Past Simple vs. Present Perfect When do we use each tense in English?

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 2 Remember: Grammar has meaning! Different grammar tenses are used in different situations or contexts and they carry different meanings. For example...

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 3 UUUUse the past simple for an action that happened in the past and is: over, done, finished!  Use the present perfect for an action that started in the past, but... is still true today.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 4  The past simple always refers to an action or situation that is finished.  The present perfect connects the past and the present. It is used to show that an action or situation in the past: -continues today, OR -might happen again

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 5 Compare the meaning of these two sentences: 1. Sara lived in Boston for 5 years. Past Simple 2. Sara has lived in Boston for 5 years. Present Perfect Sara started to live in Boston 5 years ago and she is still living there.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 6 Sara has lived in Boston for 5 years Present Perfect Use the present perfect to talk about something that began in the past and continues into the present (and may continue into the future). future 2009 past now has lived in Boston Sara started to live in Boston 5 years

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 7 Sara has lived in Boston for 5 years. Meaning: by using the present perfect tense, we mean that Sara began living in Boston 5 years ago... AND… she’s still living there. Remember, present perfect: connects the past with the present.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 8 Sara lived in Boston for 5 years. Meaning: by using the simple past tense, we mean that Sara started living in Boston 5 years ago... AND... then she moved! Now she lives in a different city, like Paris. Remember, the past simple is used for a situation that is over, finished, done!

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 9 Use the past simple with time words like: Yesterday Last Saturday, week, month, year, etc. Three years ago… When I was… In 1990 (past date)

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 10 Use the present perfect with time words like: Today Recently Lately For Since… So far this week, month, year, etc.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 11 With the present perfect you don’t need to say the moment or how many times you did something. A: I have never been to Saint Andrew. B: Really? A: Yes. Have you been to Saint Andrew? B: Yes, I have. I went 20 years ago.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 12 We often use present perfect to say that we have never done something at any time in the past. Example: I have never visited London. But someday, I hope to travel there.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 13 With the present perfect you can ask about things people have done: Example: A: Have you ever had a car accident? B: No, I have never had a car accident. And you? And you? A: I have had two car crashes, and I have learned to drive better, too. learned to drive better, too.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 14 Additional notes about Present Perfect: We often use Present Perfect to say that something happened sooner than expected. Example: Jan:Don’t forget to mail that letter. Tom:I’ve (I have) already mailed it.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 15 Remember! If you are talking about a specific time in the past (yesterday, last month, etc.), you cannot use the present perfect. In these cases, use the past simple. I have seen three movies last weekend I saw three movies last weekend

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 16 Practice in pairs! Choose the Past Simple or Present Perfect … 1. When I was a child, I ________ (swim) a lot. 2. This week, we ____________ (not/study) at all. 3. Henry ________ (be) very sick recently. 4. I ________ (have) a terrible headache yesterday. 5. It __________ (rain) a lot lately. 6. They ________ (get) married ten years ago. 7. I __________ (go) to Coffee Park many times. 8. My family ________ (take) vacation last year. 9. Vicky ___________ (not/work) last weekend. 10. David and Patricia ___________ (travel) to France three times. swam haven’t studied has been had has rained got have gone took didn’t work have traveled

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 17 Remember… You can ask your teacher or another classmate if you need help. Your teacher can give you more explanation, examples, and exercises if you need them.

12/18/2015 Adapted by: Héctor F. Rivillas R. UAO 18 Thank you