Signal Words

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

yesterday

just

... ago

already

in 1990

up to now

the other day

until now / till now

last ...

ever

(not) yet

so far

lately / recently

Exercises on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

Exercise 1
1.

I (just / finish)

2.

Mary (already / write)

3.

Tom (move)

4.

My friend (be)

5.

I (not / be)

6.

But I (already / travel)

7.

Last week, Mary and Paul (go)

8.

I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy)

9.

(they / spend)

10.

(you / ever / see)

Exercise 2

my homework.
five letters.
to this town in 1994.
in Canada two years ago.
to Canada so far.
to London a couple of times.
to the cinema.
a new film yet.

their holiday in New Zealand last summer?

a whale?

1.

Mother: I want to prepare dinner. (you / wash)

2.

Daughter: I (wash)

the dishes yesterday, but I (have / not)

yet to do it today.
3.
Mother: (you / do / already)
Daughter: No, I (come / just)

5.

Mother: You (come)

6.

Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy (call)

home from school.

home from school two hours ago!
when I (arrive)

the phone call.

7.

Mother: (you / see / not)

8.

Daughter: Yes, but we (have / not)

Lucy at school in the morning?

time to talk then.

Choose Past Simple or Past Continuous

1) What

2) I

(do) when I

(call) you last night?

(sit) in a cafe when you

3) When you

4) Susie

(call).

(arrive) at the party, who

(watch) a film when she

5) Yesterday I

(go) to the library, next I

(be)there?

(hear) the noise

(have) a swim, later I

(meet) Julie for coffee

6) We

the time

your homework?

4.

I (finish / just)

the dishes yet?

(play) tennis when John

(hurt) his ankle

and

7) What

8) He

(they/do) at 10pm last night - it was really noisy?

(take) a shower when the telephone

10) When I

11) It

(sing) . I

12) He

(walk) into the room, everyone

(work).

(be) a day last September. The sun

(shine)and the birds

(walk) along the street when I

(meet) an old friend

(live) in Russia when the Revolution

13) When her train

14) He

(ring)

(start)

(get) to the station, we

(be) so annoying! He

15) On holiday we

(visit) Rome,

(wait)on the platform

(always leave) his things everywhere

(see) the Vatican, and

(spend) a few days at the beach

16) Why

(stand) on a chair when I

18) At 7pm yesterday, we

19) When I

(come) into the room?

(listen) to music.

(leave) the house, it

(snow)