San Francisco Javier School
English Department
9th grade
Past Simple and Present Perfect Contrast
Activity 1 Unit 4
Name: ____________________________________________________ Date:__________
1. Choose the correct answer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The coach isn’t here. It has already gone/ went.
Rosie broke / has broken her leg three months ago.
The Olympic Games started /have started last week.
They’re cheering because their best player has just scored / scored just a goal.
I didn’t do/ haven’t done my homework yet.
Fernando Alonso has become/ became the world motor racing champion when he was aged
only 240
7. We have been/were at the top of the league since the start of the season.
8. Did the match finish/ has the match finish yet?
2. Some of the sentences are incorrect. Rewrite them correctly if necessary.
1. I didn’t hear this band before. Who are they?
____
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2. Carl’s still off school. He was ill for over a week.
____
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3. Have you finished your homework last night?
____
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4. Hannah got a new laptop for her last birthday.
____
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5. I’ve sprained my wrist so I can’t do my exams.
____
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6. Did you take your driving test yet?
_____
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7. Leon has broken his leg while he was playing rugby. ____
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8. We’re hungry! We didn’t eat since breakfast.
____
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3. Complete the sentences with the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets and just,
already and yet.
1. It’s not a good idea to go swimming when you _____________________________ (eat) dinner.
2. Our team _____________________________ (win) ten matches this season. We could win the
league.
3. We’re going to lose the match. We ____________________ a point ___________________ (not score).
4. ________________________ any football boots ___________________________ (buy)? You need them
for training on Monday.
5. We’ve got a spare ticket now. Kim ___________________________ (call) me to say she’s ill.
6. I’m not going to the concert. I ___________________________ (see) that band twice.
4. Complete the text with the past simple or the present perfect of the verbs in brackets.
Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt is one of the fastest men on Earth.
He ___________________________1 (break) the world 100mand 200m records several times and he
also holds the record for the 4x100m relay with his team mates.
However, Usain _______________________2 (not be) a runner all his life. When
he was a child, he ___________________________3 (spend) his time playing football
and cricket in the street with his brother.
It wasn’t until the age of 12 that anybody ___________________________4
(realize) how fast he could run. He ___________________________5 (win) his first gold
medal at the 2002 World Championships, where he was so nervous that he
actually ___________________________6(put) his running shoes on the wrong feet.
Since then, however, he ___________________________7 (learn) to deal with his prerace nerves and they no longer affect him.
More importantly, Bolt is loyal to his country. A number of American clubs
______________________8 (offer) him a contract over the years, but so far he _____________________9 (say)
that he doesn’t want to leave Jamaica.
Present Perfect Continuous
1. Complete the sentences with the present perfect continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1. _______________________________ Football all day. (Jim/play).
2. How long _______________________________ for me? (you/wait)
3. They’re tired because _______________________________ early all this week. (they/get up).
4. _______________________________, so his throat hurts. (Jaime /shout)
5. ______________________________, so you don’t know what to do. (you/ not listen)
6. _______________________________ since she got home. (Tracy/study)
7. How long _______________________________ professionally? (you/ cycle)
8. Sam isn’t very fit because ______________________________ to the gym this year. (he / not go)
2. Match sentences 1- 8 in exercise 1 with the uses of the present perfect continuous a and b.
a. An action that began in the past and is still in progress.
_____
_____
_____
_____
b. An action that has recently stopped and that explains the present situation.
_____
_____
_____
_____
3. Complete the sentences with for or since.
1. They’ve been doing their homework _______________ an hour.
2. He’s been supporting his local football team _______________ they were promoted to the premier
league.
3. She’s been playing for England _______________ ten years.
4. I’ve been studying German _______________ six months.
5. We’ve been skiing _______________ we were children.
6. I’ve been sneezing a lot _______________ yesterday.
4. Choose the correct answer.
1. Simon can’t walk because he’s broken/he’s been breaking his leg.
2. You’re late! What have you done/ have you been doing?
3. I’ve read/I’ve been reading the biography of Rafael Nadal, but I’m only on page 27.
4. How often have they offered/have they been offering to help with the washing up?
5. She’s liked/she’s been liking reggae since she went to Jamaica.
6. I’ve sold/I’ve been selling five of my DVDs, but I didn’t get much money for them.
7. How long have you designed/have you been designing computer programs?
8. How many films has Matt seen/has Matt being seeing this week?
5. Complete the text with the present perfect simple or the present perfect continuous form of
the verbs in brackets.
My brother is very happy this morning because he ___________________________1 (lose) another kilo. He
___________________________2 (be) on a diet for the last two months, so he ___________________________3
(stop) eating bread completely. He ___________________________4 (eat) more healthy which means no
cakes, biscuits, or fizzy drinks. Instead, my mum ___________________________5 (give) him fresh fruit every
day for snacks. Since he started his diet, my parents ___________________________6 (cook) healthy meals
all the time, as well. Personally, I would prefer chips.
6. Challenge! Write questions with the present perfect simple and the present perfect
continuous. Then, answer the questions with the complete sentence.
1. Who many times/ you / visit the doctor this year.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________?
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2. How long / you/ study English
___________________________________________________________________________________________________?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
3. How much water /you/ drink today
___________________________________________________________________________________________________?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
4. How long / you / do homework this evening.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________?
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