Past Simple, Past Continuous y Present Perfect: Guía B1/B2

Past Simple, Past Continuous y Present Perfect: teoría, ejemplos y ejercicios

En inglés, elegir correctamente el tiempo verbal es fundamental para expresar cuándo ocurre una acción y cuál es su relación con el presente. En el nivel B1/B2, es especialmente importante saber diferenciar el Past Simple, el Past Continuous y el Present Perfect.

Aunque estos tres tiempos pueden hablar de acontecimientos pasados, no se utilizan de la misma manera. El Past Simple suele presentar acciones terminadas en un momento determinado del pasado; el Past Continuous describe acciones que estaban ocurriendo en un momento concreto; y el Present Perfect relaciona una experiencia o una acción pasada con el presente.

1. La diferencia fundamental

• Past Simple: acción terminada en el pasado, normalmente asociada a un momento o periodo terminado.
• Past Continuous: acción que estaba desarrollándose en un momento determinado del pasado.
• Present Perfect: acción pasada que tiene una conexión con el presente, o experiencia cuyo momento exacto no se especifica.

En esta lección aprenderás a formar y utilizar estos tres tiempos, a reconocer las expresiones que suelen acompañarlos y, sobre todo, a decidir cuál debes utilizar en situaciones cotidianas.

Al final encontrarás un banco de 30 preguntas interactivas. Al corregir, la respuesta correcta aparecerá en verde y, si has cometido un error, la opción que hayas marcado aparecerá en rojo. Además, recibirás una explicación detallada de las cuatro opciones.

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1. PAST SIMPLE

Utilizamos el Past Simple principalmente para hablar de acciones o situaciones que ocurrieron y terminaron en el pasado.

1.1. Formación

Afirmativa

Subject + past form of the verb

I worked yesterday.
She visited London last year.
They went to the cinema on Saturday.

Con los verbos regulares normalmente añadimos -ed. Los verbos irregulares tienen formas propias que debemos aprender.

work → worked
play → played
visit → visited

go → went
see → saw
take → took
have → had

1.2. Forma negativa

Subject + did not (didn't) + infinitive

I didn't work yesterday.
She didn't go to the meeting.
They didn't see him.

❌ I didn't went to work.
✅ I didn't go to work.

1.3. Forma interrogativa

Did + subject + infinitive?

Did you work yesterday?
Did she visit London?
Did they see the film?

1.4. Usos principales

• Acciones terminadas en el pasado.
• Acciones asociadas a un momento concreto del pasado.
• Una serie de acciones terminadas que ocurrieron una después de otra.
• Situaciones o estados que ya terminaron.

I woke up at 7, had breakfast and went to work.

1.5. Expresiones frecuentes

• yesterday
• last week / last month / last year
• two days ago
• in 2020
• when I was a child
• on Monday

We moved to Madrid in 2020.
She called me yesterday.
I met him two years ago.

2. PAST CONTINUOUS

El Past Continuous se utiliza para describir una acción que estaba ocurriendo en un momento determinado del pasado.

2.1. Formación

Subject + was/were + verb-ing

I was working at 8 p.m.
She was studying when I called.
They were watching television.

Sujeto	Forma
I / He / She / It	was + verb-ing
You / We / They	were + verb-ing

2.2. Forma negativa

Subject + was/were not + verb-ing

I wasn't sleeping.
She wasn't working.
They weren't listening.

2.3. Forma interrogativa

Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?

Were you working at 9?
Was she sleeping?
Were they waiting for us?

2.4. Usos principales

Utilizamos el Past Continuous especialmente para hablar de una acción que estaba en desarrollo en un momento concreto del pasado.

At 10 p.m., I was watching a film.

También es muy frecuente cuando una acción estaba ocurriendo y otra acción la interrumpió.

I was driving when my phone rang.

• Past Continuous para la acción que estaba en desarrollo.
• Past Simple para la acción que ocurrió o interrumpió.

2.5. While y when

While I was working, my brother called me.

I was working when my brother called me.

3. PRESENT PERFECT

El Present Perfect conecta una acción o experiencia pasada con el presente. No se utiliza simplemente porque algo ocurrió en el pasado: debe existir una relación con el momento actual o no se debe especificar un momento pasado terminado.

3.1. Formación

Subject + have/has + past participle

I have visited London.
She has finished her homework.
They have seen that film.

Sujeto	Auxiliar	Ejemplo
I / You / We / They	have	They have finished.
He / She / It	has	She has finished.

3.2. Forma negativa

Subject + haven't / hasn't + past participle

I haven't finished yet.
She hasn't called me.
They haven't seen the film.

3.3. Forma interrogativa

Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Have you finished?
Has she arrived?
Have they visited London?

3.4. Experiencias

I have been to London.
She has visited Italy.
Have you ever tried sushi?

3.5. Acciones recientes

I have lost my keys.

La acción ocurrió en el pasado, pero el resultado es importante ahora.

