Grammar Quiz. Past Simple & Present Perfect

____ painting the bedroom yet? No, I'll do it tomorrow

• Have you finished

• Did you finish

Answer explanation

We often use the present perfect with just, already and yet

I (1)___ much last year, but I (2)___ a lot this year.

• 1) haven't earned

  2) earned

• 1) didn't earn

  2) have earned

Answer explanation

• - We use the past simple with a past expression (last week, yesterday, when I was a child, etc.)
  - We can use the present perfect with time expressions when the time we mention has not finished: today, this week, this year, etc. 

____ a holiday recently?

• Did you have

• Have you had

Answer explanation

We often use the present perfect with recently to talk about past recent actions.

We (1)___ last week. We (2)___ here for 5 days.

• 1) have arrived

  2) were

• 1) arrived

  2) have been

Answer explanation

• - We use the past simple with a past expression: last week, yesterday, etc.
  - We can use the present perfect with for and since and how long to ask or talk about situations that started in the past and have not finished.

Mr. Barnes is very important in this company. He ____ here for 30 years.

• has worked

• have worked

• worked

• didn't work

He loves gardening. He ____ a gardener all his life.

• was

• were

• have been

• has been

Answer explanation

all his life = from the past until now; his life hasn't finished yet

This the the most delicious dish I ____

• ever ate

• have ever eaten

Answer explanation

We can use the present perfect with a superlative adjective and ever.

My mother ___  in Scotland.

• grew up

• has grown up

Answer explanation

We use the past simple (NOT present perfect) when we mention or ask about when something happened, or when the time is known by the speaker and the listener.

Mary isn't here. She ______ to Egypt.     B: I ______ to Egypt.

• has gone/have never gone

• has gone/have never been

• went / have never gone

Answer explanation

• - We often use the words never, ever, or before to talk about experiences

• - We say someone has gone somewhere when this person is still away, and we say someone has been somewhere when this person has already come back from that place.

I ______ my arm. I ______ it playing with my cousin.

• 've broken / 've broken

• 've broken / broke

• broke / 've broken

Answer explanation

We use the present perfect to introduce a past event or experience and we don't say when (I've broken my arm), but if we continue talking and we give details, then we use the past simple (I broke it playing with...).