Use the simple past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past Use the present perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now You can‘t use the present perfect with specific time expressions Present perfect Simple past Jim _ to the dentist’s yesterday (go) Abigail me back (not / call) Where _ they _ before ? (live) The weather _ sunny and hot (be) I with him (not / agree) you _ her at the party? (see) Janet _ the vase (break) Steve _ behind a tree (hide) He _ the computer this morning (fix) What _ she _ for lunch? (have) We this house years ago (buy) I swim well (can) We _ them in the park (meet) How they _ ? (feel) You in London (not / be) yesterday, were you? They _ never _ Paris (visit) She _ too much (drink) I him since last year (not / meet) you _ your lesson? (learn) I _ in London for years (live) Where you _? (be) He _ yet (not / finish) _ they _ their teeth yet? (brush) They _ just _ married (get) I _ already _ it (do) He his times tables (not / learn) We the room blue (paint) _ you the cat? (feed) I _15 postcards! (write) They _ him for 10 years (know) _ she ever snails? (eat) We never _ that (say) Mum _ the kitchen (sweep) Put the words in the right order haven’t / for / Jack / a / I / time / seen / long worked / company / he / years / for / this / for to / 2months / went / ago / Brazil / we have / 500 euro / for / we / school / collected / trip / our to / gone / the / Mum / has / supermarket train / on / arrived / the / time home / have / back / we / come / just you / this / what / did / leave / time / morning ? finished / yet / the / I / housework / haven’t snowed / England / a lot / last / it / winter / in Simple past or Present perfect? Angie _ (work) for this company for five years, but then she _ (leave) My Dad _ (begin ) to swim when he (be) years old I (have) a cat since I in Paris (arrive) John (be) a teacher for 20 years The students _ (pass) the exam When you last (see) her? I _ (talk) to him on the phone a few hours ago He _ (hurt) himself while he (be) at the park You _ just _ (receive) an email She up (pick) some flowers