Tenses: past simple or present perfect - grammar lesson 17

Level: pre-intermediate A2

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Time for another grammar lesson! This one looks at the differences between past simple and present perfect.

1.      Complete the magazine article by using the past simple form of the verbs in brackets.

Oxfam:  the start

This large organization           started               ¹ (start) its work in the difficult years of World War II. Back in 1942, a number of people in Oxford                          ² (meet) and                             ³ (form) a group - the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief - to help people in other countries. They                         ⁴ (begin) with Greece. They                            ⁵ (collect) food and clothes, and                     ⁶ (send) them to help many poor people in Greece.

World War II                           ⁷ (come) to an end, but the group                               ⁸ (see) that there was no end to wars and disasters - and the need for their work. So the organization                         ⁹ (go) world-wide and its name                                   ¹⁰ (become) Oxfam. Today, Oxfam runs programmes in over 70 developing countries.

2.      Complete the magazine article by using the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.

Oxfam: the success story continues

Big successes for Oxfam have included ¹ (include) help after hurricanes and other natural disasters. There                                        ² (be) another important aim, too. From the start, Oxfam                              ³ (work) to help poor people build a better future. It                                                  ⁴ (organize) long-term programmes in developing countries for many years, and these                                        ⁵ (help) millions of people to escape poverty and disease.

For example, Oxfam                                                    ⁶ (provide) equipment for communities to get clean water. It                                                   ⁷ (train) thousands of health workers, and these people                                                  ⁸ (improve) the health of whole regions. In addition, Oxfam                                     ⁹ (make)

many new businesses possible through financial help and training. Recently, with some skills training, a group of women in Bangladesh                                                         ¹⁰ (build) a successful company making hand-made products.

3.      Past Simple and Present Perfect. Underline the correct form of the verbs.

1.      In recent years, the rich became / have become richer.

2.      At the same time, the poor grew / have grown poorer.

3.      In 1945, the richer countries of the world started / have started the World Bank to help the poorer parts of the world.

4.      Since 1945, most developing countries borrowed / have borrowed from the World Bank to pay for development programmes.

5.      People in the Third World received / have received aid such as food from western countries for many years.

6.      Until the 1980s, the development and aid programmes were often / have often been the wrong ones for developing countries; for example, free food aid often hurt / has often hurt local farmers financially.

7.      There is another problem even now — western businesses continued / have continued to buy from the country with the lowest price.

8.      In the last twenty years, organizations like Tradecraft finally began / have finally begun to make a real difference to the way western and developing countries trade.

          4.      Complete the article by using the past simple or present perfect form of the verbs.

Concern: in partnership with Oxfam

In 1975, the organization Concern established ¹ (establish) a centre in Demra, Bangladesh. Concern                                      ² (want) to provide food and health care for poor people. Since then, with the help of Oxfam, it                                              ³ (encourage) people to work together to improve their living conditions. For several years, Oxfam and Concern                                           ⁴ (work) with a group of women in Demra. In the 1990s, Concern                                                      ⁵ (set) up a skills training centre and the women                                                             ⁶ (learn) to make hand-made products like baskets and incense. At first, the women                                                           ⁷ (sell) their products locally. Then Oxfam                                                             ⁸ (do) some market research for them. Since then, the business                                                 ⁹ (develop) its incense products for the international market. In recent years, it                                                            ¹⁰ (sell) its incense to The Body Shop and other European buyers. The business                                                             ¹¹ (change) the lives of 150 women and their families.

Adapted from International Express OUP 2009

Answers below!






ANSWERS!

1.      Complete the magazine article by using the past simple form of the verbs in brackets.

Oxfam:  the start

This large organization started ¹ (start) its work in the difficult years of World War II. Back in 1942, a number of people in Oxford met ² (meet) and formed ³ (form) a group - the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief - to help people in other countries. They began ⁴ (begin) with Greece. They collected ⁵ (collect) food and clothes, and sent ⁶ (send) them to help many poor people in Greece.

World War II came ⁷ (come) to an end, but the group saw ⁸ (see) that there was no end to wars and disasters - and the need for their work. So the organization went ⁹ (go) world-wide and its name became ¹⁰ (become) Oxfam. Today, Oxfam runs programmes in over 70 developing countries.

2.      Complete the magazine article by using the present perfect form of the verbs in brackets.

Oxfam: the success story continues

Big successes for Oxfam have included ¹ (include) help after hurricanes and other natural disasters. There has been ² (be) another important aim, too. From the start, Oxfam has worked ³ (work) to help poor people build a better future. It has organized ⁴ (organize) long-term programmes in developing countries for many years, and these have helped ⁵ (help) millions of people to escape poverty and disease.

For example, Oxfam has provided ⁶ (provide) equipment for communities to get clean water. It has trained ⁷ (train) thousands of health workers, and these people have improved ⁸ (improve) the health of whole regions. In addition, Oxfam     has made ⁹ (make)

many new businesses possible through financial help and training. Recently, with some skills training, a group of women in Bangladesh have built ¹⁰ (build) a successful company making hand-made products. 

3.      Past Simple and Present Perfect. Underline the correct form of the verbs.

1.      In recent years, the rich became / have become richer.

2.      At the same time, the poor grew / have grown poorer.

3.      In 1945, the richer countries of the world started / have started the World Bank to help the poorer parts of the world.

4.      Since 1945, most developing countries borrowed / have borrowed from the World Bank to pay for development programmes.

5.      People in the Third World received / have received aid such as food from western countries for many years.

6.      Until the 1980s, the development and aid programmes were often / have often been the wrong ones for developing countries; for example, free food aid often hurt / has often hurt local farmers financially.

7.      There is another problem even now — western businesses continued / have continued to buy from the country with the lowest price.

8.      In the last twenty years, organizations like Tradecraft finally began / have finally begun to make a real difference to the way western and developing countries trade.

          4.      Complete the article by using the past simple or present perfect form of the verbs.

Concern: in partnership with Oxfam

In 1975, the organization Concern established ¹ (establish) a centre in Demra, Bangladesh. Concern wanted ² (want) to provide food and health care for poor people. Since then, with the help of Oxfam, it has encouraged ³ (encourage) people to work together to improve their living conditions. For several years, Oxfam and Concern have worked ⁴ (work) with a group of women in Demra. In the 1990s, Concern           set ⁵ (set) up a skills training centre and the women learnt ⁶ (learn) to make hand-made products like baskets and incense. At first, the women sold ⁷ (sell) their products locally. Then Oxfam did ⁸ (do) some market research for them. Since then, the business has developed ⁹ (develop) its incense products for the international market. In recent years, it has sold ¹⁰ (sell) its incense to The Body Shop and other European buyers. The business has changed ¹¹ (change) the lives of 150 women and their families.