Life Elementary - Present Perfect or Past Simple Tense

Multiple Select

Which sentences talk about PAST?

• She's eaten Mochi before.

• Carol didn't celebrate my birthday last week.

• The managing directors have visited five countries.

• My parrot flew away a couple of hours ago.

• It's rained a lot.

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

​She's eaten Mochi before.
Carol didn't celebrate my birthday last week.
The managing directors have visited five countries.
My parrot flew away a couple of hours ago.
It's rained a lot.

​1) We use both Past Simple and Present Perfect Tense to talk about past.

Multiple Choice

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

She's eaten Mochi before.

The managing directors have visited five countries.

I've met a celebrity before.

Do we know EXACTLY WHEN the action happened?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

PAST SIMPLE TENSE

Carol didn't celebrate my birthday last week.

My parrot flew away a couple of hours ago.

Do we know EXACTLY WHEN the action happened?

• Yes

• No

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

​She's eaten Mochi before.
Carol didn't celebrate my birthday last week.
The managing directors have visited five countries.
My parrot flew away a couple of hours ago.
It's rained a lot.

​2) We use Past Simple when we know exactly when an action happened in the past. (last night, yesterday, two hours ago, three years ago, in 1991, last month, in the 18th century, at 3 p.m. at the weekend, etc.)

Multiple Choice

We all ______________ (eat) a lot today (It is 3 p.m.).

• have eaten

• ate

Multiple Choice

The manager ______________ (be) to 10 different countries this year. (It is 2025)

• was

• has been

Multiple Choice

She ______________ (not come) to the campus this morning. (It is 10 a.m.)

• didn't come

• hasn't come

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

We all have eaten a lot today (It is 3 p.m.).
The manager has been to 10 different countries this year. (It is 2025).
She hasn't come to the campus this morning. (It is 10 a.m.)

​3) We use Present Perfect Tense when the time refers to an unfinished period.

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

Graham Bell studied anatomy and physiology.
Einstein didn't fail math as a child.
J.K. Rowling has written novels for children.
Ed Sheeran has last composed "Eyes Closed".

​4) We use Present Perfect Tense to talk about the experiences of a LIVING PERSON.
We use Past Simple Tense to talk about the experiences of a PERSON WHO DOESN'T LIVE ANYMORE.

Multiple Choice

When _______ Elon Musk ______ (send) satellites to space?

• did/send

• has/sent

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

When did Elon Musk send satellites to space?
When did you last attend a conference?
When did Graham Bell invent the telephone?

​5) We use ONLY Past Simple with "when" to ask a question about Past.

​Present Perfect Tense and Past Simple Tense

​6) We start a conversation with Present Perfect Tense to talk about life experiences of a LIVING PERSON. But, we continued in PAST SIMPLE TENSE if we want to talk about the details.