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Quizzes > Literature & Language > English & Grammar

Can You Master Simple Past vs Simple Present? Take the Quiz!

Ready to identify tenses? Try our past simple vs present simple test now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art grammar quiz simple past vs simple present colorful letters pencil on teal background.

This Simple Past vs Simple Present quiz helps you decide when to use the past simple or the present simple in clear, everyday sentences. Use clues like yesterday, always, and every week, get instant feedback on each question, and spot gaps before your next class or exam.

Yesterday, she ____ to the store.
gone
went
goes
going
The phrase "yesterday" indicates a completed action in the past, so we use the simple past form "went." The simple present form "goes" is used for habitual actions, and "gone" and "going" are not simple past forms. Using the correct verb tense ensures clarity about when the action occurred. See more at .
He always ____ coffee in the morning.
drunk
drink
drinks
drank
The adverb "always" signals a habitual or repeated action, so we use the simple present tense "drinks." "Drank" is the past form, and "drink" and "drunk" are not correct for third-person singular present. Simple present is standard for routines. See more at .
They ____ a movie last night.
had watched
watch
are watching
watched
The time expression "last night" requires the simple past tense "watched." "Watch" is present, "are watching" is present continuous, and "had watched" is past perfect which implies another past reference point. Simple past is used for actions completed at a specific past time. More at .
I ____ my homework every day.
doing
done
did
do
The phrase "every day" shows a habitual action, so the simple present tense "do" is correct. "Did" is past, "done" is a past participle, and "doing" is a gerund or present participle. Simple present describes routines and habits. See for details.
She ____ to music yesterday afternoon.
listens
is listening
listen
listened
The time phrase "yesterday afternoon" requires the simple past form "listened." "Listens" is present simple, "listen" is base form, and "is listening" is present continuous. Simple past is used for actions completed at a defined past time. Learn more at .
We ____ breakfast at 7 am this morning.
eating
ate
eat
eaten
With the specific time "this morning," the simple past form "ate" is correct. "Eat" is present, "eaten" is past participle, and "eating" is a participle. The simple past is for completed past actions. See .
The sun ____ in the east.
raising
raise
rose
rises
This is a general fact or universal truth, so we use the simple present "rises." "Rose" is past, and the others are incorrect verb forms. Simple present expresses facts and general truths. More at .
Last week, I ____ my friend in New York.
visiting
visited
visits
have visited
The phrase "last week" is a definite past time, so we need the simple past "visited." "Have visited" is present perfect, which doesn't combine with a specific past time. Simple past is used for completed actions at a known past time. See .
Which sentence is in the simple past tense?
I read books every day.
I have read that book.
I read books yesterday.
I was reading books.
The time marker "yesterday" requires the simple past form "read" (pronounced /r?d/). The other options use present simple, past continuous, or present perfect tenses. Simple past is for actions completed at a specific time in the past. See .
He did not ____ to the party.
going
go
went
goes
After "did not," the base form "go" must follow, so "go" is correct. "Went" is the past form and should not be used after "did." Using the base verb after "did" is a rule in English negation. More at .
Which question is in simple past tense?
Do you see that film last night?
Will you see that film last night?
Did you see that film last night?
Have you seen that film last night?
The auxiliary "did" plus the base verb "see" indicates a simple past question. "Do" is present, "have you seen" is present perfect, and "will you see" is future. Simple past questions use "did" for a completed past action. Reference: .
She ____ her keys last night.
lost
loses
lose
losing
"Last night" indicates a past action, so the simple past form "lost" is correct. "Lose" is present, "loses" is third-person present, and "losing" is the gerund or present participle. Use simple past for actions completed at a specific past time. More at .
He often ____ to work by bus.
go
going
went
goes
The adverb "often" signals a habitual action in the present, so "goes" is correct for third-person singular. "Went" is past, and "go" is base form without the needed third-person "s." Habitual actions use simple present. Reference: .
Choose the correct negative form: He ____ to the concert last Saturday.
did not go
did go
did not went
did not gone
In negative past sentences, "did not" is followed by the base verb. Therefore "did not go" is correct. "Went" and "gone" are past forms and should not follow "did not." This is a standard rule for negation in the past. See .
Why ____ you upset yesterday?
was
is
are
were
For past simple questions with "you," use "were" as the correct past form of "to be." "Was" pairs with singular first- and third-person subjects. "Are" and "is" are present forms. Simple past of "to be" follows subject-verb agreement. Reference: .
They ____ dinner at 6 pm every day.
has
have
having
had
The phrase "every day" indicates a habitual action, and "have dinner" is a present simple structure. "Had" is past, and "has" is third-person singular which doesn't match plural "they." Simple present expresses routine activities. See .
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
She didn't went to school.
She didn't go to school.
She doesn't went to school.
She not went to school.
After "did not," the base form "go" must follow, so "didn't go" is correct. "Didn't went" and "doesn't went" misuse verb forms, and "not went" is ungrammatical. Simple past negation always uses "did not + base verb." See .
Select the correct question form for simple past: "____ you finish the report yesterday?"
Have you finished
Will you finish
Did you finish
Do you finish
For a question about a completed past action, use "Did" plus the base verb: "Did you finish." "Do" is present, "Have you finished" is present perfect, and "Will" is future. Simple past questions always use "did." More at .
Identify the sentence in simple present tense.
They watch games on Sundays.
They are watching a game now.
They watched a game.
They watch a game yesterday.
Simple present is used for habitual or scheduled actions, as in "They watch games on Sundays." The others are past tense, incorrect time references, or continuous present. Habitual actions use simple present. Reference: .
Fill the blank: They ____ like pizza when they were young.
doesn't like
don't like
weren't liking
didn't like
The time clause "when they were young" refers to the past, so we need "didn't like." "Don't like" and "doesn't like" are present, and "weren't liking" is past continuous, which is less common for general dislike. Simple past negation uses "did not + base verb." See .
Choose the correct simple past form: I ____ him two days ago.
meeting
meet
met
have met
The time marker "two days ago" requires the simple past form "met." "Meet" is present, "have met" is present perfect, and "meeting" is not a finite verb form. Simple past is used for actions at specific past times. More at .
Which sentence correctly uses the simple past tense?
We will walked to the park.
We walks to the park.
We walked to the park.
We walk to the park.
The simple past of "walk" is "walked," so "We walked to the park." is correct. "Walk" is present, "will walked" mixes future and past incorrectly, and "walks" is third-person singular present. Simple past adds -ed for regular verbs. Reference: .
Rewrite the sentence in correct simple past question form: "Does he go to the gym yesterday?"
Will he go to the gym yesterday?
Did he go to the gym yesterday?
Does he went to the gym yesterday?
Has he gone to the gym yesterday?
For past questions with a time marker, we use "Did" plus the base verb: "Did he go…?" "Does he went" and "Has he gone" misuse verb forms, and "Will he go" is future. Simple past questions always take "did." See .
Choose the correct indirect speech using simple past and present: He said, "I like apples."
He said he liked apples.
He said he likes apples.
He said he is liking apples.
He said he has liked apples.
In reported speech, present simple tense often shifts to past simple, so "I like" becomes "he liked." "He said he likes" would keep the original tense, which is not standard for simple reporting. Use backshifting in indirect speech. See .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Present Simple Tense -

