Past Simple vs Present Perfect

Front

We (1) ___________ (decide) to make a 15-day trip to New Zealand.

Back

have decided

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'have decided' because it indicates a completed action relevant to the present. The phrase suggests that Sue and Peter made the decision recently, which aligns with the context of planning their trip.

Front

We (2) ___________ (prepared) our holiday carefully, and now we’re at Heathrow Airport, waiting to leave England.

Back

have prepared

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'have prepared' because it indicates a completed action relevant to the present situation at the airport, emphasizing the careful planning of the holiday.

Front

On 24th October we (3) ___________ (leave) London, flying Air France.

Back

left

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'left' because the sentence describes a completed action in the past. The verb 'leave' should be in the past tense to match the context of the holiday starting on 24th October.

Front

We (4) ___________ (have) a short stop in Hong Kong.

Back

had

Answer explanation

The correct form is 'have' because the sentence indicates a present situation. 'Had' is the past tense and does not fit the context of a current short stop in Hong Kong.

Front

And then we ___________ (arrive) at Auckland Airport on the 25th, in the evening.

Back

arrived

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'arrived' because the sentence refers to a completed action in the past, indicated by 'on the 25th, in the evening'. Therefore, the past tense form 'arrived' is appropriate.

Front

The flight (6) ___________ (take) 24 hours, but New Zealand is 12 hours ahead of us.

Back

took

Answer explanation

The correct form is 'takes' because the subject 'the flight' is singular. The sentence should read: 'The flight takes 24 hours...' indicating the duration of the flight.

Front

On our first day in Auckland we (8) ___________ (visit) the Auckland Museum, well-known for its impressive collection of Maori and Polynesian artefacts.

Back

visited

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'visited' because it indicates a completed action on the first day in Auckland. 'Have visited' and 'have been visiting' suggest ongoing or recent actions, which do not fit the context.

Front

Last summer, we (5) ___________ (explore) the beautiful beaches of Thailand, and it was an unforgettable experience. Options: are exploring, explore, explored, have explored

Back

have explored

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'have explored' because it indicates a past action with relevance to the present, fitting the context of an unforgettable experience from last summer.

Front

During our trip to Paris, we (3) ___________ (see) the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, and it was breathtaking.

Back

have seen

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'have seen' because it indicates an experience that occurred at an unspecified time in the past, which fits the context of recalling a memorable event during the trip.

Front

Before we left for our trip, we (6) ___________ (book) our flights and accommodations in advance.

Back

booked

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'booked' because it is the simple past tense, indicating that the action of booking flights and accommodations was completed before the trip.