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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Perfect Tenses Quiz: Simple vs Perfect Practice

Quick, free quiz to check simple vs perfect tenses. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Sebastian McmanusUpdated Aug 23, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper cut quiz illustration on golden yellow background highlights simple and perfect verb tense challenge

Use this perfect tenses quiz to practice choosing between simple and perfect forms, fix common mistakes, and see why each answer works. If you want broader review, try our verb tenses quiz or dive deeper with a present perfect tense quiz and a present perfect continuous quiz. You'll get instant feedback after each question to help you learn faster.

Identify the tense: She has finished her homework.
Future perfect
Simple present
Present perfect
Simple past
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Which sentence is in the present perfect tense?
She visits Rome every summer.
She will visit Rome next month.
She visited Rome last year.
She has visited Rome three times.
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Fill the blank with the correct word: I have lived here ____ 2015.
by
for
from
since
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Identify the tense: By 8 PM, we will have eaten.
Simple future
Past perfect
Present perfect
Future perfect
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Which sentence correctly uses the simple present for a general truth?
Water will boil at 100 degrees Celsius by noon.
Water boiled at 100 degrees Celsius yesterday.
Water has boiled at 100 degrees Celsius.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
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Identify the sentence in the simple future tense.
I have called you already.
I am calling you tomorrow.
I called you yesterday.
I will call you tomorrow.
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Choose the correct verb form: By next June, they ____ the house.
had sold
will sell
have sold
will have sold
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Complete the sentence: By the time we arrived, they ____ dinner.
have finished
had finished
finished
will have finished
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Choose the correctly formed present perfect question.
How long have you live here?
How long you have lived here?
How long did you lived here?
How long have you lived here?
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Select the sentence that must use the past perfect to avoid ambiguity.
We have watched the show last night.
By the time the show started, we had found our seats.
We watched the show last night.
We arrived and watched the show.
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Pick the correct future perfect usage.
By 2030, scientists are developing new vaccines.
By 2030, scientists had developed new vaccines.
By 2030, scientists develop new vaccines.
By 2030, scientists will have developed new vaccines.
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Which sentence correctly uses ever with the present perfect?
Have you ever try sushi?
Do you ever tried sushi?
Did you ever tried sushi?
Have you ever tried sushi?
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Select the sentence that correctly uses been vs. gone in the present perfect.
She has gone Paris last year.
She has been to Paris, so she is there now.
She went to Paris and has been here now.
She has gone to Paris, so she is not here now.
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Which timeline pairing is correct for past perfect?
Present action completed before now using had + past participle
Habitual action with had + base verb
Future action completed before another future moment using had + past participle
Earlier past action with had + past participle before a later past action
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Choose the sentence that correctly contrasts simple past and present perfect with time markers.
I visited Japan in 2019, but I have never visited Korea.
I have never visit Korea, but I visited Japan.
I visited Japan and have visited Korea in 2019.
I have visited Japan in 2019, but I never visited Korea.
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Present perfect continuous and present perfect share the same form and meaning.
True
False
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Select the correct simple present for schedules.
The train is leaving at 7:45 yesterday.
The train leaves at 7:45.
The train has left at 7:45 every day.
The train will have left at 7:45 today.
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Identify the sentence in the present perfect passive.
The tickets are selling.
The tickets have been sold.
The tickets were sold yesterday.
The tickets will have been selling.
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Past perfect can stand alone without any later past reference and still be idiomatic in neutral context.
True
False
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Future perfect continuous and future perfect describe the same meaning and completion.
True
False
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Study Outcomes

  1. Differentiate Simple vs. Perfect Tenses -

    Learn to distinguish between the structures and uses of simple tenses and perfect tenses through targeted examples.

  2. Identify Correct Usage Contexts -

    Recognize scenarios for applying simple tenses or perfect tenses correctly in sentences during the simple and perfect tenses quiz.

  3. Apply Verb Forms Accurately -

    Practice forming and using the appropriate simple or perfect tense in real-world examples on this simple tenses test.

  4. Analyze and Correct Errors -

    Use instant feedback from the English tenses quiz to spot common mistakes and refine your grammar skills.

  5. Evaluate Your Proficiency Level -

    Assess your strengths and areas for improvement in perfect tenses exercises and overall tense usage.

  6. Boost Grammar Confidence -

    Strengthen your writing skills and confidence by mastering verb tense rules with our verb tense quiz online.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Recognizing Simple vs. Perfect Structures -

    Understanding the form is key: simple tenses use the base verb (with - s for third-person singular), while perfect tenses pair an auxiliary (have/has/had) with the past participle (Cambridge University Press). For example, "They eat" contrasts with "They have eaten." A quick mnemonic is "Perfect = have + past" to cement the pattern.

  2. Using Time Indicators Effectively -

    Simple tenses often accompany clear time markers like "yesterday," "every day," or "last year," while perfect tenses prefer cues such as "already," "just," "yet," and "ever" (Purdue OWL). Spotting these adverbs helps decide between a simple tenses test and perfect tenses exercises. Remember, if an exact time isn't stated, you may need a perfect tense!

  3. Mastering Present Perfect Forms -

    The present perfect combines have/has + past participle to describe actions relevant to the present (Oxford Learner's Dictionaries). Regular verbs add - ed, but irregulars require memorization - try the "bring-brought" flashcard trick from British Council. Practicing verb lists in a verb tense quiz online reinforces recall under real-time conditions.

  4. Distinguishing Past Simple and Past Perfect -

    Past simple (subject + past form) narrates complete events ("I visited Paris"), while past perfect (had + past participle) sets a story timeline ("I had visited Paris before moving to Rome") - a concept explained by University of Cambridge. Use the "past before past" phrase to remember past perfect usage. This trick helps improve performance on simple and perfect tenses quizzes.

  5. Applying Tenses in Context through Practice -

    Engage with interactive quizzes - like our simple and perfect tenses quiz or any English tenses quiz available online - to receive instant feedback and track progress (British Council). Pair written exercises with speaking drills to cement correct usage in sentences. Spaced-repetition apps help reinforce forms over time.

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