    Recognize present simple verbs in various sentences to master subject-verb agreement and habitual actions. This identify tense quiz will sharpen your ability to spot daily routines and facts in English.

  2. Distinguish Simple Past Tense -

    Spot past simple verbs by analyzing sentence context and time indicators. This past simple tense exercise helps you differentiate completed actions from ongoing ones.

  3. Apply Tense Rules -

    Use grammar rules to determine when to use present simple versus past simple in real-world sentences. This present simple vs past simple test reinforces correct verb forms for writing and speaking.

  4. Evaluate Tense Recognition -

    Take our free simple past vs simple present quiz to get a scored assessment of your grammar skills. Immediate feedback helps you understand errors and learn from mistakes.

  5. Build Grammar Confidence -

    Strengthen your command of English tenses for exams and everyday communication. This English tense quiz boosts your self-assurance in using accurate verb forms.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Verb Forms and Endings -

    When tackling a simple past vs simple present quiz, remember that the present simple uses the base verb in all persons except third”person singular, which adds ”s (Cambridge University Press). In contrast, the past simple for regular verbs adds ”ed, while irregular verbs follow unique patterns. Practice with a past simple tense exercise to solidify these forms.

  2. Time Markers and Usage -

    In a present simple vs past simple test, time markers are your best friend: use "always," "often," or "every day" to signal present habits, and "yesterday," "last week," or a specific date for past actions (Purdue OWL). Spotting these adverbs is a key strategy in any identify tense quiz. Make flashcards of common markers to boost recall.

  3. Irregular Verb Clusters -

    Grammar quiz simple past often trips learners with irregular verbs - about 180 common ones (Oxford University). Group irregulars by pattern families (e.g., sing - sang - sung alongside ring - rang - rung) to create memorable clusters. A mnemonic like "The Beatles sang songs" helps embed these in long-term memory.

  4. Negative and Question Forms -

    In an English tense quiz, mastering negative and question forms is essential: present simple uses do/does + base verb, while past simple uses did + base verb (British Council). For example, "Does she play chess?" vs "Did she play chess yesterday?" Quiz yourself by converting positive sentences into negatives and questions.

  5. Quick Mnemonic Trick -

    Before any simple past vs simple present quiz, remember the jingle "S for Single present, Ed for Ended past" as a quick mnemonic. This catchy phrase helps differentiate the simple present's ”s ending from the simple past's ”ed ending. Use this trick during a present simple vs past simple test to avoid confusion.

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