Grammar Exercises: Present Perfect Tense (Simple and Continuous)

Grammar Exercises – Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

Do the exercises below on the present perfect simple and continuous and click the answer button to check your answers.

(Before doing the exercises, you may want to read the lesson on present perfect simple and continuous)

Looking for a quick review of the present perfect simple and continuous? Jump to the Recap.

Present Perfect and Continuous Exercises with Answers

Instructions

Complete the sentences by using the correct form of the verb: present perfect simple or present perfect continuous. Pay attention to the context to determine whether to focus on the action’s result or its duration.

Present Perfect and Continuous

Write sentences in the present perfect simple.

  1. They / play / football -
  2. He / speak / English -
  3. I / write / a poem -
  4. We / not / wash / the car -
  5. Nancy / not / meet / her friends-

Write questions in the present perfect simple.

  1. They / finish / their homework -
  2. She / visit / her friend-
  3. The maid / clean / the house -
  4. He / drive / the van -
  5. You / ever / write / a poem -

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple or simple past).

  1. I (not / work) today.
  2. We (buy) a new car last week.
  3. We (not / plan) our holiday yet.
  4. She (not / see) her mother for a long time.
  5. He (write) a beautiful poem yesterday.

Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple or continuous).

  1. I think the waiter (forget) us . We (wait) here for over half an hour and nobody (take) our order yet.
  2. I think you're right. He (walk) by us at least twenty times. He probably thinks we (order, already) .

Warning

Before submitting the test, check the following:

  • Punctuation and capitalization
  • Spelling
  • Spaces (don't add any unnecessary spaces)

What Are the Present Perfect, Simple and Continuous? (Quick Recap)

The present perfect simple is used to describe actions that are completed but still have relevance to the present or their results are evident. It focuses on what happened.
Form: have/has + past participle (e.g., I have finished my homework.)

The present perfect continuous highlights actions that started in the past and are still ongoing or emphasize the duration or activity. It focuses on how long or the ongoing nature of the action.
Form: have/has + been + verb-ing (e.g., I have been studying for three hours.)

What Is the Difference Between Present Perfect Simple and Continuous?

AspectPresent Perfect SimplePresent Perfect Continuous
UsageActions completed or that have lasting results.Actions that started in the past and are still continuing or have a sense of ongoing duration.
FormHave/has + past participle (e.g., She has finished).Have/has + been + verb-ing (e.g., She has been reading).
ExamplesI have read the book. (The action is complete.)I have been reading the book for two hours. (Focus on the duration or activity.)
Time MarkersAlready, yet, just, ever, never, for, since.For, since, recently, all day, all week.

Still confused about when to use these tenses? Check out our detailed lesson on the Present Perfect Simple and Continuous.

Tags: Exercises on English TensesExercises on Present Tenses
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