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 Present Perfect vs Past Simple

There are 10 questions in this quiz. Read the grammar explanation below.
1. Which sentence is NOT correct?

This is the news. There has just been an earthquake in Japan.

This is the news. There has been an earthquake in Japan last night.
This is the news. There has been an earthquake in Japan.

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Present Perfect vs Past Simple

Present Perfect
Use:
1) The present perfect tense is often used to tell up-to-date news.
‘Great news! Jane has had a baby!’

But you cannot use the present perfect with phrases relating to finished time.
‘Great news! Jane has had a baby yesterday!’
So, to ask about and give more details, you need to use the past simple.
‘Great news! Jane has had a baby!’
‘When did she have it?’
‘She had it last night!’

2) The present perfect can be used with phrases relating to unfinished time, such as:
this week, today, this year
I’ve seen Roger twice this week.
That’s the second time I’ve seen that film this year.

3) The present perfect is often used in sentences with these words:

just, yet, already, ever, never
I’ve just finished the report.
Karen has finished the book already.
I haven’t finished the report yet.
I’ve never been to Spain. Have you ever been?

4) The present perfect is used to describe periods of time that start in the past and continue until the present. It
is often used with for and since.
I’ve lived here for five years.
James has worked here since last summer.

The present perfect and past simple may appear in the same sentence:
I’ve lived here since I was a child.
Tom has been unemployed since he left the factory.
 Past Simple
Use:
The past simple can be used with phrases relating to finished time, such as:
yesterday, last week, last month, in 2010, two weeks ago

Jemma left the company six weeks ago.

I emailed Tony last week.

Form:
Present Perfect

Positive

I / you / they / we have / ‘ve past participle

he / she / it
has / ‘s

Negative

I / you / they / we haven’t / ‘ve past participle

he / she / it not

hasn’t / ‘s not

Questions

Have you / they / we past participle?

he / she / it
Has

Past Simple

Positive

I / you / they / we past tense verb

/ he / she / it
Negative

I / you / they / we didn’t infinitive verb

/ he / she / it
Questions

Did you / they / we infinitive verb?

/ he / she / it

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 B1 Grammar topics
 Alternative comparison (B1_alternative_comparison.htm) 6/10

Both, either, neither (b1_both_either_neither.htm)

Conditional, 2nd (B1_second_conditional.htm)

Conditional, 3rd (B1_3rd_conditional.htm)

Connecting words (b1_connectors.htm)

Embedded questions (b1_questions.htm)

Future Continuous (b1_future_continuous.htm)

So, such, too, enough (b1_intensifiers.htm)

May, might + adverbs of probability (b1_may_might.htm)

Modals for Recommendations (b1_modals_recommendations.htm)

Modals for Past Deduction (b1_past_modals.htm)

Modals for Present Deduction (B1_present_modals_of_deduction.htm)

Prepositions of place (b1_prepositions_of_place.htm)

Prepositions of time (b1_prepositions_of_time.htm)

Present Perfect Continuous (B1_presperf_continuous.htm)

Present Perfect vs Past Simple (b1_presentperfect_pastsimple.htm)

Passives (B1_simple_passives.htm)

Past Perfect (B1_past_perfect.htm)

Reported Speech (B1_reported_speech.htm)

Question Tags (B1_question_tags.htm)

Should have (B1_should_have.htm)

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Grammar home (index.html)

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