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| ✅ Correct | ❌ Wrong |
|---|---|
| I saw her yesterday. | I have seen her yesterday. |
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All B1 questions for “Present Perfect vs Past Simple – B1 Grammar Exercises with Answers”, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Try the interactive exercises above, then check your answers here.
1. I _____ my keys. I can't find them anywhere.
Answer: have lost
There is a result now (I can't find them), and no finished time is given, so the present perfect fits. 'lost' would need a specific past time to be correct.
2. We _____ to Greece last summer.
Answer: went
'last summer' is a finished past time, so we must use the past simple 'went'. The present perfect cannot be used with a finished time expression.
3. _____ you ever _____ a really spicy meal?
Answer: Have / eaten
'ever' asks about life experience up to now, so use the present perfect with the past participle: Have you ever eaten...? 'Have / ate' is wrong because the participle is 'eaten', not 'ate'.
4. She _____ her leg while she was skiing in January.
Answer: broke
'in January' is a finished past time, so the past simple 'broke' is correct. 'has broke' is doubly wrong: it is present perfect and uses the wrong participle.
5. Don't worry about the report — I _____ it already.
Answer: have finished
'already' points to a recent action with a result now, so the present perfect fits. Without a finished time word, the past simple is not the natural choice here.
6. When I was a child, we _____ in a small village.
Answer: lived
'When I was a child' is a finished past period, so use the past simple 'lived'. The present perfect would wrongly suggest the time is connected to now.
7. This is the first time Tom _____ home before lunch.
Answer: has gone
The pattern 'This is the first time' looks at experience up to now, so 'has gone' is correct. 'went' would need a finished past frame such as yesterday.
8. I _____ three coffees so far today.
Answer: have drunk
'so far today' is an unfinished period, so use the present perfect with the participle 'drunk'. 'have drank' is wrong because the past participle is 'drunk'.
1. Maya arrived in Istanbul last Monday. She _____ three neighbourhoods this week.
Answer: has already visited
This week is still continuing, so the present perfect 'has already visited' links her visits to now.
2. Istanbul stands on two continents. Maya _____ the ferry to Kadıköy yesterday.
Answer: took
Yesterday is a finished past time, so the past simple 'took' is correct.
3. She _____ such a busy market before.
Answer: has never seen
Before refers to her experience up to now, so use 'has never seen' with the past participle.
1. Which sentence is incorrect?
Answer: I have met the new manager last night.
Last night is a finished past time, so the sentence needs 'I met', not 'I have met'.
2. Which sentence is incorrect?
Answer: They have went home already.
The present perfect needs the past participle 'gone', so the correct form is 'They have gone home already'.
3. Which sentence is incorrect?
Answer:
1. ___ you ever organised a reunion before?
Answer: Have
Ever asks about experience up to now, so the present perfect question begins with 'Have'.
2. Yes, I ___ one for my old class last year.
Answer: organised
Last year is a finished past time, so use the past simple 'organised'.
3. Great. I ___ the restaurant already.
Answer: have booked
Already highlights a completed action with a result now, so 'have booked' fits.
1. I have visited my aunt last weekend.
Answer: I visited my aunt last weekend., I visited my aunt last weekend
'last weekend' is a finished time, so change the present perfect to the past simple 'visited'.
2. She has went to the bank this morning, and it is still morning.
Answer: She has gone to the bank this morning, and it is still morning., She has gone to the bank this morning, and it is still morning
The morning is explicitly unfinished, so keep the present perfect but use the participle 'gone'. 'went' would frame the morning as a finished past period.
3. Did you ever seen a shooting star?
Answer: Have you ever seen a shooting star?, Have you ever seen a shooting star
'ever' about life experience needs the present perfect: 'Have you ever seen...?' with the participle 'seen'.
4. We have finished the meeting an hour ago.
Answer: We finished the meeting an hour ago., We finished the meeting an hour ago
'ago' marks a finished past time, so the past simple 'finished' is correct, not the present perfect.
5. He didn't call me since Monday.
Answer:
4. On Tuesday, she _____ spices at the Grand Bazaar.
Answer: bought
On Tuesday gives a finished past time, so the past simple 'bought' is required.
5. She _____ more than twenty photos to her family so far.
Answer: has sent
So far connects the action to the present, so use the present perfect 'has sent'.
6. Her flight home is tomorrow. She _____ her suitcase yet.
Answer: has not packed
Yet describes an unfinished situation up to now, so 'has not packed' is correct.
Since Monday continues to now, so the sentence needs 'We have not seen them since Monday'.
4. Which sentence is incorrect?
Answer: I have attended a meeting last Friday.
Last Friday is finished, so the sentence needs the past simple: 'I attended a meeting last Friday'.
5. Which sentence is incorrect?
Answer: Has she saw this film before?
The present perfect needs the past participle 'seen', so the question should say 'Has she seen this film before?'
4. Nice. When ___ you book it?
Answer: did
When asks for a specific finished time, so use the past simple auxiliary 'did'.
5. Yesterday. But I ___ not invited Leo yet.
Answer: have
Yet links the unfinished invitation task to now, so use 'have not invited'.
'Since Monday' describes a period continuing to now, so use 'hasn't called'. The past simple 'didn't call' treats the action as finished.