Simple Past vs Present Perfect – This Morning / Afternoon / Evening (1–25)
Click the correct verb form (A or B) to complete each sentence — with this morning, this afternoon, and this evening, the tense depends on whether that time period is still continuing or has already finished.
Present Perfect and Past Simple – Time Window Explanation
1. A time window from earlier until now
If the time stretches from the past up to now, English often uses the present perfect.
past ───────────────► now
Typical time words:
today
this morning
this week
this month
this year
so far
until now
lately / recently
I have finished the report today.
[Ich habe den Bericht heute fertiggestellt.]
I have spoken to three clients this morning.
[Ich habe heute Morgen mit drei Kunden gesprochen.]
We have sold many products this month.
[Wir haben diesen Monat viele Produkte verkauft.]
She has written five emails today.
[Sie hat heute fünf E-Mails geschrieben.]
Here, today, this morning, this week, or this month is not finished yet, so English connects the past with the present.
2. A finished time window
If the time is clearly finished, English uses the past simple.
Typical time words:
yesterday
last week
last month
last year
in 2022
two days ago
I finished the report yesterday.
[Ich habe gestern den Bericht fertiggestellt.]
We sold many products last month.
[Wir haben letzten Monat viele Produkte verkauft.]
She wrote five emails yesterday.
[Sie hat gestern fünf E-Mails geschrieben.]
Here, the time is completely over, so English does not use the present perfect.
A very helpful rule for German learners
German often says:
Ich habe gestern meine Schlüssel verloren.
English: I lost my keys yesterday.
Why?
Because yesterday is a finished time.
Short rule
Present Perfect → past up to now
Past Simple → finished past
Today
If the day is not finished, English often uses the present perfect.
I have written three emails today.
[Ich habe heute drei E-Mails geschrieben.]
She has called two clients today.
[Sie hat heute zwei Kunden angerufen.]
But if you speak about a specific moment today, English often uses the past simple.
I wrote the email this morning at 9.
[Ich habe die E-Mail heute Morgen um neun geschrieben.]
This week
The week is still continuing, so English often uses the present perfect.
We have had many meetings this week.
[Wir hatten diese Woche viele Meetings.]
I have travelled a lot this week.
[Ich bin diese Woche viel gereist.]
This month
The month is not finished.
We have sold many products this month.
[Wir haben diesen Monat viele Produkte verkauft.]
I have visited Berlin twice this month.
[Ich war diesen Monat zweimal in Berlin.]
This year
The year is still continuing.
I have read ten books this year.
[Ich habe dieses Jahr zehn Bücher gelesen.]
The company has hired many new employees this year.
[Die Firma hat dieses Jahr viele neue Mitarbeiter eingestellt.]
The simple idea
If the time period is still open, English thinks:
past → now
so it uses the present perfect.
Very short memory help
today / this week / this month / this year
→ time is still open
→ Present Perfect
yesterday / last week / last month / last year
→ time is finished
→ Past Simple
1. I ______ three emails this morning.
have sent
(it is still morning)
[Ich habe heute Morgen drei E-Mails geschickt.]
a) sent [schickte]
b) have sent [habe geschickt]
2. She ______ the report this afternoon.
finished
(it is evening now)
[Sie beendete den Bericht heute Nachmittag.]
a) has finished [hat beendet]
b) finished [beendete]
3. We ______ two meetings this morning.
have had
(it is still morning)
[Wir haben heute Morgen zwei Meetings gehabt.]
a) have had [haben gehabt]
b) had [hatten]
4. He ______ me twice this evening.
has called
(it is still evening)
[Er hat mich heute Abend zweimal angerufen.]
a) called [rief an]
b) has called [hat angerufen]
5. They ______ their grandmother this afternoon.
visited
(it is evening now)
[Sie besuchten ihre Großmutter heute Nachmittag.]
a) visited [besuchten]
b) have visited [haben besucht]
6. I ______ four messages this morning.
have written
(it is still morning)
[Ich habe heute Morgen vier Nachrichten geschrieben.]
a) wrote [schrieb]
b) have written [habe geschrieben]
7. She ______ a lot of progress this evening.
has made
(it is still evening)
[Sie hat heute Abend große Fortschritte gemacht.]
a) has made [hat gemacht]
b) made [machte]
8. We ______ to the new client this afternoon.
spoke
(it is evening now)
[Wir sprachen heute Nachmittag mit dem neuen Kunden.]
a) have spoken [haben gesprochen]
b) spoke [sprachen]
9. He ______ to the bank this morning.
went
(it is afternoon now)
[Er ging heute Morgen zur Bank.]
a) went [ging]
b) has gone [ist gegangen]
10. They ______ the kitchen this evening.
have cleaned
(it is still evening)
[Sie haben heute Abend die Küche geputzt.]
a) cleaned [putzten]
b) have cleaned [haben geputzt]
11. I ______ Anna this afternoon.
saw
(it is evening now)
[Ich sah Anna heute Nachmittag.]
a) saw [sah]
b) have seen [habe gesehen]
12. She ______ three chapters this morning.
has read
(it is still morning)
[Sie hat heute Morgen drei Kapitel gelesen.]
a) read [las]
b) has read [hat gelesen]
13. We ______ at that café this afternoon.
ate
(it is evening now)
[Wir aßen heute Nachmittag in diesem Café.]
a) ate [aßen]
b) have eaten [haben gegessen]
14. He ______ some new shoes this evening.
has bought
(it is still evening)
[Er hat heute Abend neue Schuhe gekauft.]
a) has bought [hat gekauft]
b) bought [kaufte]
15. They ______ a film this evening.
have watched
(it is still evening)
[Sie haben heute Abend einen Film gesehen.]
a) watched [sahen]
b) have watched [haben gesehen]
16. I ______ my messages this morning.
have checked
(it is still morning)
[Ich habe heute Morgen meine Nachrichten überprüft.]
a) have checked [habe überprüft]
b) checked [überprüfte]
17. She ______ to her boss this afternoon.
spoke
(it is evening now)
[Sie sprach heute Nachmittag mit ihrem Chef.]
a) spoke [sprach]
b) has spoken [hat gesprochen]
18. We ______ a lot of work this morning.
have done
(it is still morning)
[Wir haben heute Morgen viel Arbeit erledigt.]
a) did [machten]
b) have done [haben gemacht]
19. He ______ the car this afternoon.
washed
(it is evening now)
[Er wusch heute Nachmittag das Auto.]
a) has washed [hat gewaschen]
b) washed [wusch]
20. They ______ to us this evening.
have written
(it is still evening)
[Sie haben uns heute Abend geschrieben.]
a) have written [haben geschrieben]
b) wrote [schrieben]
21. I ______ an old friend this morning.
met
(it is afternoon now)
[Ich traf heute Morgen einen alten Freund.]
a) met [traf]
b) have met [habe getroffen]
22. She ______ dinner this evening.
has prepared
(it is still evening)
[Sie hat heute Abend das Abendessen vorbereitet.]
a) prepared [bereitete vor]
b) has prepared [hat vorbereitet]
23. We ______ a lot this afternoon.
learned
(it is evening now)
[Wir lernten heute Nachmittag viel.]
a) learned [lernten]
b) have learned [haben gelernt]
24. He ______ his homework this evening.
has finished
(it is still evening)
[Er hat heute Abend seine Hausaufgaben beendet.]
a) has finished [hat beendet]
b) finished [beendete]
25. They ______ tennis this morning.
played
(it is afternoon now)
[Sie spielten heute Morgen Tennis.]
a) have played [haben gespielt]
b) played [spielten]