Grammar practice worksheet comparing Past Simple and Present Perfect tenses with fill-in-the-blank exercises.

Let’s go through each sentence one by one. We need to choose between Past Simple and Present Perfect, based on the rules at the top of the page.

Remember:
- Use Past Simple for finished actions in the past (with time words like *last week, yesterday, in 1976*).
- Use Present Perfect for actions that happened at an unspecified time, or have a connection to now (often with *ever, never, just, already, yet, so far, this month/week/year*).

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1. I ______ (see) the trains in town last week.
→ “Last week” = finished time → Past Simple → saw

2. ______ (you/ever/meet) her brother?
→ “Ever” = Present Perfect → Have you ever met

3. Where ______ (you/be) last weekend?
→ “Last weekend” = finished time → Past Simple → were you

4. ______ (you/eat) Kitchener?
→ No time word, but it sounds like asking about experience → likely Present Perfect → Have you eaten

5. We ______ (not/go) on holiday last year.
→ “Last year” = finished time → Past Simple → didn’t go

6. I love clothes. I ______ (buy) a lot this year.
→ “This year” = not finished yet → Present Perfect → have bought

7. What ______ (you/do) last weekend?
→ “Last weekend” = finished time → Past Simple → did you do

8. Dad ______ (repair) the car; you can use it now.
→ Result is visible now (“you can use it”) → Present Perfect → has repaired

9. Agatha Christie ______ (live) from 1890 to 1976.
→ She’s dead — finished life → Past Simple → lived

10. Granny still ______ (not/find) her glasses.
→ “Still” + result matters now → Present Perfect → hasn’t found

11. ______ (you/buy) your laptop?
→ Asking if action is done (probably recently) → Present Perfect → Have you bought

12. Oh! You ______ (paint) the kitchen. I like the colour.
→ Seeing the result now → Present Perfect → have painted

13. What time ______ (you/get) home last night?
→ “Last night” = finished time → Past Simple → did you get

14. Emma! Your letter ______ (arrive) at last!
→ “At last” = finally happened → often used with Present Perfect → has arrived

15. The weather ______ (be) good all week.
→ “All week” = up to now → Present Perfect → has been

16. I ______ (finish) work early yesterday.
→ “Yesterday” = finished time → Past Simple → finished

17. Sue’s not here; she ______ (go) out.
→ She’s gone and not back → Present Perfect → has gone

18. The weather ______ (not/be) very good last week.
→ “Last week” = finished time → Past Simple → wasn’t

19. We ______ (be) to the cinema twice this month.
→ “This month” = not finished → Present Perfect → have been

20. Brian ______ (live) in England until the age of 14.
→ Finished period in past → Past Simple → lived

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Final Answer:
1. saw
2. Have you ever met
3. were you
4. Have you eaten
5. didn’t go
6. have bought
7. did you do
8. has repaired
9. lived
10. hasn’t found
11. Have you bought
12. have painted
13. did you get
14. has arrived
15. has been
16. finished
17. has gone
18. wasn’t
19. have been
20. lived