Present Perfect vs Past Perfect Exercises with Answers

Understanding Present Perfect vs Past Perfect can be confusing, especially when you’re just starting out with English tenses. But don’t worry, this guide will make it simple! We’ll dive into the differences between these two tenses, their structures, and provide examples to help clarify when to use each one.

What are Present Perfect and Past Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions or events that happened at some indefinite point in the past but are still relevant or connected to the present moment. It’s formed using the verb “have” (or “has” for he/she/it) + the past participle of the main verb. For example, “She has finished her homework.”

The past perfect tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past. It helps describe the earlier of two past events. This tense is formed using “had” + the past participle of the main verb. For example, “She had finished her homework before dinner.

What is the Main Difference Between Present Perfect vs Past Perfect?

The main difference between the present perfect and the past perfect is the time reference. The present perfect connects the past to the present. It shows that something happened at some unspecified time before now. The past perfect, however, refers to an action that happened before another action in the past, so both events are in the past, but one happened before the other.

Example:

• Present Perfect: “I have read the book.” (The book is read, and it’s relevant to now.)
• Past Perfect: “I had read the book before I saw the movie.” The reading of the book happened before the movie, both in the past.

Rules and Structure: Present perfect vs past perfect 

Present Perfect:

• Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle
  Examples:
  • I have eaten.
  • She has gone to school.
  • They have visited Paris.

Past Perfect:

• Structure: Subject + had + past participle
  Examples:
  • I had eaten before I went to the park.
  • She had finished her homework before class started.
  • They had traveled to Italy by the time we met.

Present perfect vs past perfect exercises

Exercise: Fill in the Blanks with Present Perfect or Past Perfect

1. She ______________ (never/see) such a beautiful sunset before.
2. By the time we arrived, the movie ______________ (already/start).
3. I ______________ (just/finish) my homework.
4. When we got to the airport, the plane ______________ (already/take) off.
5. They ______________ (never/visit) London before.
6. I ______________ (live) in this city for five years.
7. Before moving to New York, she ______________ (work) in Los Angeles.
8. He ______________ (already/read) the book, so he didn’t want to watch the movie.
9. We ______________ (not/see) each other since last summer.
10. She ______________ (just/call) to say she is coming.
11. By the time I reached the station, the train ______________ (leave).
12. I ______________ (never/be) to Japan before.
13. He ______________ (finish) his work before the deadline.
14. We ______________ (meet) before at a conference.
15. She ______________ (cook) dinner before her guests arrived.
16. They ______________ (already/buy) the tickets for the concert.
17. The teacher ______________ (not/check) the assignments yet.
18. After I ______________ (complete) the project, I took a break.
19. He ______________ (visit) his grandmother three times this month.
20. Before the storm started, they ______________ (close) all the windows.

Present perfect vs past perfect exercises

Answers:

1. has never seen
2. had already started
3. have just finished
4. had already taken
5. have never visited
6. have lived
7. had worked
8. had already read
9. have not seen
10. has just called
11. had left
12. have never been
13. had finished
14. have met
15. had cooked
16. have already bought
17. has not checked
18. had completed
19. has visited
20. had closed

FAQs on Present Perfect vs Past Perfect Exercises with Answers

What is the difference between perfect and present perfect?

The word “perfect” is a general term used to describe a completed action, while the present perfect is a specific tense that describes actions or states that started in the past and are connected to the present. The present perfect uses “have” or “has” plus the past participle.

What is the difference between present perfect and past simple examples?

The present perfect is used for actions that have an effect on the present moment or that happened at an unspecified time. For example, “I have seen that movie.”

The past simple is used for actions that happened at a specific point in the past. For example, “I saw that movie yesterday.”

What is the difference between present perfect and past perfect?

The present perfect connects past actions to the present. For example, “I have worked here for 3 years.”
The past perfect refers to an action completed before another action in the past. For example, “I had worked there before I moved to another city.”

Should I use past or present perfect?

Use present perfect when you want to connect past actions to the present or when the exact time of the action is not important. Use past perfect when you are talking about two actions that happened in the past, and you want to highlight which one happened first.

When to use past perfect?

Use the past perfect when you want to talk about an action that was completed before another event in the past. It’s helpful when explaining the order of events in the past.