Past Simple (past form) Present Perfect (Present form of have + Past participle)

We use the Past Simple: We use Present Perfect:

 for past habits or states, whether continuous or repeated  for actions or states in the past which have a connection
Long ago, they built most houses out of wood. with the present:
He always caught the same train They have bought a new house. (they can now go and live in)
It’s just started to rain. (=now, so bring the washing in)

 when the results of an action or state are obvious now:

You’ve spilt the coffee all over my trousers – look!
 for the activities that occurred at a specific time (or
times) in the past
I was in New York last year / three years ago / in 1987 /
when I was ten years old.
 With periods of time that have finished
I read the newspaper this morning. (it is now afternoon or
evening)
He did a lot in his short life. (he is dead)
 for finished actions with time words like a year ago, last
sunday, last week, yesterday, etc.;
Watson and Crick identified the structure of DNA in 1953.
The first modern Olympics took place in Athens more than a
hundred years ago.
I finished my homework two hours ago.
They have pulled the river (=the fish are dead)
 for repeated actions several or many times in the past,
with words like often, rarely, seldom:
He’s often been to France
He has been in New York many times / several times / once
 with periods of time that have not finished yet:
We’ve built 20 new schools this year. (=it is still this year)
He has done a lot in his short life. (=he’s alive and young)
 for actions with expressions like already, before, ever,
never, often, recently, yet, just, so far, still, yet etc..:
Rain has already ruined the tomato crops.
Have you ever seen a UFO?
We still haven’t discovered life on other planets
They haven’t sent an astronaut to Mars yet.
So far this year, I haven’t received any letters from Mehmet.

 The choice between the Past Simple or Present Perfect depends on whether the action links the past with the present:
She often took the bus (= but doesn’t any more)
She has often taken the bus. ( and so she might do it again)
 Regular verbs and in –ed in both the past simple and past participle (the form we use for the Present Perfect): worked, looked,
played.
 Using since & for :
since he came here for a long time
since May for about three weeks
(a point of time) since Tuesday (a period of time) for two hours
I have been here since eight o’clock I have been here for ten minutes
since 1988 for almost six months
since the beginning of.. for many years

I lived Chicago for two years. I don’t live in Chicago now.

I have lived in Chicago for two years. I moved here two years ago, and I still live here.

Present Perfect Continuous:

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about actions which started in the past and which continue up to the moment of speaking.
We use it especially when we are interested in the duration of the action:
I have been waiting for a whole hour!

 The present perfect simple emphasizes the idea of completion ; we use the Continuous form to indicate that the action has lasted
for a period and is incomplete. Compare:
I’ve read the newspaper today. (= I have finished it)
I’ve been reading the Encyclopedia Britanicca. (=I haven’t finished it yet)
I have done my homework (= the homework is finished)
I have been doing my homework (= I haven’t finished yet)
 some special structures
- She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen
-She is the most clever student I have ever met.
- It is the first exam we have had this semester
- This is the third time I have taught English in this class.
- I have just been to the library and have borrowed some books (returned back)
- My boss isn’t here. He has gone to Ankara. (he is still there)