Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 14 · B1

Present perfect and past 2 (I have done and I did)

Use the past simple once the time is finished, whether it is named (yesterday, in 2015) or simply understood. Use the present perfect for a period that is still running: today, this week, recently, since 2019.

Start the lesson

14Steps · about 30 minutes

In this lesson

A finished time takes the past simpleA1 screen of questions
A period up to now, or a period that is overB2 screens of questions
Put it together+7 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 2

A finished time takes the past simple

When you mention a finished time, such as yesterday, last year, on Monday, ten minutes ago, in 2015, use the past simple. The present perfect is not available once the clock has been stopped.

Questions with When ...? and What time ...? also take the past simple, because they ask about a finished moment.

Compare:

Present perfect Past simple
Dan has broken his glasses. He cannot read the menu. Dan broke his glasses on Saturday. He could not read the menu.
Is Priya still here, or has she gone home? When did Priya go home?
  • It was freezing on Tuesday. (not has been)
  • The plumber came about twenty minutes ago. (not has come)
  • Did you watch much telly when you were little? (not have you watched)
  • I got back from Leeds very late last night, so I went straight to bed.
  • When did you move to Cardiff? (not have you moved)
  • What time did the match start?

Point A · Extra practice

Put the verb in brackets into the past simple. Each sentence names a finished time.

  1. It freezing on Tuesday. (be)

  2. The plumber about twenty minutes ago. (arrive)

  3. When you to Cardiff? (move)

Point B of 2

A period up to now, or a period that is over

Use the present perfect (have done) for a period that continues until now: today, this week, this morning, recently, since 2019.

Use the past simple (did) for a period that has finished: yesterday, last week, on Sunday, from 2012 to 2016.

Present perfect: the period is not finished Past simple: the period is finished
I've written six emails today. I wrote six emails yesterday.
It hasn't snowed this winter. It didn't snow last winter.
Have you spoken to your mum this morning? (it is still morning) Did you speak to your mum this morning? (it is now afternoon or evening)
Have you heard from Kieran lately? (in the last few days or weeks) Did you hear from Kieran at the weekend?
I've worked at the library since 2019. (I still work there) I worked at the library from 2012 to 2016. (I do not work there now)
I don't know where Owen is. I haven't seen him. (recently) "Was Owen at the wedding?" "I don't think so. I didn't see him."
We've been queuing for forty minutes. (we are still queuing) We queued (or were queuing) for forty minutes. (we are not queuing now)
Hannah lives in York. She has lived there for six years. Hannah lived in Hull for ten years. Now she lives in York.
I've never been skiing. (in my life) I never went skiing when I lived in Austria.

Whether a week counts as finished depends on where the speaker is standing, not on what the calendar would prefer. On the last day of a holiday you say It's been a lovely week. Once you are home again, you say It was a lovely week.

  • It's been a lovely week. We've really enjoyed it.
  • It was a lovely week. We really enjoyed it.
  • Have you seen Grace this morning?
  • I didn't see Grace at the match on Saturday.

Point B · Exercise 14.2 · part 1 of 2

Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or the past simple.

  1. Example

    (it / not / snow / this winter)

    It hasn't snowed this winter.

    AnswerIt hasn't snowed this winter.

  2. (the trains / be / late / recently)

  3. (the trains / late / last Monday)

  4. (I / not / drink / any coffee yesterday)

  5. (I / not / drink / any coffee today)

Point B · Exercise 14.2 · part 2 of 2

Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use the present perfect or the past simple.

  1. (Ryan / sell / a lot of cars / this month)

  2. (he / not / sell / so many / last month)

  3. (you / see / any good films / recently?)

Put it together · Exercise 14.1 · part 1 of 2

Is the part in square brackets correct? Write OK if it is. If it is not, write the correct form.

  1. Example

    [I've broken] my phone. The screen won't light up at all.

    OK

    AnswerI've broken my phone. The screen won't light up at all.

  2. Example

    [Have you lived] in a flat when you were a student?

    Did you live

    AnswerDid you live in a flat when you were a student?

  3. [I've finished] the decorating. Come and have a look.

  4. [I've finished] the decorating on Saturday.

  5. Where [have you gone] last weekend?

  6. Callum [has started] his first job in 2008.

Put it together · Exercise 14.1 · part 2 of 2

Is the part in square brackets correct? Write OK if it is. If it is not, write the correct form.

  1. I'm looking for my keys. [Have you seen] them?

  2. "[Have you been] to Edinburgh?" "Yes, a few times."

  3. I'm starving. [I haven't had] much to eat today.

  4. When [has the new library been opened]?

Put it together · Exercise 14.3 · part 1 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.

  1. Example

    I haven't been (I / not / be) to Iceland, but I'd love to go one day.

    AnswerI haven't been to Iceland, but I'd love to go one day.

  2. Example

    The taxi arrived (arrive) about five minutes ago.

    AnswerThe taxi arrived about five minutes ago.

  3. I feel awful. (I / not / sleep) much last night.

  4. (there / be) a storm on Friday, so (there / be) no ferries to the island.

  5. Gareth (teach) at a primary school for twenty years. Then (he / retire). Now he keeps bees.

  6. Aunt Rose lives in Whitby. (she / live) there since she was a girl.

Put it together · Exercise 14.3 · part 2 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.

  1. My grandad (die) when my mum was a baby. (I / never / meet) him.

  2. I don't know Sophie's brother. (I / never / meet) him.

  3. It's half past eleven, and (I / not / see) Rachel all morning. I wonder where she is.

  4. " (you / go) to the concert last night?" "Yes, but the band (be) dreadful."

Put it together · Exercise 14.3 · part 3 of 3

Put the verb into the correct form, present perfect or past simple.

  1. " (it / be) freezing here since we arrived." "Yes, (it / be) minus five yesterday."

  2. "Where are you living now?" "In Swansea." "How long (you / live) there?" "Six years." "And before Swansea, where (you / live)?" "Bristol." "How long (you / live) in Bristol?" "Three years."

Put it together · Exercise 14.4 · part 1 of 2

Write sentences about yourself, using the ideas in brackets.

  1. Example

    (something you haven't done today)

    I haven't watched any telly today.

    Example answerI haven't watched any telly today.

  2. (something you haven't done today)

  3. (something you didn't do yesterday)

  4. (something you did yesterday evening)

  5. (something you haven't done recently)

Put it together · Exercise 14.4 · part 2 of 2

Write sentences about yourself, using the ideas in brackets.

  1. (something you've done a lot recently)

Lesson 14 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: Past perfect (I had done)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. A finished time takes the past simple–Not checkedB. A period up to now, or a period that is over–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked