This document provides information about the present perfect and past simple tenses in English. It discusses the differences between these tenses and provides examples of how to use each one properly based on clue words that indicate whether an action is completed or ongoing. Key points include: - The present perfect tense uses "have/has + past participle" and indicates actions that began in the past and continue in the present or are relevant in the present. It is used with words like "since, for, yet, already." - The past simple tense uses the simple past form of the verb and indicates actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. It is used with words like "yesterday, last year, in

1. English Language
Present Perfect vs Past
Simple
(& past progressive)

2. Pay attention to clue words!

3. Present perfect Past simple
 I have seen
Clue words:
 since/not yet/up till
now/ for how
/long/for/just/
ever/never/already
/so far/Since
when..? /For how
long..?
 I saw
Clue words:
 Yesterday/last
week/in
1989/before the
war/a moment
ago/When..?/At
what time..?/How
long ago..?

4. Let’s have a look at the
conjugation of the two tenses

5. Present perfect Past simple
subject + have/has + past participle subject + past simple
 I have studied
 You have studied
 He, she, it has studied
 We have studied
 You have studied
 They have studied
 I studied
 You studied
 He, she, it studied
 We studied
 You studied
 They studied

6. Do you see the clue word for
the past tense?

7. Past tense (simple) - I worked
Past tense (continuous) - I was working
When you spot clue words indicating
past tense: use the past tense!!!!!!!!

10. I worked I was working
(simple past) (past progressive)

12. Sammy was waiting for us when
we arrived home!

15. I was working, while he was
relaxing.

16. Perfect tense (simple) - I have worked
Perfect tense (continuous) - I have been working
When you spot signal words indicating
the perfect tense: use the perfect
tense!!!!!!!!

18. Choose the right option past tense or
perfect tense:
I have helped/helped her last month.
I lived here/have lived here since
2010.
When did you phone/have you phoned
her?
When I entered,he was sleeping/has been
sleeping.

19. Choose the right option past tense or
perfect tense:
I have helped/helped her last month.
I lived here/have lived here since
2010.
When did you phone/have you phoned
her?
When I entered,he was sleeping/has been
sleeping.

20. Why have/has+past participle in the
sentences below?
Have you ever been in England?
I have not yet seen him, have you?
I have read that book, I know what it is
about.
Jimmy has lost his purse, he can't pay the
bill!
I have lived here all my life.
[=the process of living here started … at a
moment in the past and is still ungoing]

21. I have already told you: look for
clue words!

22. Why have/has+past participle in the
sentences below?
Have you ever been in England?
I have not yet seen him, have you?
I have read that book, I know what it is
about.
Jimmy has lost his purse, he can't pay the
bill!
I have lived here all my life.
[=the process of living here started … at a
moment in the past and is still ungoing]

23. I [already did/have already done]
my homework, can I play football now?.
I [did/have done] it an hour ago.
Last Friday he [gave/has given]
me a pen.
He [lived/has lived] here since 1991.
[Did they go/Have they gone]on holiday last
year?
I [did not earn/have not earned]
a lot of money so far.
Yesterday…, 10 years ago… I saw
Up till now…, for…, since…  I have seen

24. She [bought/has bought] a new dress
yesterday.
[Did you eat/Have you eaten] your lunch
yet?
Since when [did you know/have you known]
Pamela?
Yesterday…, 10 years ago… I saw
Up till now…, for…, since…  I have seen

25. Kies de juiste tijd.
1.She is/has been ill for two weeks now.
2.I live/have lived here since 2000.
3.They built/have built this church in 1650.
4.I am playing/have been playing/play tennis
/played since three o clock.
5.She moved/has moved to New York two
years ago.
6.Her father died/has died when she was
four.
7.It is raining/has been raining since 10
o’clock.
Continued-------------------------

26. 8.I know/have known her for two years now.
Vul de juiste tijd in:
9.I [try] to get in touch with you for 3
hours now, I’m literally tired of it!
10.We [have] breakfast already.
11.Now that you [win] it, what are you
going to do?
12.A minute ago we [get] a telegram from
your father.
13.We [not be able] to find an answer yet.
14.William [phone] Audrey last night.
Continued-------------------------

27. 15.Father [work] in this factory for twenty
years now.
16.A few days ago he [ask] me not to say
anything.
17.Up till now mother [take] her driving test
three times.
18.Lesley [be] with us since January.

28. M. van Eijk MA