02
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
When to use each tense and why it matters.
Visual Explanation
Choosing the right tense
have/has + past participle+vs.+verb + -ed / irregular
Examples
I have visited Prague. / I visited Prague in 2018.
She has broken her arm. / She broke her arm last Tuesday.
Have you ever eaten paella? / Did you eat paella yesterday?
When to Use
- No specific time = present perfect
- 'I have read that book.' You are talking about experience, not when it happened.
- Specific time = past simple
- 'I read that book last summer.' You are saying exactly when it happened.
- Finished vs. unfinished time
- 'I saw two films last week' (finished). 'I have seen two films this week' (still going).
Tip
If you can add 'yesterday' or 'last week' to the sentence naturally, use past simple. If you can add 'ever,' 'never,' or 'already,' use present perfect.
Practice Exercises
Multiple Choice
Read the prompt and pick the correct answer from four options. A good way to test recognition before producing language yourself.
Coming soonFill in the Blanks
Complete sentences by typing the missing word or phrase. Tests active recall and spelling accuracy.
Coming soonScrambled Sentences
Drag words into the correct order to form a grammatically correct sentence. Builds structural intuition.
Coming soon