B1 Lesson – PP & PS Paraphrasing
B1 · Exam Preparation · Grammar

Present Perfect
& Past Simple

Master paraphrasing between two essential tenses.
Ace your 8th-grade English exam! 🎯

⏱ 50 min
📊 31 pts
🧩 5 exercises
💬 6 speaking cards
🎓 Level B1
Enter your name to begin / Wpisz swoje imię, aby zacząć

Your progress

☀️

Warm-Up

Think & discuss with your partner

Question 1

Think of something amazing you have done in your life. When did you do it? Why was it special?

💡 Try using: “I have visited / eaten / tried…” and “I went / ate / tried… in/last…”

Question 2

Look at these two sentences. What is the difference in meaning?
“I have broken my phone.” vs. “I broke my phone last Tuesday.”

💡 Think about: Does it matter when it happened?

Question 3

Can you say the same thing in two different ways — once using Past Simple and once using Present Perfect?

💡 Example: “She lost her keys.” → “She has lost her keys.” What changed?

📖

Key Vocabulary

Words you’ll need for this lesson

paraphrase
verb / noun
To express the same idea using different words or structures.
“Can you paraphrase this sentence using Present Perfect?”
przeformułować / parafraza
unspecified time
phrase
A time that is not clearly stated or identified.
“She has visited Paris.” — we don’t know when.
nieokreślony czas
specific time
phrase
A clearly stated moment or period in the past.
“He left yesterday at 6 pm.” — we know exactly when.
określony czas
signal word
noun
A word that tells you which tense to use.
“Yesterday” → Past Simple; “already” → Present Perfect.
słowo sygnałowe
result
noun
The effect or consequence of an action, felt now.
“She has broken her arm.” — her arm is still broken now.
wynik / skutek
experience
noun
Something that happened to you at some point in your life.
“Have you ever tried sushi?” — asking about life experience.
doświadczenie
time expression
noun
A word or phrase that says when something happened.
“last week”, “two years ago”, “in 2018”, “just”, “recently”
wyrażenie czasu
transform
verb
To change the form of a sentence while keeping the meaning.
“Transform this sentence from PS to PP.”
przekształcić
recently / lately
adverb
In the near past — used with Present Perfect.
“I have recently started a new course.”
ostatnio / niedawno
ever / never
adverb
Used to ask/say if something happened at any point in life.
“Have you ever been to Scotland? — I’ve never been.”
kiedykolwiek / nigdy
📰

Reading

Read the texts and answer the questions

📝 Text A
A Busy Summer

My name is Karol and I have had an incredible summer. I have visited three different countries and I have tried so many new foods! Two weeks ago, I went to Italy with my family. We ate pizza in Rome and saw the Colosseum. Last month, I also went to a music festival in Poland. It was fantastic!

Now I am back home, but I still remember everything clearly. I have never had such a fun summer before. I have already started writing about my experiences in a blog. I posted my first entry yesterday, and I have received five comments so far.
📝 Text B
A New Language

Maya has always loved languages. She has studied French since she was ten years old, and she has already passed two official exams. Last year, she decided to learn Japanese too. She signed up for a course in September and started her classes the very next week.

Her teacher says she has made excellent progress. Maya has already memorised over 200 words! She practised for three hours last Saturday. She has never missed a class so far. Maya hopes to visit Japan next spring — it has always been her dream.
Comprehension Questions · 5 points

Choose the best answer for each question. / Wybierz najlepszą odpowiedź.

1. How many countries has Karol visited this summer?
2. Where did Karol go two weeks ago?
3. How long has Maya studied French?
4. What did Maya do last Saturday?
5. Which sentence about Karol uses the Present Perfect correctly?
📐

Grammar Focus

Paraphrasing between PP ↔ PS

🇬🇧 English

Paraphrasing means expressing the same idea using a different structure. To paraphrase between PP and PS, you must know what changes: the verb form, and the time expression.

🇵🇱 Polski

Parafrazowanie to wyrażanie tej samej myśli inną strukturą. Żeby parafrazować PP i PS, musisz wiedzieć, co się zmienia: forma czasownika oraz wyrażenie czasu.

⏰ Past Simple
Form(+) She visited / She went
(-) She didn’t visit
(?) Did she visit?
Signal wordsyesterday, last week, ago, in 2018, on Monday, this morning (finished)
FocusWHEN it happened
✨ Present Perfect
Form(+) She has visited / She’s been
(-) She hasn’t visited
(?) Has she visited?
Signal wordsalready, yet, just, ever, never, recently, since, for, so far
FocusTHAT it happened / result now
🟢 Paraphrasing: Past Simple → Present Perfect
  • Remove the specific time expression (yesterday, last week, ago, in 2018…)
  • Change the verb: V2 / irregular → have/has + V3
  • Change the negative: didn’t + V1 → haven’t/hasn’t + V3
  • Change the question: Did + S + V1? → Have/Has + S + V3?
  • You may add a PP signal word: already, just, ever, never, yet…
🟡 Paraphrasing: Present Perfect → Past Simple
  • ADD a specific time expression: yesterday, last week, ago, in + year…
  • Change the verb: have/has + V3 → V2 / irregular past
  • Change the negative: haven’t/hasn’t + V3 → didn’t + V1
  • Change the question: Have/Has + S + V3? → Did + S + V1?
  • Replace PP signal words: recently → last week / just → a moment ago
🇬🇧 Key Rule

Past Simple needs a finished, specific time.
Present Perfect uses an unspecified time — or no time at all.

🇵🇱 Kluczowa zasada

Past Simple wymaga określonego, zakończonego czasu.
Present Perfect używa nieokreślonego czasu — lub go pomija.

