This Present Perfect or Past Simple ESL lesson contrasts the two tenses. Note that students should have covered the past simple and present perfect before doing this lesson. It is especially useful for students who are still having problems understanding which tense to use in a given situation.

It starts with a revision of forms in both tenses. Next, the students look at a series of rules to help them to determine which tense they should use, and they complete a gap-fill exercise to practise these. After this, the lesson focuses on time expressions that are used with the tenses including language notes on time expressions which can cause confusion, including today, this month, in the last week, this morning, just, already, yet, ever, never, before, since, for, from, and until. These language notes are separated by conversation exercises, so students have plenty of opportunity to practise what they have learnt.

We have a teacher’s copy (including teacher’s notes and an answer key) and a student version, which you can email to your class for online lessons.

Level: This is most suited to B1 – B2 level.

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes + (depending on level).

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