat and threw them up.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] ate [/show_more]
  5. What do you think about Metallica’s style? I ____________________ (to change), but ____________________ (it / to get) better?
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] has changed / has it gotten [/show_more]
  6. Are you still using the stove?          No, I ____________________ (to finish) what I was cooking. It’s all yours.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] finished [/show_more]
  7. She ____________________ (to try) to run the marathon, but ended up quitting one third of the way through.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] tried [/show_more]
  8. Where are my keys? I ____________________ (to put) them right there and now they’re gone.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] put [/show_more]
  9. Hey, call the fire department. The store across the street ____________________ (to catch? OR to be?) on fire.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] is, caught, has caught [/show_more]
  10. The discount store down the street ____________________ (to burn down). Did you hear?          Really? How ____________________ (that / happen)?          Nobody knows for sure yet, but some people think the owner ____________________ (to set) the fire himself to collect the insurance money.
    [show_more more=”show answer” less=hide size=90] burned down / did that happen / set [/show_more]

Related Lessons

How To Understand English Tenses

What The English Tenses Mean

Graphic: The Perfect