PRESENT PERFECT AND PAST Simple

THE PRESENT PERFECT IS A PRESENT TENSE

IT ALWAYS TELLS US SOMETHING ABOUT NOW

For example: ‘ Tom has lost his key’ Means that Tom doesn’t have his key now

THE PAST SIMPLE TELLS US ONLY ABOUT THE PAST

For example: We don’t know whether Tom has the key now or not … ‘ Tom lost his key’

… We only know that he lost it some time in the past

… Do not use the PRESENT PERFECT IF THERE’S NO CONNECTION TO THE PRESENT…

… For example, things that happened a long time ago: ‘ The Chinese invented printing ’ ‘ Beethoven was a great composer’

… we use the PRESENT PERFECT to give new information But if we continue to talk about it, we usually use the PAST SIMPLE