This document compares and contrasts the past simple and present perfect tenses in English. It provides examples of how to form the past simple and present perfect verbs regularly and irregularly. It also discusses the different uses of each tense, including talking about completed events in the past versus indefinite or ongoing events. Examples of time expressions that can be used with each tense are also listed.

2. Past Simple Present perfect
*They played yesterday
*The Russians launched
the first artificial
satellite in 1957.
*He has played many matches.
*Many countries have launched
satellites into space.
*The USA has launched many
astronauts into space since 1969.
Examples

3. Past Simple Present perfect
Use the simple past to
talk about events that
began and ended in
the past.
Use the present perfect to talk
about an indefinite time in the
past
or events that began in the
past and continue.
USE

4. Past Simple Present perfect
Regular
FORM
Irregular
played
studied
watched
Go-went
Do-did
Take-took
Have/ has + V3
Have played
Has finished
Has gone

5. Past Simple Present perfectNegative
didn’t + V1
Didn’t play
Didn’t go
Didn’t watch
Have/ has not + V3
Have not played
Has not finished
Has not gone

6. Past Simple Present perfectQuestion
did + V1
Did you play?
Did they go?
Have/ has not + V3
Have you played?
Has he finished?
Has she gone?
Yes, I did
No, I didn’t.

7. Past Simple Present perfectTime
expressions
yesterday
Last ..
.. ago
In 1999
already
Just / yet
Since / for
Ever / never/so farwhen