This document compares and contrasts the present perfect simple and past perfect simple tenses in English. It outlines the forms, uses, and common time expressions of each. The present perfect simple is used for actions that began in the past and continue to the present, or actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past relevant to the present. The past perfect simple describes actions that occurred before another action in the past. It provides examples and time expressions that are typically used with each tense.

1. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
AND
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Fernando Hidalgo

2. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
FORM:
have / has + part participle
USES:
• An action that started in the past
and continues to the present.
I have lived in England for five years.
• An action that took place at an
uspecified time in the past and is
relevant to the present.
We have chosen all our subjects.

3. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Never, ever, already, just, yet, recently, lately, in
recent years, for, since, How long…?

4. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
FORM:
had + past participle
USES:
• An action that took place
before a specific moment in
the past.
The teacher had left before a specific
moment in the past.

5. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
TIME EXPRESSIONS:
Already, by the time, after, before,
until, never, just, when, as soon as

6. THANK YOU.