Ex.124 The present perfect and the simple past

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: present perfect or simple past.

1 I (buy) a new house last year, but I (not sell) my old house yet, so at the moment I have two houses.

2 When Ann (be) on her way to the station it (begin) to rain. Ann (run) back to her flat for her umbrella, but this (make) her late for her train.

3 She (catch) the next train but it (not get) in till 9.00, so she (arrive) at her office ten minutes late.

4 Her boss (look) up as she (come) in. 'You (be) late every morning this week,' he (growl).

5 At 7 a.m. Charles (ring) Peter and (say), 'I'm going fishing, Peter. Would you like to come?'

'But it's so early,' (say) Peter. 'I (not have) breakfast yet. Why you (not tell) me last night?'

6 Tom (meet) Paul at lunch time and (say), 'I (not see) you at the bus stop this morning. You (miss) the bus?' 'I (not miss) it,' (reply) Paul. 'I (not miss) a bus for years. But this morning George (give) me a lift.'

7 Ann (go) to Canada six months ago. She (work) in Canada for a while and then (go) to the United States.

8 Mary (be) in Japan for two years. She is working there and likes it very much. ~ How she (go)? ~ She (go) by air.

9 When I (buy) my new house I (ask) for a telephone. The Post Office (tell) me to wait, but I (wait) a year now and my phone still (not come).

10 Bill usually has breakfast at 8.00. Yesterday at 8.30 Peter (meet) Bill and (offer) him an apple. 'No, thanks,' (say) Bill. 'I just (have) breakfast.'

11 Just as Ann (arrive) at the airfield a plane (land) and a girl (climb) out. To her surprise Ann (recognize) her cousin, Lucy. 'Hello, Lucy,' she (exclaim). 'I (not know) that you (know) how to fly a plane.' 'I only just (learn),' (say) Lucy. 'I (go) solo for the first time last week.'

12 Peter (try) to come in quietly but his mother (hear) him and (call) out, "Where you (be)? Your supper (be) in the oven for an hour.'

13 You (be) to the theatre lately? -Yes, I (go) to Othello last week. ~ You (like) it?-Yes, but I (not see) very well. I (be) right at the back.

14 Ann (coming out of a bookshop): I just (buy) a copy of David Copperfield. You (read) it?

Mary: As it happens it is the only one of Dickens's books that I (not read). I (not even see) the film.

15 You (be) to Cambridge? ~ Yes, I (be) there last month. ~ How you (get) there? ~ My brother (take) me in his car.

16 You (see) Philip lately? I (ring) his flat several times last week but (get) no answer. ~

Oh, he (be) in America for the last month. He (fly) out on the first for a conference and then (decide) to stay for six weeks. ~ You (hear) from him? ~ Yes, I (get) a letter shortly after he (arrive).

17 How long you (be) in your present job? ~ I (be) there for six months. ~ And what you (do) before that? ~ Before that I (work) for Jones and Company.

18 How long you (work) for Jones and Company? ~ I (work) for them for two years. ~ You (like) working for them? ~ No, I (not like) it at all. ~ Then why you (stay) so long?

19 We usually go out on Saturday evenings, but last Saturday (be) so wet that we (stay) in and (play) cards. ~ What you (play)? ~ We (play) poker. I (lose) fifty pence.

20 When you (begin) school? ~

I (begin) school when I (be) five. I (go) to a primary school first. I (stay) there for six years and then I (go) to a comprehensive school.

21 When I (be) seventeen I (start) my university course. ~ When you (get) your degree? ~

Oh, I (not get) my degree yet; I'm still at the university. I only (be) there for two years.

22 Tom (leave) the house at 8.20. At 8.25 the phone in Tom's house (ring), Tom's wife, Mary, (answer) it. 'Could I speak to Tom, please?' (say) the caller. 'I'm afraid he just (go) out', (say) Mary.

23 You (be) to Cornwall? ~

Yes, I (be) there last Easter. ~ You (go) by train? ~ No, I (hitch-hike).

24 I (not see) Charles for some time. ~

He (be) ill, poor chap. He (collapse) at work a fortnight ago and (be taken) to hospital. They (send) him home after two days but he (not come) back to work yet.

25 There (be) a very good programme on TV last night. You (see) it? ~ No, I (take) my set back to the shop last week because there (be) so much distortion; and they (say) it (need) a new part. They (not be able) to get the new part so far, so I (not watch) television for about ten days.

26 You (ever) be to France? ~

Yes, I (spend) last July and August in Grenoble. I (go) to improve my French but everyone I (meet) (want) to improve his English so I (not get) much practice.

27 The postman usually comes between 8.00 and 9.00 in the morning. At 8.45 a.m. yesterday Ann (say), 'Are there any letters for me?' 'I don't know,' (say) Mary. 'The postman (not come) yet.' At 11 a.m. Jack, Mary's husband, (ring) from his office to ask if there (be) any letters for him. 'No,' (say) Mary. 'Nobody (get) letters today. The postman (not come).'

28 Mr Speed, Ann's employer, (dictate) three letters and (tell) Ann to type them as soon as possible. Half an hour later he (ring) Ann's office. 'You (finish) those letters yet?' he (ask). 'Well,' (say) Ann, 'I (do) the letter to Mr Jones, and I'm now typing the one to Mr Robinson, but I (not start) the one to Mr Smith yet.'

29 You (find) out yet about the trains to Liverpool? ~

No. I (ring) the station last night but the man who (answer) the phone (not seem) to be sure of the times. He (say) something about a new timetable. ~ But the new timetable (be) in operation for three weeks!

30 Tom and Jack work in different offices but go to work in the same train. One evening Tom's wife (say), 'Jack (move) into his new house yet?' 'I don't know,' (say) Tom, 'I (not see) Jack today. He (not be) on the train.'

31 Where you (be)?~

I (be) shopping in Oxford Street. ~

So I suppose you (buy) shoes? ~

Yes. I (find) a shop where they were having a sale and I (get) three

pairs.

32 In the evenings I often play chess with my next door neighbour. I (play) chess with him ever since I (come) to live here ten years ago. He (be) here all his life; he (inherit) the house from his father, another great chess player. ~ You ever (play) chess with the father? ~ We (play) once or twice but he (die) a year after I (arrive).

33 I can't find my gloves. You (see) them? ~

Yes, you (leave) them in the car yesterday. I (put) them back in your drawer.

34 I hope you're enjoying your visit to England. You (meet) any

Englishmen yet? ~

Yes, I (meet) a man called Smith at a party last night. ~

What you (talk) about? ~

We (talk) about the weather.

35 Mrs Jones: For years I (do) all my washing by hand; then last year I (buy) a washing machine and I must say it (make) washing day much less exhausting. It only takes me an hour now. Mrs White: I don't like washing machines. I always (do) my washing by hand and I intend to go on doing it. I always (find) it very satisfying work.

36 Tom: Don't you think it's time we (have) something different for Sunday dinner?

Ann: But we (have) roast beef for Sunday dinner ever since we (get) married. Your mother (tell) me that you (be) particularly fond of roast beef.

Tom: But my mother (be) dead for five years and in those five years my tastes (change).