The Present Perfect Tense
 and the Simple Past Tense


Understand the differences between
these two tenses.
Simple past tense

• Form of Simple Past
Positive       Negative              Question
I spoke.       I did not speak.      Did you speak?
You studied.   you did not study.    Did you study?
Maria wrote    Maria did not write   Did Maria write?
Juan flew      Juan did not fly      Did Juan fly?

Wh – questions:
What?               Who?                 How?
Where?              Which?               Why?
• Use of Simple Past

• Action in the past taking place once, never or several times
  Example: He visited his parents last weekend.

• Actions in the past taking place one after the other
  Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.

• Action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
  Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly
  rang.
• Some clue words to identify Simple Past:
  yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
Present perfect tense

• Form of Present Perfect
   Positive           Negative             Question
I have spoken.      I have not spoken.     Have I spoken?
He has spoken.      He has not spoken.     Has he spoken?
You have said.      You have not said.     Have you said?
She has left.       She has not left.      Has she left?

Wh – questions:
What?        Why?                 Which?
Where?       How?                 Who?
• Use of Present Perfect

• Puts emphasis on the result
  Example: She has written five letters.
• Action that is still going on
  Example: School has not started yet.
• Action that stopped recently
  Example: She has cooked dinner.
• Finished action that has an influence on the present
  Example: I have lost my key.
• Action that has taken place once, never or several times before the
  moment of speaking
  Example: I have never been to Australia.

• Some clue words to identify Present Perfect
  already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
Understand the differences between these two tenses.

The present perfect is used when     The simple past is used when the
the time period has NOT finished:    time period HAS finished:

• I have seen three movies           • I saw three movies last
  this week.                           week.
  (This week has not finished          (Last week has finished.)
  yet.)


The present perfect is often used    The simple past is used when
when giving recent news:             giving older information:

• Martin has crashed his            • Martin crashed his car
  car again.                           last year.
  (This is new information.)        (This is old information.)
The present perfect is used with for   The simple past is used with for and
and since, when the actions have       since, when the actions have
not finished yet:                      already finished:


• I have lived in Victoria for         • I lived in Victoria for five
  five years.                            years.
  (I still live in Victoria.)            (I don't live in Victoria now.)

The present perfect is used when       The simple past is used when
the time is not specific:              the time is clear:

• I have already seen                  • I saw that movie on Thursday.
that movie                             (We know exactly when.)
(We don't know when.)
:-)
X
:-)
Exercises
I Choose the correct verb, into past simple or present perfect
      1 Joji in Has lived Tokyo for five years, but he left in 1993.
      has lived / lived
      2 The Titanic      sank      in 1912. sank / has sunk
      3 Somebody has stolen my bicycle! Now I'll have to walk home.
      has stolen / stole
      4 Gerry Has fallen off his bike three times this month. has fallen /
      fell
      5 Chika graduated from university last July. Graduated / has
      graduated
      6 I Have seen the movie Titanic three times. I'm going to see it
      again tonight. have seen / saw
      7 I Have walked to work every day for the last six weeks! have
      walked / walked
      8 When Young Hee was a child, she        lived in Seoul. Lived /has
      lived
      9 Ouch! I’ve cut my finger! I've cut / cut
The present perfect, past simple

The present perfect, past simple

  • 1.
    The Present PerfectTense and the Simple Past Tense Understand the differences between these two tenses.
  • 2.
    Simple past tense •Form of Simple Past Positive Negative Question I spoke. I did not speak. Did you speak? You studied. you did not study. Did you study? Maria wrote Maria did not write Did Maria write? Juan flew Juan did not fly Did Juan fly? Wh – questions: What? Who? How? Where? Which? Why?
  • 3.
    • Use ofSimple Past • Action in the past taking place once, never or several times Example: He visited his parents last weekend. • Actions in the past taking place one after the other Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down. • Action in the past taking place in the middle of another action Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang. • Some clue words to identify Simple Past: yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
  • 4.
    Present perfect tense •Form of Present Perfect Positive Negative Question I have spoken. I have not spoken. Have I spoken? He has spoken. He has not spoken. Has he spoken? You have said. You have not said. Have you said? She has left. She has not left. Has she left? Wh – questions: What? Why? Which? Where? How? Who?
  • 5.
    • Use ofPresent Perfect • Puts emphasis on the result Example: She has written five letters. • Action that is still going on Example: School has not started yet. • Action that stopped recently Example: She has cooked dinner. • Finished action that has an influence on the present Example: I have lost my key. • Action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking Example: I have never been to Australia. • Some clue words to identify Present Perfect already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
  • 6.
    Understand the differencesbetween these two tenses. The present perfect is used when The simple past is used when the the time period has NOT finished: time period HAS finished: • I have seen three movies • I saw three movies last this week. week. (This week has not finished (Last week has finished.) yet.) The present perfect is often used The simple past is used when when giving recent news: giving older information: • Martin has crashed his • Martin crashed his car car again. last year. (This is new information.) (This is old information.)
  • 7.
    The present perfectis used with for The simple past is used with for and and since, when the actions have since, when the actions have not finished yet: already finished: • I have lived in Victoria for • I lived in Victoria for five five years. years. (I still live in Victoria.) (I don't live in Victoria now.) The present perfect is used when The simple past is used when the time is not specific: the time is clear: • I have already seen • I saw that movie on Thursday. that movie (We know exactly when.) (We don't know when.)
  • 8.
    :-) X :-) Exercises I Choose thecorrect verb, into past simple or present perfect 1 Joji in Has lived Tokyo for five years, but he left in 1993. has lived / lived 2 The Titanic sank in 1912. sank / has sunk 3 Somebody has stolen my bicycle! Now I'll have to walk home. has stolen / stole 4 Gerry Has fallen off his bike three times this month. has fallen / fell 5 Chika graduated from university last July. Graduated / has graduated 6 I Have seen the movie Titanic three times. I'm going to see it again tonight. have seen / saw 7 I Have walked to work every day for the last six weeks! have walked / walked 8 When Young Hee was a child, she lived in Seoul. Lived /has lived 9 Ouch! I’ve cut my finger! I've cut / cut