Find all the examples of the past simple and the present perfect in the article. Complete the rules in the Learn this! box below with present perfect or past simple. Then underline an example of each rule in the article.

LEARN THIS! Present perfect and past simple

a. We use ¹___________ to talk about a specific occasion in the past.

b. We use ²___________ to talk about a specific period of time that is still continuing.

c. We use ³___________ to say how long a situation has existed, often with for, since, or how long.

d. We use ⁴___________to talk about an event that has a strong connection with the present, often with just, already, or yet.

e. We use ⁵___________to talk about an experience at an unspecified time in the past, often with ever or never.

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets: the past simple or the past perfect tense.

Before he (wake up)     , his mother (prepare)    breakfast.
We (go)      to London last month.
By the time the doctor (arrive)    , the patient (die)    .
Before that day we (never/ think)    of traveling to Japan.
I (know)     him a long time before I (meet)     his family.
It (be)     cloudy for days before it (begin)     to rain.
The car (break)     down last Sunday.
Martha (turn)     off the light and (go)     to bed.
He (buy)     a new car last month, but he doesn't really like it.
The robbers (attack)    him 20 minutes ago.

Complete the sentences. Use the past simple or present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.

1 Joe _________ (live) in London between 2009 and 2012.

2 'Emeli Sandé _________ (just/bring out) a new record. _________ (you/hear) it yet?'

'Yes, I _________ (download) it last night.'

3 'Sorry I'm late! _________ (you/be) here long?'

'No, I _________ (just/arrive).'

4 _________ (you/ever/visit) the USA?' 'Yes, I _________ (go) there last summer.’

5 _________ (you/eat) before you _________ (leave) home?'

'Yes, I _______

6 I _________ (have) this MP3 player for a year.

Complete the second part of the article. Use the past simple, past perfect simple or past perfect continuous of the verbs in brackets.

By 1717 Black Sam and his crew had captured over fifty ships but none was as large or as rich as the slave ship, the W. In April of 1717 the Whydah (15) ……………………………………………. (just / sell) a cargo of slaves and was returning to London when Black Sam (16) ………………………………. (begin) to chase her. By the time he (17) ……………………………………………. (capture) her, he (18) ……………………………………………. (chase) her for three days.

At last Black Sam (19) ……………………………………………. (find) the wealth he (20) ……………………………………………. (look) for and he (21) ……………………………………………. (decide) to sail back to Cape Cod. But the Whydah (22) ……………………………………………. (sail) into a storm and strong winds (23) ……………………………………………. (drive) her towards land. The ship (24) …………………………………. (strike) rocks a hundred yards from the shores of Cape Cod and (25) ………………………....…………. (sink). Two men (26) ………………..……..……………. (swim) to shore but Black Sam wasn't one of them.

According to legend. Black Sam (27) ……………………………………………. (travel) home to meet Maria Hallet. Some people believe he (28) ……………………………………………. (decide) to propose marriage. They also say Maria (29) ……………………………………………. (wait) for his return and was watching from the cliffs of Cape Cod when the Whydah (30) ……………………………………………. (go) down. Was Maria saddened to lose her lover - or was she glad to be rid of such a dangerous man? No one knows.

Complete the second part of the article. Use the past simple, past perfect simple or past perfect continuous of the verbs in brackets.

By 1717 Black Sam and his crew had captured over fifty ships but none was as large or as rich as the slave ship, the W. In April of 1717 the Whydah (15) ……………………………………………. (just / sell) a cargo of slaves and was returning to London when Black Sam (16) ………………………………. (begin) to chase her. By the time he (17) ……………………………………………. (capture) her, he (18) ……………………………………………. (chase) her for three days.

At last Black Sam (19) ……………………………………………. (find) the wealth he (20) ……………………………………………. (look) for and he (21) ……………………………………………. (decide) to sail back to Cape Cod. But the Whydah (22) ……………………………………………. (sail) into a storm and strong winds (23) ……………………………………………. (drive) her towards land. The ship (24) …………………………………. (strike) rocks a hundred yards from the shores of Cape Cod and (25) ………………………....…………. (sink). Two men (26) ………………..……..……………. (swim) to shore but Black Sam wasn't one of them.

According to legend. Black Sam (27) ……………………………………………. (travel) home to meet Maria Hallet. Some people believe he (28) ……………………………………………. (decide) to propose marriage. They also say Maria (29) ……………………………………………. (wait) for his return and was watching from the cliffs of Cape Cod when the Whydah (30) ……………………………………………. (go) down. Was Maria saddened to lose her lover - or was she glad to be rid of such a dangerous man? No one knows.

B. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the Past Perfect Simple or the Past Perfect Continuous of the verbs in brackets.

 We were tired because we ………………………………….. (drive) for two hours.

Anna ………………………………….. (not stop) studying all day. She didn’t even have one break.

………………………………………….. (the archaeologists / discover) the tomb before they found the treasure?

I ………………………………….. (analyse) the document for hours. That’s why I needed a rest.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences. Use the past simple, present perfect or future passive form of the verbs in brackets.

1. The winning film at the festival last year ____________________ (direct) by James Cameron.

2. The results ____________________ (not send) to the students’ homes yet.

3. The book ____________________ (publish) by Oxford University Press next month.

4. We ____________________ (invite) to Tom and Gina’s wedding next April. I’m very excited!

5. The students ____________________ (tell) to read the book last week.

6. Thousands of copies of his biography ____________________ (sell) when it comes out next month.

7. They ____________________ (not give) the correct time for the meeting, so they arrived late.