The document summarizes the differences between using the present perfect and past simple tenses in English. It provides examples of how to use each tense correctly based on whether an action is completed or ongoing, and the timeframe being referred to. The key differences discussed are that the present perfect relates past events to the present, while the past simple is used for finished events entirely in the past.

1. past now
x

2. Present Perfect Past Simple
Clue words
Last…
…ago
Ever/ Never
Since
Yet Yesterday
So far
Clue words

3. Present Perfect Past Simple
Subject + have, has + past participle Subject + past simple
Affirmative

4. Present Perfect Past Simple
Subject + have, has + not + past participle Subject + did + not + infinitive
Negative

5. Present Perfect Past Simple
Have , has + subject + past participle Did + subject + infinitive
Interrogative

6. Present Perfect Past Simple
past now
x
past now
Finished time
yesterday
1.
The past simple talks about actions
and events in the past that are
now finished.
The present perfect shows a
relation between past time
and present time.

7. Present Perfect Past Simple
She has phoned
me four times
so far.
She phoned
me
two hours ago.

8. Present Perfect Past Simple
She didn’t
play golf
yesterday.
He has never
played golf
before.

9. Present Perfect Past Simple
My sister has
written many
books.
She still writes books.
Shakespeare
wrote many
plays.

10. Present Perfect Past Simple
He has worked there for
six years.
He doesn’t work there any more.
.
He still works there.
He worked
there six years.

11. Present Perfect Past Simple
2.
to indicate that something
happened at a specific time in the
past.
to talk about something that happened
in the past, but we don’t specify when it
has happened (because we don’t know
or it is not important).

12. Present Perfect Past Simple
He learned
to ride a
bike two
months ago.
He has already
learned to ride a
bike.

13. Present Perfect Past Simple
The new school
year has just
begun.
The new
school year
began
yesterday.

14. Present Perfect Past Simple
The plane to New
York has already
departed.
The plane to New
York departed two
minutes ago.

15. Present Perfect Past Simple
We use the present perfect for a
state which has gone on up to the
present.
We use the past simple for a state
in the past in a period which is
finished.
She has been
in the hospital for
three days.
I was in the
hospital for
three days.
She is not in the hospital now.
3.
She is still in the hospital.

16. Present Perfect Past Simple
She still lives in
London.
She has lived
in London for
two years.
She lived in
London for
two years.
She doesn’t live
in London now.

17. Present Perfect Past Simple
We use the present perfect with
today, this morning, this week, etc.
when these periods are not finished
at the time of speaking.
past
Unfinished time
now past
Finished time
now
todaytoday
We use the past simple with today,
this morning, this week, etc. when
these periods are finished at the
time of speaking.
4.

18. Present Perfect Past Simple
I haven’t shaved
today.
I didn’t shave
today.
The day is not finished. He may
shave later or may not.
The day has passed. It means
he will not shave today.

19. Present Perfect Past Simple
She has written
three
prescriptions
this morning.
It is still morning. The morning is over.
She wrote three
prescriptions this
morning.

20. Present Perfect Past Simple
The present perfect is used to give
new information (general
summary).
The past simple is used to give the
details.
5.

21. Present Perfect Past Simple

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