We cannot use the present perfect to talk about a finished time. The simple past is used for this purpose.

• She was here yesterday.
• I visited them last week.

The present perfect is commonly used to give new information.

• I have received the parcel.
• She has just had a baby.

Fill in the blanks using an appropriate tense form.

1. It …………………….. a lot last week. (rain)

2. It …………………… very hot yesterday. (be)

3. I …………………….. my leg. I can’t walk now. (break)

4. His father ………………… in July. (die)

5. They …………………….. in the morning. (leave)

6. ……………………… (they arrive) yet?

7. I …………………… (watch) a lot of movies when I was a kid.

8. His health …………………… (not improve) yet.

9. I …………………….. (not do) much work yesterday.

10. We …………………… for a long time and then we went home. (wait)

11. I ………………………. (wait) for a long time.

12. It …………………….. (not rain) in March.

Answers

1. rained

2. was

3. have broken

4. died

5. left

6. Have arrived

7. watched

8. has not improved.

9. didn’t do

10. waited

11. have waited / have been waiting

12. did not rain

Worksheet 2

Fill in the blanks with a simple past or present perfect tense form.

1. He ……………………….. a lot when he was young. (travel)

2. I first …………………….. him at a party. (meet)

3. While playing football yesterday, I ……………………… my knee. (injure)

4. When I called her, she promptly ………………………. (arrive)

5. The police ……………………….. the suspects. (question)

6. She …………………… several stories. (write)

7. The boy …………………………. missing since yesterday. (be)

8. Most nations around the world ……………………………polio. (eradicate)

9. We …………………………….. (receive) no information about them.

10. The missing climbers ……………………………. (find)

11. He ………………………….. nearly all continents. (visit)

12. He ……………………….(keep) knocking on the door until they let him in.

Answers

1. traveled, 2. met, 3. injured, 4. arrived, 5. have questioned / questioned, 6. has written, 7. has been, 8. have eradicated, 9. have received, 10. have been found, 11. has visited, 12. kept