Past Simple, Past Continuous and Present Perfect

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

A2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the complete sentence and notice the subject, verb form, time reference and word order before answering.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   We ___ the museum yesterday.

   1. visited
   2. visit
   3. have visited
   4. visiting
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   visited

   The finished past time expression yesterday calls for the past simple.

   visited: Correct: We visited the museum yesterday.

   visit: The present form does not match yesterday.

   have visited: Present perfect is not normally used with a finished past time such as yesterday.

   visiting: The -ing form needs an auxiliary verb.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   At 8 p.m., we ___ across the bridge.

   1. were walking
   2. walked
   3. have walked
   4. are walking
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   were walking

   The past continuous describes an activity in progress at a particular time in the past.

   were walking: Correct: we were walking.

   walked: The past simple does not emphasize the activity in progress at that time.

   have walked: Present perfect does not fit the finished past time reference.

   are walking: The present continuous is not used for a past time.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Have you ever ___ to Spain?

   1. been
   2. went
   3. go
   4. going
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   been

   Use the past participle been after have in a present perfect question.

   been: Correct: Have you ever been...?

   went: Went is the past simple, not the past participle after have.

   go: The base form cannot follow have in this structure.

   going: The -ing form is not used after have here.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   She ___ her passport, so she could not board.

   1. forgot
   2. forgets
   3. has forgotten
   4. forgetting
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   forgot

   The completed event that caused the problem is expressed with the past simple.

   forgot: Correct: She forgot her passport.

   forgets: The present simple does not match the past situation.

   has forgotten: Present perfect is less appropriate with the completed past result in this narrative.

   forgetting: The -ing form cannot stand alone as the main verb here.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   While I ___ the map, my friend called.

   1. was reading
   2. read
   3. have read
   4. am reading
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   was reading

   Use the past continuous for the longer activity interrupted by a past simple event.

   was reading: Correct: I was reading the map when my friend called.

   read: The past simple does not show the activity in progress as clearly.

   have read: Present perfect does not fit this past narrative.

   am reading: The present continuous is not used for a past event.

What to review next

After checking an answer, explain the rule in your own words and write a new sentence using the same pattern. Revisit any rules you could not explain.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Connect a past action to the present.

I have lost my key, so I cannot open the door.

Have + past participle describes a past action with a present result.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.