With the Present Perfect, you say that something happened. You do not say when.

With the Past Simple, you say when it happened.

Some time words say when something happened. We call these finished times. Use the Past Simple with them.

The time word…	Examples	Tense
Says when (a finished time)	yesterday · last night · last year · in 2019 · in March · on Monday · at six o’clock · two days ago · when I was a child · the other day	Past Simple
Does not say when	ever · never · already · yet · just · recently · so far	Present Perfect
A time that is not finished	today · this week · this year (see Lesson 35)	Present Perfect

Ago counts back from now. Two days ago is a finished time. Always use the Past Simple with ago.

In a conversation, the first question asks if something has happened. Use the Present Perfect. The answer then gives details. Use the Past Simple.

A when question asks for a finished time. The answer is always yesterday, in May, two years ago, or something like that. So use the Past Simple: did + subject + base verb.

You know something happened. Now you ask for details. What time, where, and how questions also use did + the base verb.

Question type	What it asks	Example
Have/Has + subject + (ever) + past participle	Did it happen?	Have you ever flown to Mexico?
When did + subject + base verb	What finished time?	When did you fly there?
What time did + subject + base verb	What clock time?	What time did the plane land?
Where did + subject + base verb	What place?	Where did you stay?
How did + subject + base verb	What way?	How did you get there?

Click the tense that completes the sentence correctly.

• 1
  We Boston in 2018. (visit)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “in 2018” says when, so use the Past Simple: “visited.”
• 2
  I my report yet. (not / finish)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “yet” does not say when, so use the Present Perfect: “haven’t finished.”
• 3
  She the first prize. (just / win)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “just” does not say when, so use the Present Perfect: “has just won.”
• 4
  He the office two hours ago. (leave)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “ago” says when, so use the Past Simple: “left.”
• 5
  They their house when they were young. (buy)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “when they were young” says when, so use the Past Simple: “bought.”
• 6
  I my phone last night. (lose)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “last night” says when, so use the Past Simple: “lost.”
• 7
  I in a helicopter. (never / fly)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “never” does not say when, so use the Present Perfect: “have never flown.”
• 8
  We the invitations. (already / send)

  Present Perfect Past Simple

  ✓ Correct — “already” does not say when, so use the Present Perfect: “have already sent.”

Click your answer for each sentence.

• 1
  I have met her in March.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “in March” says when. Use the Past Simple: “I met her in March.”
• 2
  She has never learned to drive.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “never” does not say when, so the Present Perfect is correct.
• 3
  They arrived at six o’clock.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “at six o’clock” says when, so the Past Simple is correct.
• 4
  When have you started this job?

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — A WHEN question needs the Past Simple: “When did you start this job?”
• 5
  He has called me two days ago.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “ago” says when. Use the Past Simple: “He called me two days ago.”
• 6
  We have already paid the bill.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “already” does not say when, so the Present Perfect is correct.
• 7
  When did she send the package?

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — A WHEN question uses “did” + the base verb, so this is correct.
• 8
  Have you ever broken a window? Yes, I have. I have broken one in 2015.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — “In 2015” says when. Use the Past Simple in the second sentence: “I broke one in 2015.”

Type the correct verb form for the verb given. Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple.

• 1
  I my passport at the airport last week. (lose)
• 2
  They Italy three times. (visit)
• 3
  She the email at noon. (send)
• 4
  He a famous singer in 2019. (meet)
• 5
  My brother his arm twice. (break)
• 6
  The movie two hours ago. (begin)
• 7
  Nobody the answer yet. (find)
• 8
  I a letter to my grandmother last night. (write)

Type the negative verb form for the verb given. Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple.

• 1
  I my report yet. (not / finish)
• 2
  We the news yesterday. (not / hear)
• 3
  He me last night. (not / call)
• 4
  They the package yet. (not / receive)
• 5
  Sam a car in 2019. (not / buy)
• 6
  She her speech yet. (not / write)
• 7
  I that book in college. (not / read)
• 8
  The team the game last Friday. (not / win)

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question, using the verb given.

• 1
  A: I lost my wallet.
  B: When it? (lose)
• 2
  A: They’ve arrived.
  B: When ? (arrive)
• 3
  A: I’ve traveled a lot.
  B: to Asia? (ever / travel)
• 4
  A: She sold her house.
  B: When it? (sell)
• 5
  A: Ana is a great cook.
  B: her lasagna? (ever / eat)
• 6
  A: My brother has won a medal.
  B: When it? (win)
• 7
  A: He quit his job.
  B: When ? (quit)
• 8
  A: I know a famous writer.
  B: any of her books? (ever / read)

Read each question carefully. Select the sentence that matches the description.

• Words that say when (yesterday, last year, in 2019, at six o’clock) go with the Past Simple.
• Ago says when. Always use the Past Simple with ago.
• A WHEN question uses the Past Simple: When did you start? Never When have you started?
• Two steps: ask with the Present Perfect (Have you ever…?). Give details with the Past Simple (I went there in 2019.).
• What time, where, and how questions about something that happened also use the Past Simple.

✓ Mark this lesson complete