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Grammar: Past Simple vs Present Perfect

Grammar: Past Simple versus Present Perfect
Past Simple (Preterite)
Subject + [verb + ed*]

vs

Present Perfect
Subject + have/has + past participle


Hello, I'm Laura! My nickname is Lolo. I'm a Canadian EFL teacher who loves to travel! Welcome to Lolo on the Gogo! Please feel free to email me at lolotravelgogo@gmail.com or comment below if you have any questions! Enjoy the lesson.

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Past Simple (Preterite)
Subject + [verb + ed*]

*For a list of irregular verbs in past simple, click HERE

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Past simple describes an action the took place in the past. This could be in the recent or distant past. The duration of time which the action took could be short or long; it makes no difference, as long as the action is FINISHED and not ongoing. The action happened in the past and it is now over. 


For example, let's look at this sentence in the past simple. "I  walked to school when I was a kid." When did I walk to school? When I was a kid. I am now an adult. "When I was a kid" is something that occurred in the past. How long did I walk to school? It doesn't matter. Am I still walking to school now? No. The action occurred in the past, and it is now finished. I am no longer walking to school. The activity of walking to school has ended. I am talking about an event that occurred in the past and is no longer happening.


Here are a few more example sentences using regular "ed" verbs in past simple. Each sentence contains a subject and the verb + ed.

They played soccer last week.
She jumped over the fence.
We carried the kitten in a basket.
He showed us his new bike.
You cooked breakfast this morning, didn't you?
Elizabeth liked English class.
I visited Saudi Arabia once.


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Present Perfect Subject + have/has + past participle


Present Perfect
Subject + have/has + past participle

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The present perfect is used to indicate:

  • an action that occurred at a time which is indefinite and has its effect on the subject
  • an action that occurred many times and has the possibility to occur in the present/future
  • an action that began in the past and is still going on in the present

Just, just now, already, yet, ever, lately, recently, etc. are some of the signs for present perfect tense.

Note: ‘already’ comes between have/has and the past participle; ‘yet’ appears with a negative form at the end of a sentence.

Ex: I have already cleaned the house.

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Present perfect tense combines the present tense of the verb "to have" with the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of a regular verb is the base word plus –ed.

The Past Participle (Past participles usually end with -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n.)
The Present Participle (Present participles end with -ing.)

You can find a list of the past participle of irregular verbs here..

One example of this tense is: "have jumped." "Have" is present tense and "jumped" is the past participle. Some other forms of this tense are:

Has lived: She has lived there for 10 years.
Have written: They have written their final exams.
Have worked: I have worked here since 2017.
Has done: He has finished school.
Have been: We have been to Egypt.
Has forgotten: She has forgotten her homework.

The present perfect tense can be used in different situations. For example, we use present perfect to describe:

An action that has been and is being repeated in both the past and present.
Example: We have gone to the beach many times.

An action that started in the past and continues in the future.
Example: I have lived in Columbia since 2016.

An action that is not finished.
Example: It has snowed a lot this week.

An action that finished recently.
Example: I have just completed my second year of university.

An action that doesn't specify the time, but is something that is relevant to and continues in the present.
Example: She has lost her phone.

We cannot use present perfect with specific expressions of time that have already finished, such as three years ago, that month, when I was a child, etc. Present Perfect is never used with specific times IN THE PAST, i.e. yesterday, the day before yesterday, last week, last month, a month ago, two months ago, last year, a year ago, two years ago, etc.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

With expressions that are unspecific in time:

I have lost my cat.
We have seen this show already.
He has broken his arm.
There has been a fire.

Talking about an unfinished period of time are:

We haven't seen her this afternoon.
She has already read that book twice this year.
They have been to the pool three times this week.

Talking about events in the recent past that affect the present:

The kids have made a mess in the classroom.
He has started a new volunteer program.
She has finished her degree.

Questions:

Where have I left my coffee mug?
Have you visited Ethiopia?
Has she met Jane?

Uses

1. An action that occurred at an indefinite time and has its effect on the subject

Present Perfect: I have lived in Andorra for two months.*
*I still live there. The past is two months ago and the present is now.

/vs/

Past Simple: I lived in Thailand for 1 year and 2 months.*
*I don´t live there anymore.

2.     Combining the past + present

Present PerfectI have had two coffees today.*
*Today is still occurring. The past is earlier today and the present is now.

/vs/

Past Simple: I had two coffees yesterday.*
*It occurred in the past.

3. A present situation resulting from a past event which is still continuing.

Present PerfectI have lost my keys.
*The action happened in the past, but NOW the keys are STILL lost in the present.

/vs/

Past Simple: I lost my keys.
*It occurred in the past, and NOW we don´t know if they are still lost or not because the present state of the keys is unknown.

4. To describe experiences

Present PerfectI have been to South Africa many times.
*You previously went there in the past, and you will return. The reason to use present perfect instead of past simple is to usually indicate that you may do this action again in the present or future.

/vs/

Past Simple: I went to South Africa a long time ago.
*The event happened in the past and it is not relevant to an action occurring now in the present. The action is finished and is not likely to be repeated again. When speaking about visiting a country for example, if you use the word "went" you are implying that this is an action that you did in the past, but do not plan to repeat.

Whether you should use present perfect or past simple will depend on the context. For example, let's look at these two sentences within a larger paragraph.

"I have been to South Africa many times and I love it. I really enjoy the culture, the food and the people. It's a very interesting place! You should go there if you have the chance.

/vs/

"I went to South Africa a long time ago and I loved it. I really enjoyed the culture, the food and the people. It's a very interesting place! You should go there if you have the chance.

The two paragraphs are almost identical. The first is written in present perfect and the second is written in past simple. Neither paragraph explicitly states whether the author will return to South Africa some day. However, it is implied by the use of present perfect in the first paragraph that the author may return. In the second paragraph, the use of the past simple implies that the author will not be returning again for whatever reason (injury, ill health, old age, financial constraints, etc.). The two different tenses lend different tones to the paragraphs. The difference is very subtle. The present perfect has a more positive connotation because it implies that the action will take place again. When we use past simple, there is a connotation that the event has taken place in the past and will not occur again.

Present PerfectI have been to the library three times this week.
*You will most likely do it again

/vs/

Past Simple: I went to the library three times this week.
*You will most likely not do it again



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