Present Perfect vs Past Simple — Which One?

B1 — grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, writing

Kenji: Have you ever eaten at that new restaurant?

Sofía: Yes! I have been there twice. I went on Friday... and I went back on Saturday. No regrets.

Ben: I have never tried it... because I lost my wallet last week.

Abuela Carmen: I have cooked ten thousand dinners in my life, and nobody ever paid me. Invite her, Ben.

Common mistake: “I have visited Paris last year.” — Correct: “I visited Paris last year.”

Choose past simple when the moment is closed (yesterday, in 2020, ago); choose present perfect when the time is still open or the exact moment doesn't matter.

• past yesterday — ayer
• past last year — el año pasado
• past two days ago — hace dos días
• past in 2020 — en 2020
• past when I was a child — cuando era niño/a
• past last night — anoche
• perfect ever / never — alguna vez / nunca
• perfect already / yet — ya / todavía
• perfect just — recién / hace un momento
• perfect for / since — durante / desde
• perfect twice / three times — dos / tres veces (en la vida)
• perfect this week — esta semana (aún abierta)

• I have been to Madrid twice. I went there in 2020 and 2023.
• Ben has broken his arm three times in his life.
• Ben broke his arm last year.
• Sofía has already sent the email. She sent it this morning.
• I haven't seen that movie yet.
• I didn't see the movie last night.
• Kenji hasn't visited Cartagena yet, but he visited Bogotá in May.
• Have you ever been to Madrid?
• When did you go there?
• Has she sent the email yet?
• Have you finished? Yes, I have — I finished an hour ago.
• Did you go out last night? No, I didn't.
• Has Ben ever broken a bone? Yes, he has.

Practice

1. I ___ Paris last year. (visited, have visited, have visit)
2. I ___ Paris three times in my life. (visited, have visited, was visiting)
3. When ___ you go there? (have, has, did)
4. She hasn't finished ___. (yesterday, yet, last night)
5. With finished time expressions (yesterday, in 2020, ago) we use past simple.
6. 'I have seen him yesterday' is correct.
7. Ben ___ (break) his arm last year.
8. Ben ___ (break) his arm three times in his life.
9. Kenji hasn't visited Cartagena ___.
10. Unscramble: I, have, been, to, Madrid, twice
11. Unscramble: when, did, you, go, there
12. Find the mistake: I have visited Paris last year.
13. Find the mistake: Did you ever been to Europe?
14. Find the mistake: We have saw that movie already.
15. You have been to Madrid. — Ask for the specific moment (use 'when' + past simple).
16. Have you ever tried sushi? (Yes — last month) — Answer with the short answer + the detail in past simple.
17. She has sent the email. — Write the negative form.
18. They went out last night. — Write the negative form.
19. He has already finished. — Write the negative form (use 'yet').
20. Have you ever been to Madrid? (short answer)
21. Did you study English yesterday? (short answer, No)

Listening

Sofía: Ben, have you found your wallet yet?

Ben: Yes, I have! I found it this morning. It was in the fridge.

Kenji: The fridge? How did it get there?

Ben: I put it there on Tuesday... next to the cheese. Don't ask.

Abuela Carmen: I have seen many strange things in my life, but I have never seen a wallet in a fridge.

Sofía: You have now, Abuela. You have now.

Reading

Sofía's client interview, part two. 'Have you ever worked with a difficult client?' they asked her. 'Yes, I have,' she said. 'Last year, a client changed the logo eleven times. He asked for more blue, but less blue. I finished the project in December, and I have never used that shade of blue again.' 'And have you ever missed a deadline?' 'No, I haven't. I have been a designer for seven years, and I delivered every single project on time. Even the blue one.'

• Sofía has worked with a difficult client.
• The client changed the logo three times.
• She finished the blue project in December.
• Sofía has missed many deadlines.