Present Perfect and Simple Past
Introduction
This section will help you
to understand the differences between the Present Perfect Tense and the Simple
Past Tense.
Has the time period finished?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
The present perfect
is used when the time period has NOT finished.
|
I have seen three
movies this week.
|
(This week has not
finished yet.)
|
The simple past is
used when the time period HAS finished.
|
I saw three movies
last week.
|
(Last week has finished.)
|
Is it new information or old?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
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.)
|
Is it a specific time?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
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.)
|
Has the action finished (sentences with “for” or “since”)?
Rule
|
Example
|
Explanation
|
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.)
|
MALARIA IN CANADA?
Have you ever had malaria? If you have, the chances are that you (get) the disease in a hot country. Malaria is most common
in tropical countries, especially those with wet and humid climates, where the
mosquitos which carry the disease can flourish. However, recently, malaria
(become) more common in Canada. According to a recent report,
over 1000 people (contract) the disease in Canada in 1997, and the number (rise) every year since 1994. This is an alarming trend.
Why is the incidence of malaria rising here? The answer is travel. More and
more Canadians travel abroad every year, and some of them catch malaria.
However, when a Toronto woman (become) sick recently, her doctor (discover) that she (never travel) abroad in her life. She must have been bitten by a
mosquito which (get) the disease from another sick Canadian.
Present perfect simple or continuous
Often there is very little
difference between the present perfect simple and the present perfect
continuous. In many cases, both are equally acceptable.
·
They've been working here for a long time but Andy has worked here for
even longer.
·
I've lived here for 10 years and she has been living here for 12 years.
To emphasize the action, we
use the continuous form.
·
We've been working really hard for a couple of months.
·
She's been having a hard time.
To emphasize the result of
the action, we use the simple form.
·
I've made fifteen phone calls this morning.
·
He's written a very good report.
Look at the difference in
these examples.
·
I've been reading this book for two months but I've only read half of
it. It's very difficult to read.
·
She's been trying to convince him for 20 minutes but she hasn't managed
to yet.
·
They've been talking about this for month and they still haven't found a
solution.
When an action is finished
and you can see the results, use the continuous form.
·
The phone bill is enormous. You've been calling your boyfriend in
Australia, haven't you?
·
You're red in the face. Have you been running?
When you use the words 'ever' or 'never', use the simple form.
·
I don't know them. I've never met them.
·
Have you ever heard anything so strange in your life.
Thanks to our dearest teacher Liz Lopez for this contribution to our blog
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