THE HISTORY OF

SUPERSTITIONS

GRAMMAR
PRESENT PERFECT
VS.
PAST SIMPLE
 What is the difference between
Present Perfect and Past Simple ??
•

Present Perfect Past Simple

•Unfinished actions that started in the past
•Finished actions:I knew Julie for ten years
and continue to the present:
(but then she moved away and we lost
I've known Julie for ten years (and I still
touch).
know her).
•A finished action in someone's life
•A finished action in someone's life
(when the person is still alive: life
(when the person is dead):My great-
experience):My brother has been to
grandmother went to Mexico three times.
Mexico three times.
•A finished action with no result in the
•A finished action with a result in the
present:I lost my keys yesterday. It was
present:I've lost my keys! (The result is
terrible! (Now there is no result. I got new
that I can't get into my house now).
keys yesterday).
•With an unfinished time word (this week,
•With a finished time word (last week, last
this month, today):I've seen John this
month, yesterday):I saw John last week.
week.
• We can use ‘Has’, ‘Have’ and ‘Had’ in three ways.
• The first way it can be used as a ‘helping verb’.
Commonly we see it in perfect tense. Some examples of
using ‘Has’, ‘Have’, ‘Had’, and with ‘been’ as ‘has
been’, ‘have been’ and ‘had been’ etc.;

In ‘Present Perfect Tense’:

• He has finished his homework. (Use ‘Has’ when subject
is singular)
• I have a plan to execute to win the
match. (Use ‘Have’ when subject is plural)

In ‘Past Simple Tense’:

• He had finished his homework. (Use
always ‘Had’ whether subject is singular or plural)
 Things to remember when you use present
perfect and past simple
Remember:
• We use the past simple for past events or actions
which have no connection to the present.
• We use the present perfect for actions which started in
the past and are still happening now OR for finished
actions which have a connection to the present.
• We CAN'T use the present perfect with a finished time
word:
– WRONG: I've been to the museum yesterday.
– CORRECT : I went to the museum yesterday.
(PAST SIMPLE)
THE HISTORY OF SUPERSTITIONS

• How long (1) have people believed in (believe)

superstitions ?
• Probably since the world (2) began (begin) !
• For thousand of years, people (3) have been looking
(look) for ways to explain why certain things happen.
 The evil eye
- The superstition of the evil eye (4) had existed
(exist) in Greece since ancient times.
- The ancient Greeks (5) believed (believe) that
some people could have a bad effect on others
just by looking at them.
- Since then, Greek people (6) have been wearing
(wear) special bracelets with a blue ‘eye’ on
them to protect them from evil.
 Cats
- For centuries, people (7) have been thinking (think)
that cats have magical powers.
- For this reason, the ancient Egyptians (8) had kept
(keep) cats in their homes and (9) had not allowed
(not allow) anyone to treat them badly.
 The number 13
- Why (10) has this number became (become) an
unlucky number ?
- Some people say it is because there (11) were (be) 13
people at Christ’s last meal.
- Friday the 13th (12) started (start) being
superstitious about it in the 20th century, but no one
really knows why.