present perfect or simple past

Sean: I __________________________________ (never, be) to Paris.

Jane: Oh, I _________________________ (go) there last summer. I _________________

(do) a

language course there. I __________________________(make) a lot of new friends too.

Sean: And your French is fantastic. ___________________________________ (you, ever,

think) about studying there?

Jane: No, thanks. I’m quite happy with our British university system. I
____________________________ (apply) to London, Reading, Bristol and a couple more.

Sean: _______________________________ (you, hear) anything yet?

Jane: No, it’s too early. I only ________________________________ (send off) the
application forms

last week.

Jill: Rob and I _________________________________ (go) to that new Indian restaurant

last night.

Pete: You mean the one in Hadley Road?

Jill: That’s right. ________________________________ (have, you, ever) there?

Pete: Not yet. But Trish _______________________________ (already, be) there twice—
and it _______________________________________ (only, be) open a week. She
________________________________ (love) the meal, especially the sauces. She says
she ____________________________ (never, eat) such great Indian food. What
________________________________ (you, order)?

Jill: Well, I ________________________________ (have) tandoori chicken and Rob

__________________________________

(order) lamb curry.

Ann:_______________________________ (you, see) Pat recently? She

___________________________ _________ (not, call) for over a week. I
_____________________________ (not, see) her since her birthday.

Liz: Well, actually I ________________________________ (just, speak) to her. She

_______________ (be) very busy this week. You know that she
__________________________ (start) her holiday job last Monday. Well, she
 Simple Present / Present Continuous

Today (be) the second day of my trek around Mount Annapurna. I am

exhausted and my legs (shake) ; I just hope I am able to complete the trek. My
feet (kill, really) me and my toes (bleed) , but I (want,
still) to continue.

Nepal is a fascinating country, but I have a great deal to learn. Everything (be)
so different, and I (try) to adapt to the new way of life here. I (learn)
a little bit of the language to make communication easier; unfortunately, I (learn,
not) foreign languages quickly. Although I (understand, not)
much yet, I believe that I (improve, gradually) .

I (travel, currently) with Liam, a student from Leeds University in

England. He (be) a nice guy, but impatient. He (walk, always)
ahead of me and (complain) that I am too slow. I (do) my best to
keep up with him, but he is younger and stronger than I am. Maybe, I am just feeling sorry
for myself because I am getting old.

Right now, Liam (sit) with the owner of the inn. They (discuss) the
differences between life in England and life in Nepal. I (know, not) the real name
of the owner, but everybody (call, just) him Tam. Tam (speak)
English very well and he (try) to teach Liam some words in Nepali. Every time
Tam (say) a new word, Liam (try) to repeat it. Unfortunately, Liam
(seem, also) to have difficulty learning foreign languages. I just hope we don't
get lost and have to ask for directions.
Past Continuous vs Past Simple

James Ellis_________ (go) on a business trip last week. He_________ (visit) some
customers in Frankfurt. He___________ (leave) home early on Monday morning
and __________(take) a taxi to the airport. He _________(get) there at about 8 o'clock.
He ____________(check in) and ____________(go) to the airport lounge.
He _____________(buy) a newspaper and __________(go) to get a coffee.
He ____________(drink) his coffee when he ___________(see) an old friend, Bob.
He ___________(be) very surprised that Bob ____________(be) in London
and ______________(find out) that he ___________(start) a new job in the city. As
they _______________(speak) they ____________(hear) an announcement. "Would all
passengers for the 9.30 flight to Frankfurt please go to boarding gate 10".
James _______________(say) goodbye to Bob and as they ____________(leave)
Bob ______________(give) him his business card and ____________(ask) him to phone
when he ________________(return) from Frankfurt.
 After ___________(board) James ______________(put) his briefcase in the overhead
locker and ___________(sit) down. During the flight, James ____________(do) some paper
work and ____________(speak) to the woman sitting next to him, while
they ________________(speak) the flight attendant _____________(bring) breakfast. When
the plane _____________(land) in London, it was almost 11 o'clock.

James ____________(take) a train to his hotel. Then he _____________(walk) to the

customer's office. He _____________(get) there at 1.00 pm and ____________(go) to the
reception desk. The receptionist ______________(ask) him to wait. Whilst
he _____________(wait) she ______________(offer) him a drink. He and his
customer ____________(talk) all afternoon. When Bob _____________(get) to his hotel at 7
o'clock that night, he _____________(phone) his wife and then _______________(go) to the
hotel restaurant.

Fill in the blanks with a suitable tense:

Dear Linda,

I’m sorry I ___________________ (not/write) to you for so long, but I

__________________ (be) very busy lately. All last month I ___________________
(have) exams, and ____________________ (not/have) time for anything else. I
____________________(never/study) that much before. Anyway, I
_________________ (stop) studying now I __________________ (wait) for my
exam results.

As you can see from the letter, I __________________ (change) my address and
________________ (live) in Croydon now. I ________________(decide) that I
wanted some change from central London because it ___________________
(become) so expensive. When you ________________ (come) to London this
summer, please visit me. I ____________________ (stay) here until the middle of
August. Then I ____________________ (go) on holiday to Scotland.

Please write soon.

Love,

Peggy.

At the dentist’s

I was on time for my dentist’s appointment, but the dentist was still busy with another
patient, so I ____________(sit) in the waiting room and ____________(read) some
of the old magazines lying there. While I _________________ (wonder) whether to
leave and come back another day, I ____________________ (notice) a magazine
article about teeth. It _________________(begin): ‘How long is it since you last
________________(go) to the dentist? ___________________(you/do) regularly
every six months? Or _________________(you/put off) your visit for the last six
years?’ Next to the article was a cartoon of a man in dentist’s chair. The dentist
_____________(say): ‘I’m afraid this _________________(hurt).’ I suddenly
________________ (realise) that my tooth ______________(stop) aching. But just
as I _________________ (open) the door to leave, the dentist’s door
_____________ (open). ‘Next, please,’ he _______________(call), as the previous
patient ________________(push) past me. ‘Actually, I’m not here to see you, I
_____________(wait) for my friend,’ I _______________ (shout), leaving as rapidly
as I could. __________________ (you/ever/do) this kind of thing? Surely I can’t be
the only person who _______________(hate) the dentist!