Language & Literature

Present perfect vs past simple and past perfect: grammar quiz

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This quiz helps you choose between the present perfect vs past simple and past perfect in real sentences. Get instant feedback, brief tips, and examples as you go. For focused practice, try the present perfect quiz, the past perfect tense quiz, or a quick simple past quiz.

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1I ___ my homework already.
2She ___ to Paris last year.
3They ___ dinner before we arrived.
4He ___ three books this month.
5We ___ to that restaurant yet.
6By the time she got home, he ___.
7I ___ him two days ago.
8She ___ a new car recently.
9They ___ their exams last week.
10I ___ that movie twice.
11After he ___ the test, he relaxed.
12We ___ in this city since 2015.
13She ___ him before the meeting started.
14They ___ breakfast when I called.
15He ___ already when she arrived.
16I ___ him this morning.
17Why ___ you ___ for me at the station yesterday?
18I ___ him since we were children.
19By the time the test started, we ___ all the material.
20She ___ there for five years when the company closed.
21They ___ dinner yet.
22Have you ever ___ Japanese food?
23He ___ the letter before he left home.
24We ___ here for hours before someone helped us.
25I ___ my keys; I can't get into the house.
26When I arrived, they ___ already.
27She ___ to finish the report by now.
28He ___ three times before he succeeded.
29I ___ France twice this year, but I haven't been to Spain.
30John ___ home by the time we got to the party.
31She ___ already taken the test when I asked.
32I ___ him twice before he finally called me back.
33If I ___ the invitation earlier, I would have attended the meeting.
34She wishes she ___ more time before the deadline.
35Only after they ___ the warning did they evacuate.
36He regretted that he ___ so much money on the trip.
37It's high time you ___ your mistakes and apologized.
38No sooner ___ they ___ than it began to rain.
39She is upset because her friend ___ several times.
40By the time the event started, we ___ all the preparations.
41He ___ fluent before he moved to Spain.
42They ___ dinner by the time I arrived.
43Until she ___ the evidence, she didn't believe him.
44By the time you got here, I ___ here for two hours.
45She ___ in three countries by the age of 30.
46I ___ you that I would finish the work before leaving.
47They ___ about the changes for months before they were implemented.
48Not until I ___ the instructions did I realize my mistake.
49Scarcely ___ she ___ her keys when she locked the door.
50Hardly ___ we ___ the report before the power went out.
51No sooner ___ the meeting ___ than the fire alarm went off.
52By the time the movie ended, we ___ discuss its plot for hours.
53If only I ___ to ask for help sooner.
Learning Goals

Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Appropriate Tense -

    Distinguish when to use the present perfect, past simple, or past perfect in a variety of example sentences.

  2. Distinguish Time Expressions -

    Recognize common time markers and pair them with the correct tense, reinforcing your understanding of time relationships.

  3. Apply Tenses in Context -

    Formulate your own sentences using present perfect, past simple, and past perfect to practice accurate tense application.

  4. Analyze and Correct Errors -

    Spot and fix mistakes in tense usage, deepening your grasp of subtle differences between similar verb forms.

  5. Self-Assess Grammar Mastery -

    Receive instant feedback on quiz answers to identify strengths and target areas for further practice.

  6. Build Confidence in Usage -

    Boost your grammar confidence by mastering key exercises in present perfect, past simple, and past perfect.

Study Guide

Cheat Sheet

  1. Mapping Events on a Timeline -

    According to Cambridge University Press, visualizing events on a timeline clarifies how present perfect, past simple and past perfect relate. Drawing a horizontal line with "now" at the end and placing dots or arrows for each tense makes spotting duration, completion and sequence a breeze for your present perfect past simple past perfect quiz success.

  2. Present Perfect Form & Functions -

    Oxford University Press notes that present perfect uses have/has + past participle to talk about experiences, changes, or unfinished actions. Use the mnemonic "RISEN" (Recent, Indefinite, Seen, Experience, Now) to remember its purposes and boost your score on an English tense quiz.

  3. Past Simple Completion Marker -

    According to Purdue OWL, past simple uses the verb's second form to report actions completed at a definite time, often with specific dates or adverbs like "yesterday" or "in 2019." Linking your answer to clear time markers - he arrived at 5pm - is essential in any online past simple test.

  4. Sequencing with Past Perfect -

    Cambridge University explains that past perfect is formed with had + past participle to show which of two past events happened first. Remember "HAD" goes back further in time: "I had eaten before she arrived" sets a clear order for a free past perfect quiz.

  5. Recognizing Signal Words -

    Reputable sources like BBC Learning English list key signal words: "ever," "yet," "just" for present perfect; "last year," "ago," "in 2005" for past simple; and "by the time," "already," "before" for past perfect. Creating flashcards with these cues speeds up identifying the correct tense in any present perfect past simple past perfect quiz.

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Updated Feb 24, 2026