Learn Present Perfect With A Story:The Time Capsule Mystery
- Rose Sensei
- Sep 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 4
Have you ever found something surprising in your garden?
🌱 In today’s lesson, we’ll explore the Present Perfect Simple tense through a fun mystery story: The Time Capsule Mystery.
In this story, Emma and Jack discover a box their grandmother buried fifty years ago.
Along the way, they use the Present Perfect to talk about experiences
(“Have you ever opened it?”), recent actions (“Someone has taken a letter!”), and things that started in the past but continue today (“I have always wondered about it.”).
🎬Watch the YouTube video with voice narration + interactive exercises:
This lesson will help you:
✅ Understand when to use the Present Perfect Simple
✅ Learn useful vocabulary in context
✅ Practice with examples and a quiz
✅ Watch videos and Shorts to improve your listening & speaking
Let's learn the Present Perfect With A Mystery Story
📚Part 1: The Discovery
It was a sunny afternoon when Emma and Jack dug up something unexpected in their grandmother’s garden.
Beneath the roots of an old oak tree, they found a rusty metal box. They rushed inside to show Grandma Lily.
“Oh, you’ve found it!” Grandma said, her eyes sparkling. “I buried this time capsule fifty years ago with my friends.”
Emma wiped the dirt off the lid. “Have you ever opened it since then?”
“No,” Grandma said, smiling. “It has stayed hidden all this time.”
They opened the box together. Inside, they found faded letters, black-and-white photographs, and a few trinkets. One letter, however, was missing.
“Someone has taken a letter!” Jack exclaimed.
🎯Explanation of Present Perfect Simple:
The Present Perfect Simple is used when an action:
✔️Happened at an unspecified time in the past:
“You’ve found it!” (No exact time given, but it’s important now.)
✔️Has a connection to the present:
“It has stayed hidden all this time.”
(It was hidden in the past and still is until now.)
✔️Describes life experiences or new information:
“Have you ever opened it since then?” (Experience up to the present.)
📚Part 2: Solving the Mystery
Emma and Jack decided to investigate. They went to visit Mr. Thompson, one of Grandma’s old friends.
“We’ve found the time capsule,” Emma announced. “Do you know what happened to the missing letter?”
Mr. Thompson chuckled. “I have always wondered when someone would find it. Yes, I took the letter years ago. It had a secret map that led to a treasure!”
“Have you found the treasure?” Jack asked, excited.
“No, I haven’t,” Mr. Thompson admitted. “I lost the map before I could look for it.”
The three of them searched for clues and, after hours of looking, Jack shouted, “I’ve found something!” He held up a piece of paper with a faded map.
📖Vocabulary List:
Time capsule – A container filled with items from the past, meant to be opened in the future.
Rusty – Covered with rust (iron oxide) due to age.
Trinket – A small decorative object or piece of jewelry.
Sparkling – Shining brightly.
Unspecified – Not stated clearly or exactly.
Faded – Having lost color or brightness over time.
Chuckled – Laughed quietly or softly.
Treasure – A collection of valuable items.
🧠Quiz: Check Your Understanding
Choose the correct answer:
a) We (have found / found) the time capsule yesterday.
b) She (has taken / took) the letter without telling anyone.
True or False:
a) The Present Perfect is used to talk about actions that have an impact on the present. (T / F)
b) “I have lost the map” means the map is still lost. (T / F)
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb:
a) They _______________ (find) the time capsule.
b) Mr. Thompson ______________ (not see) the treasure yet.
🔑Answers:
a) have found | b) has taken
a) True | b) True
a) have found | b) has not seen
And that’s the mystery solved! 🕵️ Emma and Jack have found more than just a time capsule — they’ve also shown us how the Present Perfect Simple can be used for connecting the past to the present.
👉 Now it’s your turn!
Try writing 3 sentences using the Present Perfect in the comments below.
Watch the full video lesson here: https://youtu.be/qWQkw5gBGFE
Practise with quick grammar clips:
🔔 Practice More:Want to improve your listening and speaking skills?
🎥 Check out our YouTube Channel Playlist:
🔗English Tenses Made Simple: Lessons & Stories https://tinyurl.com/5n6s4zp5
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
🔗ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/37rf8e23
Watch and Learn! For more ESL reading and listening practice video lessons, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
🔗Related Posts
Learn more about related Tenses below ⬇️
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Thank you for reading & Happy Speaking!
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