Past simple or present simple with K…: English ESL worksheets pdf ... - Free Printable

Let's solve this grammar exercise step by step. The task is to complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs, using either the past simple or present simple tense, depending on the context.

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🔹 Rules Reminder:

- Present Simple: Used for habits, general truths, repeated actions.
- Example: I go to school every day.
- Past Simple: Used for completed actions in the past.
- Example: I went to school yesterday.

We’ll go through each sentence and determine which tense fits best based on time clues (e.g., *last Sunday*, *every day*, *yesterday*, etc.).

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✔ Solutions with Explanations

1. We ________ (go) to the fun fair last Sunday.
→ went
*“Last Sunday” indicates a past event.*
✔️ Past Simple

2. I ________ (clean) my teeth twice a day every day.
→ clean
*“Twice a day every day” shows a regular habit.*
✔️ Present Simple

3. We ________ (revise) for our maths test yesterday.
→ revised
*“Yesterday” = past time.*
✔️ Past Simple

4. The Rolling Stones ________ (finish) their tour not long ago.
→ finished
*“Not long ago” = recent past.*
✔️ Past Simple

5. Sally ________ (play) tennis in a club.
→ plays
*No specific time given; implies a current habit.*
✔️ Present Simple

6. Why ________ you ________ (like) shopping?
→ do / like
*This is a present habit/question about preference.*
✔️ Present Simple (auxiliary "do" + base verb)

7. We ________ (go) to London last year.
→ went
*“Last year” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

8. John and I ________ (want) to travel all through the USA.
→ want
*General desire; no past time indicator.*
✔️ Present Simple

9. My neighbours ________ (mow) their lawn two days ago.
→ mowed
*“Two days ago” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

10. Mr Trump ________ (be) elected president of the USA in November 2016.
→ was
*“In November 2016” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple (subject is singular: “Mr Trump”)

11. I have been interested in history ever since I ________ (be) a child.
→ was
*“Ever since” refers to a point in the past (childhood).*
✔️ Past Simple

12. Sam ________ (do) his homework when he ________ (come) back from school three hours ago!
→ was doing / came
*“When he came” = past event; “was doing” = action in progress at that time.*
✔️ Past Continuous (was doing) + Past Simple (came)

> Note: This sentence uses past continuous + past simple for interrupted actions.

13. I always ________ (feel) tired at the end of a work week.
→ feel
*“Always” = habitual action.*
✔️ Present Simple

14. Sandy ________ (meet) her boyfriend at a New Year’s Eve party.
→ met
*“New Year’s Eve party” = past event.*
✔️ Past Simple

15. John ________ (work) in a hospital as a nurse.
→ works
*No past time marker; describes current job.*
✔️ Present Simple

16. Many people ________ (take) part in the demonstration for peace last Sunday in Paris.
→ took
*“Last Sunday” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

17. My father’s car ________ (break) down as he ________ (be) going to work last Monday.
→ broke / was
*“Last Monday” = past; “was going” = ongoing action.*
✔️ Past Simple (broke) + Past Continuous (was going)

18. Kate ________ (start) working in this factory three years ago.
→ started
*“Three years ago” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

19. Max ________ (drop) his smart phone in the toilet this morning and he ________ (be) desperate now, because all his life ________ (be) in it.
→ dropped / is / is
- “This morning” = past → dropped
- “Now” = present → is
- “All his life” = current state → is
✔️ Past Simple + Present Simple + Present Simple

20. My parents ________ (meet) the teachers yesterday evening.
→ met
*“Yesterday evening” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

21. The first World War ________ (end) nearly a hundred years ago.
→ ended
*“Nearly a hundred years ago” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

22. They ________ (get) married in 2005.
→ got
*“In 2005” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

23. It ________ (rain) the whole weekend, it ________ (be) depressing!
→ rained / was
*“The whole weekend” = past period.*
✔️ Past Simple (both verbs)

24. Children ________ (play) video games far too much.
→ play
*General statement about habit.*
✔️ Present Simple

25. My sister ________ (buy) some nice clothes during the sales.
→ bought
*“During the sales” = past event.*
✔️ Past Simple

26. My cat ________ (spend) long hours watching birds through the window.
→ spends
*Habitual behavior (present).*
✔️ Present Simple

27. There ________ (be) a new terrorist attack the day before yesterday.
→ was
*“The day before yesterday” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

28. My friends ________ (go) to the cinema last Saturday night and ________ (see) a great horror film.
→ went / saw
*“Last Saturday night” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple (both verbs)

29. I ________ (know) many famous people.
→ know
*Present fact – general knowledge.*
✔️ Present Simple

30. My boss ________ (give) me a pay rise last month.
→ gave
*“Last month” = past.*
✔️ Past Simple

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✔ Final Answer Key:

1. went
2. clean
3. revised
4. finished
5. plays
6. do / like
7. went
8. want
9. mowed
10. was
11. was
12. was doing / came
13. feel
14. met
15. works
16. took
17. broke / was
18. started
19. dropped / is / is
20. met
21. ended
22. got
23. rained / was
24. play
25. bought
26. spends
27. was
28. went / saw
29. know
30. gave

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📌 Summary:

- Present Simple is used for habits, facts, and general truths.
- Past Simple is used for completed actions in the past, especially with time markers like *yesterday, last week, ago, in 2016*.
- Some sentences require past continuous (e.g., #12, #17), but only if the action was ongoing when another happened.

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