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The Present Perfect followed up by the Past Simple (in question sequences)

"Have you ever...?" followed by more specific WH questions: when / where / why / & how...?


Have you ever _______ a ghost? [indefinite past]

When did you _______ one? [definite past]


1. a ghost

2. Oxford

3. wine

4. flowers

5. London

6. a Japanese car

7. a horror film

8. Palace Pier

9. The Royal Pavilion

10. a crocodile

11. Italian food

12. Taiwanese

13. Turkish

14. TV programmes

15. good-looking men / women

16. serious students

17. a mountain bike

18. a camel

19. Scotland

20. the Loch Ness monster

Students have to find suitable verbs to make the questions, using them in the right forms.

The "Have you ever" questions will need a knowledge of past participles (sometimes of irregular verbs). The present perfect tense is used when you are not defining the moment of time in the question. You are indefinite about the time.

To get further information, you will ask more definite WH questions, using the past simple tense. Remember, you use the first part of the verb (the stem) for questions or negative statements in the Past Simple.

Examples: When did you go there? Why did you study it?

Where did you buy them? How did you get there?

You are now asking about particular occasions.