past simple or present perfect

1. Past simple / present perfect
Past simple is used:
• Actions that finished in a
definite time in the past
I bought this car last week.
• To ask when? what time?
Where?
They have arrived. ≠
When did they arrive?
An hour ago.
Present perfect is used:
• Actions which happened in an
indefinite time in the past and
with visible results in the present
I have lost my key. (I can’t find it
now)
Have you seen Ann? (She is not
here now)
• To describe very recent actions
She has just moved to a larger
flat.

2. Past simple / present perfect
Past simple is used:
• To talk about past states that
cannot happen again
Shakespeare was a writer. He
wrote plays and poems. (from
1564 to 1616)
• For actions which finished in
the past, one after the other.
She lived in this house for ten
years and then moved to
another one. (sequence of
past actions)
Present perfect is used:
• For actions which started in the past
and continue in the present
She has lived in this flat since 2005.
She has lived there for three years.
(She still lives there!)
• To describe experiences in our lifetime
Have you ever eaten Chinese food?
I have already eaten Chop Suey.
I haven’t eaten Japanese food yet.
(in your life until now)
≠ Did you eat Chinese food when you
were in China? Yes, I did.
(specific time in the past)

3. Past simple / present perfect
Time expressions:
• Yesterday
• last week (...)
• six months ago
• in 1975, at 3 o’clock
Time expressions:
• Just, recently
• ever, never
• already, yet
• since, for
• so far
• how long

4. REMEMBER!
Past simple
• When we use the past simple, a
specific time in the past is
mentioned:
e.g. “Did you see the match last
night?
Or the specific time is understood
between the speakers:
e.g.”Did you see the match?” (we
both know it was last night)
So, for example, a question
beginning What time…? Or
When…) will normally be in past
simple.
Present perfect
• We use the present perfect for a
past action or actions where no
specific time is mentioned or
understood:
e.g.´”I´ve been to Paris twice”, “I´ve
already seen that film”
It is also used for very recent past
actions (often with “just”). In this
context it is often used to give a
piece of news or information:
e.g. “I´m sleepy. I´ve just got up”
We usually use present perfect with
already, yet and just.