Present Perfect: Answering questions
Present Perfect Experience
Example: Have you ever been to Japan?
We often use:
ever = at any time in your life
never = not at any time in your life
Important:
If we ask about life experience, we often use the present perfect.
If we say when it happened, we usually use the past simple.
Short answer: Yes, I have.
Longer present perfect answer: Yes, I have played tennis before.
Past simple with finished time: Yes, I played when I was a child.
Incorrect: Yes, I have played when I was a child.
Kurz erklärt auf Deutsch:
Das present perfect benutzen wir, wenn wir nach Erfahrungen im Leben fragen.
Oft steht dabei ever oder never.
ever = jemals
never = noch nie / niemals
Wenn man sagt, wann etwas passiert ist, benutzt man meistens das simple past.
Deshalb ist zum Beispiel Yes, I played when I was a child. richtig, aber Yes, I have played when I was a child. falsch.
Examples
1. Have you ever played tennis?
yes, I have.
yes, I have played tennis before.
yes, I played when I was a child.
yes, I have played when I was a child. (incorrect)
2. Have you ever visited Paris?
yes, I have.
yes, I have visited Paris before.
yes, I went there in 2018.
yes, I have visited Paris in 2018. (incorrect)
3. Have you ever eaten sushi?
yes, I have.
yes, I have eaten sushi before.
yes, I tried it last year.
yes, I have eaten sushi last year. (incorrect)
4. Have you ever driven a sports car?
yes, I have.
yes, I have driven a sports car before.
yes, I drove one on holiday.
yes, I have driven one on holiday. (incorrect)
5. Have you ever worked abroad?
yes, I have.
yes, I have worked abroad before.
yes, I worked in Spain in 2019.
yes, I have worked in Spain in 2019. (incorrect)
Scenario: Choose the correct answer.
1. Have you ever played tennis? ______Yes, I played when I was a child.
a) Yes, I played when I was a child. [Ja, ich habe gespielt, als ich ein Kind war.]
b) Yes, I have played when I was a child. [Ja, ich habe gespielt, als ich ein Kind war.]
2. Have you ever visited Paris? ______No, but I have always wanted to.
a) No, but I always wanted to in 2018. [Nein, aber ich wollte es 2018 immer.]
b) No, but I have always wanted to. [Nein, aber ich habe es schon immer gewollt.]
3. Have you ever eaten sushi? ______Yes, I tried it last year.
a) Yes, I have eaten it last year. [Ja, ich habe es letztes Jahr gegessen.]
b) Yes, I tried it last year. [Ja, ich habe es letztes Jahr probiert.]
4. Have you ever driven a sports car? ______No, but I would love to try one.
a) No, but I would love to try one. [Nein, aber ich würde gern einmal einen ausprobieren.]
b) No, but I would loved to try one yesterday. [Nein, aber ich würde gestern gern einen ausprobiert haben.]
5. Have you ever worked abroad? ______Yes, I worked in Spain in 2019.
a) Yes, I worked in Spain in 2019. [Ja, ich habe 2019 in Spanien gearbeitet.]
b) Yes, I have worked in Spain in 2019. [Ja, ich habe 2019 in Spanien gearbeitet.]
6. Have you ever climbed a mountain? ______No, I am not fit enough yet.
a) No, I was not fit enough yet last year. [Nein, ich war letztes Jahr noch nicht fit genug.]
b) No, I am not fit enough yet. [Nein, ich bin noch nicht fit genug.]
7. Have you ever flown in a helicopter? ______Yes, I flew in one during a holiday in Canada.
a) Yes, I flew in one during a holiday in Canada. [Ja, ich bin im Kanada-Urlaub in einem geflogen.]
b) Yes, I fly in one during a holiday in Canada. [Ja, ich fliege im Kanada-Urlaub in einem.]
8. Have you ever met a celebrity? ______No, but I might one day.
a) No, but I might met one day. [Nein, aber ich könnte eines Tages treffen.]
b) No, but I might one day. [Nein, aber vielleicht eines Tages.]
9. Have you ever stayed in a luxury hotel? ______Yes, I stayed in one in Dubai last summer.
a) Yes, I stay in one in Dubai last summer. [Ja, ich übernachte letzten Sommer in Dubai in einem.]
b) Yes, I stayed in one in Dubai last summer. [Ja, ich habe letzten Sommer in Dubai in einem übernachtet.]
10. Have you ever ridden a horse? ______No, because I was afraid of them as a child.
a) No, because I was afraid of them as a child. [Nein, weil ich als Kind Angst vor ihnen hatte.]
b) No, because I have been afraid of them as a child. [Nein, weil ich als Kind Angst vor ihnen gehabt habe.]
