Both tenses talk about the past, but they do different jobs. We use the present perfect for past actions that are connected to now — a result, an experience, or news that still matters. We use the past simple for finished actions at a definite time in the past.
Continue reading Structure: ‘Present perfect vs past simple’
easyJet and Rolls-Royce have completed a major milestone in sustainable aviation: they ran a modern commercial jet engine on pure hydrogen from start-up through takeoff power and back down again. The test, which took place in late April 2026, is a significant step toward cleaner air travel.
Continue reading Rolls-Royce and easyJet Prove a Jet Engine Can Run on 100% Hydrogen
Listen to the audio recording and complete the task below. You can play the audio as many times as you like. When you are finished, check your work against the answer key and the full transcript.
Continue reading Listening: Cabin Pressure Problem out of MadridThe past perfect (had + past participle) shows that one past action happened before another past action. When we tell a story in the past simple, the past perfect lets us step further back to explain the background.
Continue reading Structure: ‘Past perfect’
Spirit Airlines, once one of the biggest budget airlines in the United States, stopped all flights on May 2, 2026. The airline’s sudden collapse left thousands of passengers without travel plans and put 17,000 workers out of a job.
Continue reading Spirit Airlines Closes Its Doors: America’s Discount Carrier Is Gone
Listen to the recording as many times as you need. Six sentences that describe the incident are shown below in the wrong order. Use what you hear to number them from 1 to 6 in the correct sequence. When you are finished, check your answers against the transcript and the answer key below.
Continue reading Listening: Lightning Strike on Approach to Frankfurt