Three tenses, three meanings. Learn the forms, compare the timelines, practise through everyday situations and tell your own story.
Answer in one or two sentences. Add one detail.
What did you do last weekend?
Have you ever missed a flight or train?
What were you doing at 8 p.m. yesterday?
What have you done today so far?
What were you doing when you received your last important message?
Where did you go on your last trip?
Use these tables as a reference whenever you need them.
I visited my friend yesterday.
We took the train last Sunday.
Действие произошло и завершилось в конкретный момент прошлого.
I was walking when she called.
They were waiting at 7 p.m.
Процесс шёл в определённый момент прошлого; иногда его прерывает короткое событие.
I have visited Rome twice.
She has already booked the tickets.
Важно, что произошло к настоящему моменту. Точное завершённое время не называется.
| Form | Past Simple | Past Continuous | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula + | Subject + V2 / -ed | Subject + was/were + V-ing | Subject + have/has + V3 |
| Positive | I went home. | I was going home. | I have gone home. |
| Formula – | didn't + V1 | wasn't/weren't + V-ing | haven't/hasn't + V3 |
| Negative | I didn't go home. | I wasn't going home. | I haven't gone home. |
| Formula ? | Did + subject + V1? | Was/Were + subject + V-ing? | Have/Has + subject + V3? |
| Question | Did you go home? | Were you going home? | Have you gone home? |
| Short answer | Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. | Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't. | Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. |
| What does the speaker mean? | Example | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| I know WHEN it happened and that time is finished. | I lost my phone yesterday. | Past Simple |
| I describe WHAT WAS HAPPENING when another event occurred. | I was walking when I lost it. | Past Continuous + Past Simple |
| I talk about an EXPERIENCE; the exact date is not important. | I have lost my phone before. | Present Perfect |
| I describe a past action with a RESULT NOW. | I've found it, so I can call you. | Present Perfect |
| I describe a state from a starting point UNTIL NOW. | I've known her since 2022. | Present Perfect |
| V1 | V2 · Past Simple | V3 · Present Perfect | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone | I went / I've gone |
| see | saw | seen | I saw / I've seen |
| do | did | done | I did / I've done |
| take | took | taken | I took / I've taken |
| buy | bought | bought | I bought / I've bought |
| leave | left | left | I left / I've left |
| meet | met | met | I met / I've met |
| lose | lost | lost | I lost / I've lost |
| write | wrote | written | I wrote / I've written |
| eat | ate | eaten | I ate / I've eaten |
Type the correct form. Include questions and negatives.
Last Saturday is a finished time.
Buy is an irregular verb.
After did not, use V1.
Build a Past Simple question with did + subject + V1.
Leave is an irregular verb.
Have has an irregular past form.
A Past Simple question with a question word.
Use did not + V1, not the past form of take.
Describe the longer action or a specific past moment.
An action in progress at a past time.
A longer past action interrupted by a short event.
I takes was in the past continuous.
They takes were.
Was/were comes before the subject in questions.
The driving was already in progress.
Two actions happened at the same time.
Make a negative with were not + -ing.
Have/has + V3. Keep the connection to the present.
Life experience: no finished time is mentioned.
She takes has; already goes between has and V3.
Experience question: Have + subject + ever + V3.
Yet is common in negatives and questions.
Since links a starting point with the present.
So far means up to now.
Use just with Present Perfect for recent news.
Know is a state verb; use Present Perfect Simple.
This week is still unfinished.
This year is still continuing.
Read the entire sentence before deciding. Use meaning, not just a keyword.
Finished time: last Tuesday.
The longer action was in progress.
From January until now.
A process in progress at a past time.
Finished time: yesterday.
The result is important now.
Yet + unfinished result.
The call interrupted a longer past action.
2021 is a finished time.
Ask about life experience.
Finished time: last night.
Long action + short event.
Recent news with a result now.
Asking when something began.
Practise since, for, ago, already, yet, ever, never, when and while.
A starting point in time.
A period before now in a finished past sentence.
Common at the end of a negative Present Perfect sentence.
A period of time.
No experience at any time in her life.
A question about life experience.
Introduce the short interrupting event.
Introduce a longer action in progress.
Find the timeline. Then answer in your own words.
Last Saturday, Emma and her friend Leo went to a small town near the sea. They arrived at the train station early and bought coffee. While they were waiting for their train, Leo noticed that his blue backpack was missing. He looked under the bench, but it wasn't there.
They asked the station staff for help. One member of staff found a similar blue bag near a ticket machine. Leo opened it and immediately realised that it was not his: there was a camera and a red jacket inside. At that moment, a woman came over and said, “That's my bag! I've looked everywhere for it.”
Ten minutes later, Leo saw his own backpack next to the café. He left it there while he was buying water and then forgot about it. He was embarrassed, but everyone laughed. Emma took a photo of him with both blue bags.
Since that weekend, Leo has become more careful when he travels. He has also told the story to several friends. “I've never been so happy to find a bag,” he says.
Use the story to practise speaking without reading a full script.
Start the story: where and when did the friends go?
What were they doing at the station?
What problem did Leo notice?
How did they find the first blue bag?
Where was Leo's own bag? How did the story end?
What has changed since the trip?
Describe a time when you lost or forgot something. Say what happened, what you were doing, and whether something similar has happened before.
Ask your partner three questions: one Past Simple, one Past Continuous and one Present Perfect question.
No choices. Write only the missing verb form or question phrase.
Use all three tenses in one simple, connected story.