3.6. Just, already y yet

I have just finished my work.
She has already left.
Have you finished yet?
I haven't finished yet.

3.7. For y since

I have lived here for five years.
She has worked here since 2021.

4. PAST SIMPLE, PAST CONTINUOUS Y PRESENT PERFECT

Tiempo	Idea principal	Ejemplo
Past Simple	Acción terminada en un momento pasado.	I visited London last year.
Past Continuous	Acción en desarrollo en un momento pasado.	I was visiting London when he called.
Present Perfect	Experiencia o acción pasada conectada con el presente.	I have visited London three times.

4.1. Past Simple frente a Present Perfect

Past Simple: sabemos o indicamos cuándo ocurrió.

I visited London last year.

Present Perfect: hablamos de una experiencia y no indicamos un momento pasado terminado.

I have visited London three times.

No utilizamos normalmente Present Perfect con expresiones que indican un momento pasado terminado como yesterday, last year o in 2020.

4.2. Past Simple frente a Past Continuous

Past Simple: presenta la acción como un acontecimiento terminado.

I watched TV at 8 p.m.

Past Continuous: destaca que la acción estaba en desarrollo.

I was watching TV at 8 p.m.

4.3. Past Continuous + Past Simple

I was walking home when it started to rain.

5. USOS HABITUALES EN CONTEXTOS COTIDIANOS

Hablar de lo que ocurrió ayer

Yesterday I went to the supermarket and bought some food.

Describir qué estaba ocurriendo

At 7 p.m., I was having dinner.

Contar una experiencia

I have visited several European countries.

Hablar de algo que acaba de ocurrir

She has just arrived.

Hablar de una acción pasada con una consecuencia actual

I have lost my phone.

Contar una historia

I was walking home when I saw an old friend.

6. ERRORES HABITUALES

Error 1: utilizar el pasado después de DID

❌ Did you went there?
✅ Did you go there?

Error 2: utilizar Past Simple con HAVE/HAS

❌ I have went to London.
✅ I have been to London.

Error 3: confundir WAS/WERE con HAVE/HAS

❌ I have working yesterday.
✅ I was working yesterday.

Error 4: utilizar Present Perfect con un momento pasado terminado

❌ I have visited London last year.
✅ I visited London last year.

7. RESUMEN RÁPIDO

Pregunta que debes hacerte	Tiempo probable
¿La acción terminó en un momento concreto del pasado?	Past Simple
¿La acción estaba ocurriendo en ese momento?	Past Continuous
¿Es una experiencia o existe una conexión con el presente?	Present Perfect
¿Una acción estaba ocurriendo cuando sucedió otra?	Past Continuous + Past Simple

Ejercicio interactivo: 30 preguntas

Selecciona una respuesta en cada pregunta y completa el test. Al final, pulsa Comprobar resultado para corregir todas las preguntas de una sola vez. La respuesta correcta aparecerá en verde y, si has elegido una opción incorrecta, tu respuesta aparecerá en rojo. Debajo de cada pregunta se desplegará una explicación detallada de las cuatro opciones.

1. I _____ to London last year.

have been went was going have gone

2. She _____ dinner when I called her.

had has had was having has been

3. I _____ this film three times.

have seen saw was seeing see

4. We _____ at home yesterday.

have stayed stayed were staying stay

5. They _____ football at 6 p.m. yesterday.

played have played were playing had played

6. Have you _____ been to Spain?

ever yesterday last year ago

7. I _____ my keys. I can't open the door.

lost have lost was losing had lost

8. When I arrived, they _____ dinner.

had have had were having have

9. She _____ her homework yet.

hasn't finished didn't finish wasn't finishing doesn't finish

10. We _____ to Paris in 2022.

have travelled travelled were travelling travel

11. I _____ when the phone rang.

slept have slept was sleeping sleep

12. He has worked here _____ five years.

for since ago from

13. She has lived here _____ 2020.

for since ago during

14. I _____ my friend yesterday.

have seen was seeing saw see

15. They _____ TV when I arrived.

were watching have watched watched watch

16. I have _____ finished my work.

yesterday just last week ago

17. Did you _____ the film last night?

watched watching watch have watched

18. She _____ never eaten sushi.

has did was have

19. While I _____, my brother was cooking.

studied was studying have studied study

20. We _____ that restaurant last Saturday.

have visited were visiting visited visit

21. He _____ his car two years ago.

bought has bought was buying buys

22. I _____ my keys, so I can't get into the house.

lost was losing have lost lose

23. What _____ you doing yesterday at 9 p.m.?

did were have was

24. Have you finished your work _____?

yet yesterday last night ago

25. I _____ home when it started to rain.

walked have walked was walking walk

26. She _____ already left.

did has was had

27. They _____ to the beach last weekend.

went have gone were going go

28. I _____ never _____ to New York.

did / go was / going have / been have / went

29. When the teacher arrived, the students _____.

talked were talking have talked talk

30. I _____ my homework, so I can relax now.

have finished finished yesterday was finishing finish