English Grammar Exercises for B1- Present perfect and past simple contrast

1. Circle the correct answers.

1   Fran went / has gone ballroom dancing last night.

2   Did you finish / Have you finished vlogging yet?

3   I had / have had this camera for over a year.

4   I read / have read the whole magazine in an hour.

5   Sam isn’t hungry because he already ate / has already eaten.

6   Did you go / Have you been cycling last weekend?

2. Correct the mistakes in the sentences.

1   I didn’t go rollerblading before. Is it fun?

     ……………………………………………..

2   I’ve fallen over while I was ice skating.

     ……………………………………………..

3   Did Jasmine text you yet?

     ……………………………………………..

4   Dan has gone bowling on his birthday.

     ……………………………………………..

5   I didn’t go camping since last summer.

     ……………………………………………..

3. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the past simple in one sentence and the present perfect in the other.

1   a   I ……………………….. skateboarding lots of time. (go)

     b   Katie ……………………….. shopping yesterday. (go)

2   a   When ……………………….. you ……………………….. that cake? (bake)

     b   I ……………………….. cakes since I was ten. (bake)

3   a   Joe loves karate. He ……………………….. it for ages. (do)

     b   I ……………………….. ballet for a year, but I gave it up. (do)

4   a   Northern Lights is a great book. ……………………….. you ……………………….. it? (read)

     b   I ……………………….. four novels last month. (read)

4. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Use the words in brackets and the past simple or present perfect. You will need to add other words.

1   I can still remember my tenth birthday party. (never)

     I have never forgotten my tenth birthday party.

2   Tomorrow, Jason will go horse riding for the first time. (never)

      Jason …………………………………………… horse riding before.

3   I haven’t played table tennis for a year. (ago)

     I last ……………………………………………

4   Tom has just texted me. (a moment ago)

      Tom ……………………………………………

5   The last time I vlogged was a year ago. (for)

      I …………………………………………… a year.

6   Is this your first time at this gym? (ever)

      …………………………………………… before?

7   My brother has collected stamps since he was six. (collecting)

      My …………………………………………… when he was six.

5. Complete the interview with the past time or present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.

Interviewer    When 1………………………… you ………………………… (start) rollerblading?

Tiffany             I first 2………………………… (go) rollerblading when I was nine. I 3………………………… (stop) for a few years, then I 4………………………… (take) it up again when I was in my teens.

Interviewer    How often do you practise?

Tiffany             As often as I can. But it 5………………………… (be) very wet recently, so I 6………………………… (not be able) to get out on the streets much, which is very frustrating.

Interviewer    Who are your favourite rollerbladers?

Tiffany             I love watching Chris Haffey. I 7………………………… (always / admire) him. In 2011, he 8………………………… (break) the world record for the longest jump – 30 metres!

Interviewer    9………………………… you ………………………… (have) much success in competitions?

Tiffany             Yes, I 10………………………… (win) quite a few competitions. I 11………………………… (come) first in the 2014 Street Rollerblading Open Championship.

Interviewer    That’s fantastic!

6. Complete the text with the correct past simple or present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.

Twenty-three-year-old Sam Willoughby is a world champion BMX rider. He 1………………………… (get) his first bike when he was six, and since then he 2………………………… (take) par in numerous competitions, including the 2012 London Olympics where he 3………………………… (win) a silver medal. Although Sam is Australian, he 4………………………… (not live) in the country of his birth since he 5………………………… (leave) for the USA at the age of sixteen. During his first years in California, he 6………………………… (not have) any money, but since then, his prize money 7………………………… (make) him wealth. Sam currently lives in San Diego, and he has an American girlfriend, Alise Post. Alise, who 8………………………… (know) Sam for several years, is also a BMX champion.