PRESENT PERFECT AND PAST SIMPLE

What's the difference? Present Perfect and Past Simple

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE

Unfinished actions that started in the Finished actions:

past and continue to the present: • I knew Julie for ten years (but
• I've known Julie for ten years (and then she moved away and we lost
I still know her). touch).
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):
experience):
• My great-grandmother went to
• My brother has been to
Mexico three times.
Mexico three times.

A finished action with no result in

A finished action with a result in
the present:
the present:
• I lost my keys yesterday. It was
• I've lost my keys! (The result is
terrible! (Now there is no
that I can't get into my house
result. I got new keys
now).
yesterday).
 With an unfinished time word (this With a finished time word (last
week, this month, today): week, last month, yesterday):
• I've seen John this week. • I saw John last week.

EXERCISES:
Choose the past simple or the present perfect

1. Last night I __________________ (lose) my keys – I had to call my flat-mate

to let me in.
2.- I __________________ (lose) my keys – can you help me look for them?
3.- I __________________ (visit) Paris three times.
4.- Last year I __________________ (visit) Paris.
5.- I __________________ (know) my great grandmother for a few years - she
died when I was eight.
6.I __________________ (know) Julie for three years –we still meet once a
month.
7.I __________________ (play) hockey since I was a child – I’m pretty good!
8.She ____________ (play) hockey at school, but she__________ (not / like) it.
9.Sorry, I __________________ (miss) the bus, so I’m going to be late.
10.I __________________ (miss) the bus, and then I _______________
(miss) the aeroplane as well!

11.Last month I __________________ (go) to Scotland.

12.I’m sorry, John isn’t here now. He ________________ (go) to the shops.
13.We __________________ (finish) this room last week.
14.I __________________ (finish) my exams finally – I’m so happy!
15.Yesterday, I __________________ (go) to the library, the post office and the
supermarket.
16.I __________________ (go) to the supermarket three times this week!
17.She __________________ (live) in London since 1994.
18.She __________________ (live) in London when she was a child.
19.I __________________ (drink) three cups of coffee this morning.
20.I __________________ (drink) seven cups of coffee yesterday.
Answers:
1.lost 11.went
2.have lost 12.has gone
3.have visited 13.finished
4.visited 14.have finished
5.knew 15.went
6.have known 16.have been
7.have played 17.has lived
8.played / didn’t like 18.lived
9.have missed 19.have drunk
10.missed / missed 20.drank
 TIME EXPRESSIONS WITH PRESENT PERFECT
'Since'
•We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last
year, two hours ago). The fixed time can be another action, indicated
with the Past simple(since I was at school, since I arrived):
•I've known Sam since 1992.
•I've liked chocolate since I was a child.
•She's been here since 2pm.
 FOR
We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months):
•I've known Julie for ten years.
•I've been hungry for hours.
•She's had a cold for a week.
 PAST TENST -“AGO”
Ago is used to say when past events happened, going back
from today towards the past. The verb is in the Past Tense.
EXAMPLES:

•I came to Tokyo two years ago.

•I arrived at the bus stop 10 minutes ago.
•The company was founded 30 years ago.