ENGLISH GRAMMAR for ESL learners
PRESENT PERFECT vs PAST SIMPLE
(ex: I have finished vs I
finished)
When do we use them?
PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect tense is used :
- To talk about an action which started in the
past and continues today :
For and since are used to express duration.
-
I have lived here
for 10 years. I have lived here since 2008.
(I arrived 10 years ago and I am still here.)
-
I have lived here
for 10 years. I have lived here since 2008.
- To refer to past events in an unfinished period of time.
- I have written two letters today.
(Two letters are written but today is not finished.)
- I have written two letters today.
- To talk about recently completed actions with 'just'.
- "I've just finished reading the book you lent me."
- To refer to past events that have happened recently or
have just been
announced :
-
There has been a plane crash near the coast.
(We know the event took place but we don't know when.)
-
There has been a plane crash near the coast.
- To talk about a past action with a result in the present:
- I've broken my arm. I can't drive (= because my arm is broken now.)
- To talk and ask about experiences or accomplishments up
to the time of speaking :
- "I'm a writer. I've written 9 books."
- "Have you ever written a biography?" "No, never."
PAST SIMPLE
The Past Simple is used:
- When the period of time is finished.
- I wrote two letters yesterday. (Yesterday is finished).
- When the time is mentioned, either a precise time in the
past, or a time expression which clearly situates the event in the past.
- John lived in the country
..... until the age of 6.
..... when he was young.
..... from 2004 to 2010
..... before he moved to London.
..... a long time ago.
- John lived in the country
more on the Present Perfect more on the Past Simple
Try these exercises:
Present Perf.vs Past Simple exercise
Present Perf./Past Simple - Mistake ex.
Present Perf. Simple or Continuous?
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.