SIMPLE PASTOR

PRESENT PERFECT ?

(I have done and I did)

The past simple is used to talk about actions in the past

that have finished. It talks about 'then' and definitely

excludes 'now'.

SIMPLE PAST

We use it when the action in the PAST is DEFINITE.

Last Monday, I had a difficult test.

When I was a child, I studied at that school.

The present perfect simple to look

back on actions in the past from the present. It always

includes 'now'.

PRESENT PERFECT

YOU CAN USE THE PRESENT PERFECT WITH JUST, ALREADY AND YET.

Just = ‘a short time ago’‘Hello. Have you just arrived?’

We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected.

‘He’s already gone.’

Yet = ‘until now’ and shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen. Use yet only in questions and negative sentences.

‘I’ve written the letter but I haven’t posted it yet.’

Do not use the present perfect if there is no connection with the present (for

example, things that happened a long time ago):

The Chinese invented printing.

How many plays did Shakespeare write?

Do not use the present perfect when you talk about a finished time (for example, yesterday / in 1985 / ten minutes ago). Use a past tense:

I went to bed early last night.

They arrived an hour ago.

COMPARE:

Shakespeare wrote many plays.

My sister is a writer. She has written many books.

A: Ann and I have seen saw the new Spielberg

movie yesterday.

B: Was it good?

A: Yes, but the book is better. I have read read it

on holiday.

B: You’ve been to the cinema a lot recently.

A: Yes, I was have been there three times so far

this month.

B: I know! You went with me last week

CONVERSATION

 • To talk about past states that

cannot happen again  Shakespeare was a writer. He

wrote plays and poems. (from 1564 to 1616)

  • For actions which fi nished in

the past, one after the other.  She lived in this house for

ten years and then moved to another one. (sequence of past actions)

• For actions which started in the past and continue in the present

  She has lived in this fl at since

2005. She has lived there for three

years. (She stil l l ives there!)

 • To describe experiences in our

l ifetime.

Have you ever eaten Chinese food?

(in your life until now)

≠ Did you eat Chinese food when you were in China? Yes, I

did. (specifi c time in the past)

PAST SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT

Here’s a simple 3 question checklist to decide

when you need to use the Present Perfect or

the Past Simple:

Is the time-period referred to ongoing? Still

happening? → 

PRESENT PERFECT

Are you referring to a specific moment in the past? →

 PAST SIMPLE

Are you referring to something that is no longer true

or ongoing? → 

PAST SIMPLE

PAST SIMPLE / PRESENT PERFECT

Time expressions:

 • Yesterday• last week (...)• six months ago• in 1975, at 3

o’clock

Time expressions:

• Just, recently• ever, never• already, yet• since, for• so far • how long

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/ppvpast1.htm

Key Answer http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/answers.php?quiz_id=228

EXERCISES