SIMPLE PAST  PRESENT PERFECT

SIMPLE PASTPRESENT PERFECT Practice making syntactic changes between these two devilishly challenging tenses.

Part 1:Simple Past => Present Perfect • Change the verbs in the following sentences into the Present Perfect, making any other changes you think necessary. • Keep in mind that your answers may (and probably will be) different from those given. Simple Past & Present Perfect

1. Sandra moved to Paris 7 years ago. • Sandra has lived in Paris for 7 years. • 2. Heath wrote bad checks last year and the year before. • Heath has written bad checks over the past two years. Simple Past & Present Perfect

3. There’s no need to cook tonight, as last night Margaret cooked dinner for tonight also. • No need to cook—Margaret has already cooked tonight’s dinner. • 4. Edgar bought the new Peugeot 307CC car yesterday. • Edgar has bought the new Peugeot 307CC. Simple Past & Present Perfect

5. Our customer said that he sent the check a week ago. • Our customer said that the check has been gone for a week. OR • Our customer said that the check has been gone since last Friday. OR • Our customer said that it’s been a week since he sent the check. Simple Past & Present Perfect

6. Robb didn’t get a raise in January or in any other month. • Robb hasn’t had a raise this year. • 7. Our team didn't win any games at the beginning of the season, but we did win our last one as well as all of the others from mid-season on. • After a rocky start, we have won all of our games since mid-season. Simple Past & Present Perfect

8. My father wrote all of his books after he was wounded in the war. • My father has written (all of) his books since he was wounded in the war. • 9a. Susan went to London and is not here. • Susan has gone to London. Simple Past & Present Perfect

9b. Susan went to London, but is back now. • Susan’s been to London. • 10. You don't have to pay for dinner--it's on the company's account. • The company has picked up dinner for us. • The company has graciously paid for dinner. Simple Past & Present Perfect

Part 2: Present Perfect => Simple Past • Change the following radio news program headlines from the Present Perfect to the Simple Past, making any other changes you think necessary. • Again, your answers will probably be different from the ones here. And are probably right! Simple Past & Present Perfect

1. American planes have bombarded Shi’a insurgents attacking Basra. • Today American planes bombarded Shi’a insurgents who were attacking Basra. • 2. The Queen has opened a new hospital in Wolverhampton. • This morning the Queen opened a new hospital in Wolverhampton. Simple Past & Present Perfect

3. A Royal Navy frigate has collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Ireland. • An oil tanker is in trouble after it collided with a Royal Navy frigate off the coast of Ireland. • 4. Environmental groups have warned of a major ecological disaster resulting from the accident. • The accident provoked outrage from environmental groups, who warned of a major ecological disaster. Simple Past & Present Perfect

5. The stock market has plunged to a record low after some bad news from the government about the economy. • The stock market plunged to a record low after the government announced some bad economic news. Simple Past & Present Perfect

6. Motorway tolls have gone up again for the second time in less than a year. Neither of the hikes has taken place in this fourth quarter. • Motorway tolls went up twice during the first three quarters of the year. Simple Past & Present Perfect

7. For the past week French dock workers have continued striking major ports in their third bout of industrial action in as many years. • French dock workers began a strike at major ports last week. They also held similar industrial actions last year and the year before. Simple Past & Present Perfect

8. The Third National Bank has announced spectacularly bad first quarter results. • The Third National Bank registered spectacularly bad results in the first quarter of this year. Simple Past & Present Perfect

9. Major British banks have decided to lower their interest rates collectively before next week’s meeting of the IMF. • Major British banks decided to lower their interest rates collectively because of a meeting next week of the IMF. Simple Past & Present Perfect

10. Prince Harry has brought a lawsuit against The Sun. The newspaper has claimed that the Prince has been having an affair with a stripper. • Prince Harry brought a lawsuit against The Sun after the newspaper claimed that he was having an affair with a stripper. Simple Past & Present Perfect

And as Porky says…: …That’s all folks! Simple Past & Present Perfect

SIMPLE PAST  PRESENT PERFECT