1.4: Grammar Presentation-Simple Present, Simple Past, and Present Perfect Tenses

1.1.4.1. Simple Present

The simple present is used for the following situations:

1. General facts

   The Earth rotates on its axis.

2. Routines/habits

   She practices gratitude every day.

3. Feelings

   He enjoys hiking.

4. Possessions

   Yun-Ji has a car.

For more information on this topic, watch this video: Verb Tenses: Simple Present

1.1.4.1.1. Exercise 3-All About You

Tell me all about you! Answer the questions about yourself. Use the simple present tense.

1. Where are you from, and where do you live now?
2. What languages do you speak?
3. What are your hobbies?
4. How do you feel about taking this class?
5. What do you like about Reedley College?
6. What are your goals?
7. What do you do every day?
8. Tell me about the people who are close to you (relationships).
9. Do you have a pet?
10. What else should I know about you?

1.1.4.1.2. Subject-Verb Agreement

When writing sentences in the simple present, keep in mind that third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) have verbs that are modified differently than verbs of other subjects. Look at the examples below.

1. Mika plays video games.
2. You play video games.

The first example has a third-person singular subject (Mika-she), so the verb is modified by adding -s. The second example has a second-person singular subject (you), so the verb is not modified. Verbs for third-person singular subject can be modified in three ways.

1. add -s (play-plays)
2. add -es/-ies (miss-misses/study-studies)
3. irregular (have-has, do-does)

1.1.4.1.2.1. Exercise 4-Subject-Verb Agreement

Select the appropriate verb form to complete the sentence.

1. Shpresa _____________ letters to her boyfriend during class.
   1. write
   2. writes
2. We _____________ to register for classes before the deadline.
   1. have
   2. has
3. Merita and Besart _____________ to give their presentation first.
   1. want
   2. wants
4. You _____________ very well. The food is delicious!
   1. cook
   2. cooks
5. Issra _____________ her homework immediately after class.
   1. do
   2. does
6. I _____________ by practicing the concepts many times.
   1. learn
   2. learns
7. Ivana’s book _____________ a lot.
   1. weigh
   2. weighs
8. The flowers _____________ smell beautiful!
   1. smell
   2. smells
9. Alamdar _____________ twins.
   1. have
   2. has
10. Yulee _____________ French.
    1. study
    2. studies

1.1.4.2. Simple Past

The simple past is used to show a completed action in the past. This tense is often used with signal words or phrases that tell when something happened. Example signal phrases include yesterday, [length of time] + ago, and last [night, week, month, year, or a specific day].

1. Yesterday, Victoria went to the bank.
2. Three months ago, Ayman visited Los Angeles, California.
3. Last week, we studied paragraphs.

For more information on this topic, watch this video: Verb Tenses: Simple Past

1.1.4.2.1. Exercise 5-All About the Past You

Tell me all about what you did! Answer the questions about yourself. Use the simple past tense.

1. What did you eat for dinner yesterday?
2. What did you do last weekend?
3. When did you enroll at Reedley College?
4. Did you play a sport as a child? If so, which sport?
5. What did you enjoy when you were a child?

1.1.4.3. Present Perfect

The present perfect has five uses:

1. The time of the event is unknown.

   Anastasiya has eaten sushi.

2. The action is unfinished and continues at present time.

   Kyaw and Sunil have been friends for several years.

3. The action has been repeated several times in the past.

   Rafael and Jianhua have been absent many times this semester.

4. An uncompleted action is expected to finish.

   The package still hasn’t arrived.

5. An action has happened recently.

   The children have just woken up.

In the first example, we don’t know when Anastasiya ate sushi. We know that this action happened in the past and is finished. In the second example, Kyaw and Sunil were friends in the past, and they continue to be friends. In the third example, Rafael and Jianhua have repeated the action of being absent. In the fourth example, the package is expected, but it still has not arrived. In the final example, the action happened recently.

For more information on this topic, watch this video: Verb Tenses: Present Perfect

1.1.4.3.1. Exercise 6-Simple Present or Present Perfect?

Complete the sentences below using the simple present or present perfect.

1. Katayoon is a writer. She ___________ many books.
   1. wrote
   2. has written
2. Njomza is a teacher. Last semester, she ___________ our algebra class.
   1. taught
   2. has taught
3. Lina and Andrius ___________ in the classroom since 8:00 AM.
   1. were
   2. have been
4. Zaire’s phone ___________ class three time already.
   1. interrupted
   2. has interrupted
5. Abena ___________ on a rollercoaster. She loves adventure!
   1. rode
   2. has ridden
6. Xuan and Wen ___________ the teacher’s office after class so that they can better understand the topics covered during the lecture.
   1. visited
   2. have visited
7. Aida ___________ her project two weeks ago.
   1. finished
   2. has finished
8. Naoko ___________ her project.
   1. finished
   2. has just finished
9. Ravneet ___________ her boss five times. She wants to tell her boss that she will be absent at work today.
   1. called
   2. has called
10. Yara ___________ two exams, an essay, and a presentation so far this week.
    1. had
    2. has had
11. When I was a child, I ___________ every day during the summer.
    1. swam
    2. have swum
12. Since I was a child, I ___________ an interest in learning.
    1. had
    2. have had
13. Which cities ___________ ?
    1. did you visit
    2. have you visited
14. I ___________ to San Francisco last month and Sacramento in February.
    1. went
    2. have gone

1.1.4.3.2. Exercise 7-What have you done?

Answer the questions telling me more about what you have done. Use the present perfect in your answers. Share your answers with your class.

1. Have you ever broken a bone?
2. Have you ever eaten raw fish or meat?
3. Have you ever found a wallet or money that someone dropped?
4. Have you ever done an extreme sport like sky diving or bungee jumping?
5. How long have you been in this city?
6. How long have you been in this country?
7. How long have you studied English?

1.1.4.4. Exercise 8-Verb Tense Review

Select the appropriate verb to complete the sentences. Notice the signal words in some sentences. In some cases, two answers are possible.

1. I ____________________ [live] in Mexico when I was a child.
   1. live
   2. lived
   3. have lived
2. My parents ________________________ [live] in California.
   1. live
   2. lived
   3. have lived
3. The students _________________________ [do] a grammar exercise every day this week.
   1. do
   2. did
   3. have done
4. Noor _________________________ [just/find] $20.
   1. just finds
   2. just found
   3. has just found
5. My family ______________________ [go] on vacation once a year.
   1. goes
   2. went
   3. has gone
6. I ______________________ [take] four classes last semester.
   1. take
   2. took
   3. have taken
7. My best friend ___________________ [send] me letters regularly.
   1. sends
   2. sent
   3. has sent
8. Last night, I ______________________ [do] my homework between 9:30 and 11 pm.
   1. do
   2. did
   3. have done
9. My brother _____________________ [go] to the park with his daughter.
   1. goes
   2. went
   3. has gone
10. We __________________________ [love] to study grammar!
    1. love
    2. loved
    3. have loved

“Verb Tense Review” is derived from “Verb Tense Review” by Nooshi Borhan licensed under CC BY-NC.

1.1.4.5. Exercise 9-Error Analysis of Simple Present, Simple Past, and Present Perfect

Correct the errors below.

1. Balkaran has visited his uncle yesterday.
2. Preet studied every morning before his class begins.
3. Laila cooks lunch last Sunday.
4. The college offers ESL classes on Saturdays, but now it didn’t.
5. José studied at Reedley College for three semesters. Next semester, he will transfer.