11. Have you ever swum in the ocean? ______Yes, I swam in the ocean in Greece.
a) Yes, I have swum in the ocean in Greece. [Ja, ich bin in Griechenland im Meer geschwommen.]
b) Yes, I swam in the ocean in Greece. [Ja, ich bin in Griechenland im Meer geschwommen.]
12. Have you ever broken a bone? ______No, and I hope it stays that way.
a) No, and I hope it stays that way. [Nein, und ich hoffe, dass das so bleibt.]
b) No, and I hope it stayed that way last year. [Nein, und ich hoffe, dass es letztes Jahr so blieb.]
13. Have you ever taken a cooking class? ______Yes, I took one in 2022.
a) Yes, I took one in 2022. [Ja, ich habe 2022 einen gemacht.]
b) Yes, I have taken one in 2022. [Ja, ich habe 2022 einen gemacht.]
14. Have you ever spoken to a large audience? ______No, but I am going to do it next month.
a) No, but I go to do it next month. [Nein, aber ich gehe nächsten Monat, es zu tun.]
b) No, but I am going to do it next month. [Nein, aber ich werde es nächsten Monat machen.]
15. Have you ever traveled alone? ______Yes, I traveled alone in 2017.
a) Yes, I travel alone in 2017. [Ja, ich reise 2017 allein.]
b) Yes, I traveled alone in 2017. [Ja, ich bin 2017 allein gereist.]
16. Have you ever tried scuba diving? ______No, but I will probably try it someday.
a) No, but I will probably try it someday. [Nein, aber ich werde es wahrscheinlich eines Tages ausprobieren.]
b) No, but I probably tried it someday. [Nein, aber ich probierte es wahrscheinlich irgendwann.]
17. Have you ever lost your passport? ______Yes, I lost it once on a trip to Italy.
a) Yes, I lost it once on a trip to Italy. [Ja, ich habe es einmal auf einer Reise nach Italien verloren.]
b) Yes, I lose it once on a trip to Italy. [Ja, ich verliere es einmal auf einer Reise nach Italien.]
18. Have you ever run a marathon? ______No, but I could train for one in the future.
a) No, but I can trained for one in the future. [Nein, aber ich kann in der Zukunft für einen trainiert.]
b) No, but I could train for one in the future. [Nein, aber ich könnte in Zukunft für einen trainieren.]
19. Have you ever cooked for many people? ______Yes, I cooked for twenty people at my birthday party.
a) Yes, I cook for twenty people at my birthday party. [Ja, ich koche für zwanzig Leute auf meiner Geburtstagsparty.]
b) Yes, I cooked for twenty people at my birthday party. [Ja, ich habe auf meiner Geburtstagsparty für zwanzig Leute gekocht.]
20. Have you ever learned another language? ______No, but I am learning English now.
a) No, but I am learning English now. [Nein, aber ich lerne jetzt Englisch.]
b) No, but I learn English now yesterday. [Nein, aber ich lerne jetzt gestern Englisch.]
21. Have you ever missed a flight? ______Yes, I missed one last year because of traffic.
a) Yes, I missed one last year because of traffic. [Ja, ich habe letztes Jahr wegen des Verkehrs einen verpasst.]
b) Yes, I have missed one last year because of traffic. [Ja, ich habe letztes Jahr wegen des Verkehrs einen verpasst.]
22. Have you ever written a book? ______No, but if I had more time, I would write one.
a) No, but if I have more time, I would wrote one. [Nein, aber wenn ich mehr Zeit habe, würde ich eins schrieb.]
b) No, but if I had more time, I would write one. [Nein, aber wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich eins schreiben.]
23. Have you ever seen a whale? ______Yes, I saw one last summer.
a) Yes, I have seen one last summer. [Ja, ich habe letzten Sommer einen gesehen.]
b) Yes, I saw one last summer. [Ja, ich habe letzten Sommer einen gesehen.]
24. Have you ever taken an English exam? ______No, but I am going to take one this year.
a) No, but I am going to take one this year. [Nein, aber ich werde dieses Jahr eine machen.]
b) No, but I am going to took one this year. [Nein, aber ich werde dieses Jahr eine machte.]
25. Have you ever fallen asleep in a meeting? ______Yes, I fell asleep in one during a long seminar.
a) Yes, I have fallen asleep during a long seminar last year. [Ja, ich bin letztes Jahr während eines langen Seminars eingeschlafen.]
b) Yes, I fell asleep in one during a long seminar. [Ja, ich bin bei einem langen Seminar in einem eingeschlafen.]