Present Perfect vs. Past Simple

Present Perfect

vs. Past Simple

by Anna Mrajca

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

Alber Einstein

Index

Practice

Practice

Formation

More practice

Usage

More practice

Past Simple

Thanks

For vs. since

Present Perfect

The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.

INFO

Affirmative sentences

The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements : the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb.

SUBJECT + have/has + past prticiple

e.g.I have found his telephone number. She has closed the door.

Negative sentences

The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements : the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb.

SUBJECT + haven't/hasn't + past prticiple

e.g.I haven't finished my homework. He hasn't fed the cat.

Interrogative sentences

The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements : the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb.

(QW) + have/has + SUBJECT + past prticiple

e.g.Have you found your charger?Where has he been?

Usage

I have lived in London since 2005 (= and I still do.)

The present perfect is used to describe:

1) An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present.

I’ve worked in this company for three years.

INFO

Usage

He has written three books and he is working on another one.

The present perfect is used to describe:

2) An action or situation that happened in the past and its results are important in the present.

I've seen that film before.

INFO

Usage

She has just washed her hair.

The present perfect is used to describe:

3) A finished event or state in the very recent past.

They have just left.

INFO

Typical time expressions...

used with Present Perfect:

• just
• already
• yet
• ever
• never
• recently
• for
• since

INFO

have been vs. have gone

We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned: A: Where have you been? B: I've just been out to the supermarket. But when someone has not returned, we use have/has gone: A: Where's Maria? I haven't seen her for weeks. B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She'll be back tomorrow.

INFO

Past Simple

We use Past Simple when we talk about a finished action with no result in the present. The past simple events or actions have no connection to the present. We often use time words such as: last week, last month, yesterday, ago, in + year.

INFO

Practice 1

Days 1-3

In the next slide you'll find 3 exercises that should help you practice spotting the differences between Present Perfect and Past Simple. Good luck!

Day 3

Day 1

Day 2

Extra practice ;)

for vs. since

We often use for and since when talking about time.

• for + period: a "period" is a duration of time - five minutes, two weeks, six years. For means "from the beginning of the period to the end of the period".
• since + point: a "point" is a precise moment in time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday. Since means "from a point in the past until now".

INFO

Extra !

Day 4

Day 5

Extra!

Day 6

Day 7

Thanks for your attention

Any questions?