What's the difference?

Present Perfect and Past

Simple
Present Perfect Simple Past Simple
Unfinished actions that started in the
Finished actions:
past and continue to the present:
I knew Julie for ten years (but then she moved
I've known Julie for ten years (and I
away and we lost touch).
still know her).

A finished action in someone's life

A finished action in someone's life (when the
(when the person is still alive: life
person is dead):
experience):
My great-grandmother went to Mexico three
My brother has been to Mexico
times.
three times.

A finished action with a result in the

A finished action with no result in the present:
present:
I lost my keys yesterday. It was terrible! (Now
I've lost my keys! (The result is that I
there is no result. I got new keys yesterday).
can't get into my house now).

With an unfinished time word (this With a finished time word (last week, last
week, this month, today): month, yesterday):

I've seen John this week. I saw John last week.

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.

Form

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

 irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular
verbs
Example:
Example:
I spoke
I / you / we / they have spoken
he / she / it has spoken

regular verbs: infinitive + ed regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example: Example:

I worked I / you / we / they have worked

he / she / it has worked

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed':

 when the final letter is e, only add d

Example:
love - loved

 after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Example:
admit - admitted

 final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example:
travel - travelled

 after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played

Use
In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as
a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no
signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its
consequence in the present is important.

Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In
American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect. We
cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions amongst
those who have to learn the differences.

Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?

Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past (even if it
was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not yet happened?

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

certain time in the past just / already / not yet

Example: Example:

I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago. I have just phoned Mary.

Certain event in the past or how often so far?

Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often an
action has happened till now?

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

certain event in the past whether / how often till now

Example: Example:
He went to Canada last summer. Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to
Canada twice.

Emphasis on action or result?

Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasise
the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

 Emphasis on action Emphasis on result

Example: Example:

I bought a new bike. (just telling I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually
what I did in the past.) want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal Words

Simple Past Present Perfect Simple

 yesterday  just
 ... ago  already
 in 1990  up to now
 the other day  until now / till now
 last ...  ever
 (not) yet
 so far
 lately / recently

Do you know how to use just, yet, still and already?

Just, yet, still, already

These words are often used with the present perfect tense
although yet, still and already can all be used with other tenses.

Just

‘Just’ is usually used only with the present perfect tense and it means ‘a short time
ago’.

 I’ve just seen Susan coming out of the cinema.

 Mike’s just called. Can you ring him back please?
 Have you just taken my pen? Where has it gone?

In the present perfect, ‘just’ comes between the auxiliary verb (‘have’) and the past
participle.

Yet

‘Yet’ is used to talk about something which is expected to happen. It means ‘at any
time up to now’. It is used in questions and negatives.

 Have you finished your homework yet? The speaker expects that the homework will be
finished.
 I haven’t finished it yet. I’ll do it after dinner.

‘Yet’ usually comes at the end of the sentence.

Still

‘Still’ is used to talk about something that hasn’t finished – especially when we
expected it to finish earlier.

 I’ve been waiting for over an hour and the bus still hasn’t come.
 You promised to give me that report yesterday and you still haven’t finished it.

‘Still’ usually comes in ‘mid-position’

Still is often used with other tenses as well as the present perfect.

 I’ve still got all those letters you sent me.

 Are you still working in the bookshop?

Already

‘Already’ is used to say that something has happened early – or earlier than it might
have happened.

 I’ve already spent my salary and it’s two weeks before pay day.
 The train’s already left! What are we going to do?

‘Already’ usually comes in mid-position