Present Perfect Past Continuos Present Perfect Past Perfect Past Perfect

Past Simple
Simple Continous Continous
Situations or actions in For past events Actions or For actions or
progress around a point that continue up events before events up to a
Unfinished actions
in time in the past to the present or a particular particular time
that started in the past Finished actions:
up to a time in time in past
and continue to the
I was living in London the recent past
present:  I knew Julie
when Prince William (before, when) They had been
for ten years
married I’ve been planning their
 I've (but then she
watching the Before I was travel for
known Julie moved away
movie but I’m 18, I hadn’t months before
for ten years and we lost
going to turn it been outside I met them
(and I still know touch).
off if something my hometown
her).
interesting
doesn’t happen
soon
A finished action in A finished action in Situation or action in To talk about Can refer to .
someone's life (when someone's life progress that is repeated past specific past
the person is still (when the person is interrupted by another event in a time times.
alive: life experience): dead): event that extends to
the present At breakfast I
 My brother has  My great- While I was thinking wondered why
been to Mexico grandmother  about that, I suddenly The car has I felt so tired,
three times. went to had an idea. been breaking then I
Mexico three down a lot remember that
times. recently I had been
 listening my
neighbors
fighting again
A finished action To emphasize that 2 To talk about the
with no result in the situations or events duration of an
A finished action with
present: were happening event or situation
a result in the present:
simultaneously stared in past
 I lost my end extended to
 I've lost my the present
keys While I was trying to
keys! (The
yesterday. It call her, she was trying
result is that I
was terrible! to call me back! Has she been
can't get into
(Now there writing her novel
my house
is no result. I for a long time?
now).
got new keys
yesterday).

With an unfinished Use Always and

With a finished time
time word (this week, Forever to talk about
word (last week,
this month, today): repeated actions or
last month,
The specific time is behaviors
yesterday):
unknown
They were forever
 I saw John
 I've seen John asking for favors.
last week.
this week.

Cannot used stative

verbs
 Be, know, love….

which describe a state

rather than an action

Remember:

1. We use the past simple for past events or actions which have no connection to the present.
2. We use the present perfect for actions which started in the past and are still happening now OR for finished actions
which have a connection to the present.
3. We CAN'T use the present perfect with a finished time word:
o NOT: I've been to the museum yesterday.