The document discusses the difference between the present perfect and simple past tenses. The present perfect is used for actions that are not completed or when the time is unspecified, while the simple past is used for completed actions or when the specific time is mentioned. Examples are provided to illustrate when to use each tense, such as with unfinished time periods or durations (present perfect) versus finished time periods or mentioning a specific past time (simple past). Links are also included for additional practice with these tenses.

1. Present perfect
vs
Simple past

2. The present perfect is used when the time period has
NOT finished:
Example:
 I have seen three movies this week.
(This week has not finished yet.)
The simple past is used when the time period HAS
finished:
Example:
 I saw three movies last week.
(Last week has finished.)

3. The present perfect is often used when giving recent
news:
 Martin has crashed his car again.
(This is new information.)
The simple past is used when giving older
information:
Martin crashed his car last year.
(This is old information.)

4. The present perfect is used when the time is not
specific:
 I have seen that movie already.
(We don't know when.)
The simple past is used when the time is clear:
 I saw that movie on Thursday.
(We know exactly when.)

5. The present perfect is used with for and since,
when the actions have not finished yet:
 I have lived in Victoria for five years.
(I still live in Victoria.)
The simple past is used with for and since, when
the actions have already finished:
 I lived in Victoria for five years.
(I don't live in Victoria now.)

6. We also use the Present Perfect to talk about an
imprecise time in the past but as soon as we
become precise we switch to the Past Simple.
Example:
I've never been to Australia. Have you ever been
there?
Yes I have. I went in 1992.

7. Complete the dialogues in Present Perfect
or Past simple. Use the verbs in brackets.
1.- Have you seen
……………….(you/see) any good films lately? Yes,
saw
actually, I ……… (see) a great movie last Saturday afternoon.
has Sonia worked
2.- How long ………………………….. (Sonia/work) as a
began
lawyer? She ………… (begin) two months ago.
stopped
3.- My sister’s computer ………….. (stop) working this
morning.
has lived
4.-My brother ………………. (live) in Canada for ten years. He
works there. He is visiting me for Christmas.

8. hasn’t gone
5.- Steve …………...... (not go) hunting since last winter.
met
6.- I ………. (meet) a famous writer last week in a London library.
arrived
7.-Martha ………….. (arrive) home very tired yesterday. She
went
………….. (go) to bed straight away.
have lived
8.- We ……………….. in Los Angeles since 2010, we love the
city.

9. Here you have a couple of
links to keep on practising
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/upperf2.htm

10. Here you have a couple of
links to keep on practising
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/upperf2.htm