PROGRAMA DE IDIOMAS

ENGLISH III

UNIT 3: Lifetime achievements

Lesson #3
- OBJECTIVE: to review the use of present perfect and past simple to talk about life experiences.
- GRAMMAR: Present Perfect vs. Past Simple

Do the activities in this worksheet and then check your answers on the last page (answer key)

READING

1. Read the text and answer the questions below with full sentences.

Dear Susana,
How are you? It’s been a long time!
Everything is going well here. I can`t believe I arrived in England four months ago! I’m really enjoying myself. I started college six
weeks ago. It’s OK and the people are nice. I’ve made lots of friends and my English has improved a bit, I think! When I first
arrived, I couldn’t understand anything, but it’s a lot easier now. I stayed with some of my relatives in Wales for a week at
Christmas. It was great, but their accents were hard to understand!
I’ve travelled around England quite a lot. The school usually organizes trips to different places at the weekends. Last Saturday I
went to Oxford for the day. Have you ever been there?
This weekend I’m going to a musical! I haven’t been to one before, so I’m looking forward to it. I hope you’re enjoying your new
job. Have you made any new friends yet?
Love,
Daniela

1. How long has Daniela been in England? ______________________________________________________

2. When did Daniela start college? ____________________________________________________________
3. Has she made any new friends? ____________________________________________________________
4. Did she have a good time in Wales? _________________________________________________________
5. Where did she go last weekend? ____________________________________________________________
6. Has she ever been to a musical? ____________________________________________________________
7. How has Daniela’s experience in England been so far? __________________________________________

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Present Perfect vs Past Simple
Look at the following examples
I‘ve been to New York twice. The last time I
went there was two years ago.
A: Have you been to McDonald’s lately?
B: Yes, I have.
A: When did you go there?
B: I went there last weekend.
A: Who did you go with?
B: I went with some classmates.
PRACTICE
1. CIRCLE the correct form: Present Perfect or Past Simple.
- We often use the PRESENT PERFECT to ask about or tell somebody
about a past action for the first time. We don’t ask/say when the
action happened, but we can use time expressions that do not refer
to any specific time: already, yet, never, ever, recently, lately, twice, etc.
Have you ever been to McDonald’s?
I’ve been to New York twice.
- We use the PAST SIMPLE to ask/talk about specific details.
When did you go there?  I went last Saturday.
Who did you go with?  I went with my classmates.
- We use the PAST SIMPLE (NOT the present perfect) with when and
past time expressions (yesterday, last night/week/month/year, three
years ago, etc.)
When did you see it? (When have you seen it?)
I saw it last week. (I’ve seen it last week.)
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2. WRITE the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple.

A: Have you ever travelled abroad? (travel)

B: Yes, I went to Portugal last year? (go)
1.
A: __________ you ever __________ any countries outside Europe? (visit)
B: Yes, I have. I 2. __________ to Morocco a few years ago. (go)
A: Who 3.__________ you __________ with? (go)
B: My husband. It was a work trip and his company 4. __________ for everything. (pay)
A: How wonderful! How 5. __________ you __________ there? (get)
B: We 6. __________. (fly)
A: Where 7. __________you __________? (stay)
B: We 8. __________ a suite in a five-star hotel. It was beautiful! (have)
9.
A: __________ the company __________ you on any other trips recently? (took)
B: No. My husband 10. __________ working there a year later, so that was our only trip. (stop)
A: What a pity!

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 ANSWER KEY

1.
1. Daniela has been in England for four months.
2. She started college 6 weeks ago.
3. Yes, she has.
4. Yes, she did.
5. She went to Oxford.
6. No, she hasn’t.
7. Daniela’s experience has been good. She has made a lot of friends, her English has improved a bit, and she has
travelled quite a lot.

2.
1. went
2. has just knocked
3. arrived
4. haven’t seen
5. did you first go
6. didn’t take
7. Has Mark gone
8. have read
9. Did you sit

3.
1. Have, visited
2. went
3. did, go
4. paid
5. did, get
6. flew
7. did, stay
8. had
9. Has, taken
10. stopped