💡 Example Paraphrases
Past Simple
I saw that film last weekend.
⇄
Present Perfect
I have seen that film.
Past Simple
She didn’t finish her homework yesterday.
⇄
Present Perfect
She hasn’t finished her homework.
Past Simple
Did you visit the museum last month?
⇄
Present Perfect
Have you ever visited the museum?
Present Perfect
He has just called the office.
⇄
Past Simple
He called the office a moment ago.
Present Perfect
They have recently moved to a new city.
⇄
Past Simple
They moved to a new city last month.
⚠️ Common Mistakes / Typowe błędy
❌ I have seen him yesterday.
✅ I saw him yesterday.
❌ She has born in 1990.
✅ She was born in 1990.
❌ We didn’t finished the project yet.
✅ We haven’t finished the project yet.
❌ Did you ever been to Paris?
✅ Have you ever been to Paris?
🎯

Exercise 1 — Multiple Choice

Choose the correct tense · 6 points

EN: Choose the best option (A, B or C) to complete each sentence.
PL: Wybierz najlepszą opcję (A, B lub C), która uzupełnia każde zdanie.
1. Marta _______ Paris three times. She loves it there.
2. My brother _______ his keys on the way to school this morning.
3. _______ you ever _______ Japanese food before?
4. I _______ that film last Friday with my classmates.
5. She _______ already _______ the report. It’s ready to send.
6. They _______ to London two years ago and loved it.
📝

Exercise 2 — Gap Fill

Choose the correct verb form · 6 points

EN: Select the correct form from the dropdown to complete each sentence.
PL: Wybierz poprawną formę z listy, aby uzupełnić każde zdanie.
Sentence 1
Tom three emails so far this morning.
Sentence 2
We that series yet — don’t tell us the ending!
Sentence 3
My parents at university in 1992.
Sentence 4
Ola her homework — she can go out now.
Sentence 5
to the teacher about your grade?
Sentence 6
I oysters — I’d like to try them one day.
🔄

Exercise 3 — Paraphrase: PS → PP

Rewrite using Present Perfect · 6 points

EN: Rewrite each sentence using the word in CAPITALS. Use 2–5 words. Remove specific time expressions where necessary.
PL: Przepisz zdanie używając słowa pisanego WIELKIMI LITERAMI. Użyj 2–5 wyrazów. Usuń określenia czasu tam, gdzie trzeba.
I visited Rome last summer.
I HAVE .
✅ Correct: have not visited Rome
She didn’t call me last night.
She HASN’T .
✅ Correct: hasn’t called me since last night
Did you ever read this book at school?
HAVE ?
✅ Correct: Have you ever read this book
He broke his leg two months ago.
He HAS .
✅ Correct: has broken his leg
We didn’t go to the new café last weekend.
We HAVEN’T .
✅ Correct: haven’t been to the new café / haven’t visited the new café
Did you speak to the director before he retired?
HAVE ?
✅ Correct: Have you (ever) spoken to the director
🔃

Exercise 4 — Paraphrase: PP → PS

Rewrite using Past Simple · 4 points

EN: Rewrite each sentence using the word in CAPITALS. Add an appropriate time expression.
PL: Przepisz zdanie używając słowa pisanego WIELKIMI LITERAMI. Dodaj odpowiednie wyrażenie czasu.
She has just left the building.
She LEFT .
✅ Correct: left the building a moment ago / a few minutes ago
Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon?
DID ?
✅ Correct: Did you ever visit the Grand Canyon
He has already submitted his application.
He SUBMITTED .
✅ Correct: submitted his application yesterday / earlier today
I haven’t seen him since the conference.
I LAST .
✅ Correct: last saw him at the conference
🔀

Exercise 5 — Sentence Reorder

Put the words in the correct order · 4 points

EN: Click the words in the correct order to build the sentence.
PL: Kliknij słowa w odpowiedniej kolejności, aby ułożyć zdanie. Kliknij ułożone słowo, aby je usunąć.
Sentence 1:
” “
✅ Correct: She has never tried sushi before
Sentence 2:
” “
✅ Correct: Have you already finished your homework?
Sentence 3:
” .”
✅ Correct: They moved to a bigger house last month
Sentence 4:
” “
✅ Correct: He hasn’t called me yet today
💬

Speaking Practice

Discuss with your partner or teacher

✈️ Travel
  • Where have you been on holiday? When did you go?
  • Have you ever been abroad? Where did you go and what did you do?
  • Describe a place you visited last year. Would you like to go back?
I have been to…I went there in…I’ve never visited…
🎓 School & Learning
  • Have you ever studied a subject you really hated? When was that?
  • Have you read an interesting book recently? What was it about?
  • Did you do anything special for school this week?
I have studied…Last year I…I’ve recently…
🍜 Food & Cooking
  • Have you ever tried a food from another country? When and where?
  • What did you eat for dinner yesterday? Did you cook it yourself?
  • Have you ever cooked a meal for your family? How did it go?
I’ve never eaten…Yesterday I…I have tried…
🎬 Films & Series
  • Have you seen any good films recently? Tell us about one.
  • What was the last film you watched? When did you see it?
  • Have you ever watched a film in English without subtitles?
I’ve watched…I saw it last…Have you ever seen…?
🏆 Achievements
  • What is the most impressive thing you have ever done?
  • Have you ever won a competition? When was it and what happened?
  • Did you achieve something special last year? Tell us about it.
I have won…In [year] I…I’ve never managed to…
🌟 Life Firsts
  • Think of something you have never done but would like to try. Why?
  • What did you do for the very first time last year?
  • Have you ever done something that surprised even yourself?
I have never…For the first time I…I did it last…
🏅

Your Results

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