9 Past Simple (I ate) or Present Perfect ( Ihave eaten)(1) 1 Wecan use the Past Simple, but not the Present Perfect, to ask questions with What time?, When? etc, and to make statements about when things happened (e.g. at o'clock, in 1977): A: What time did the plane land? (Not What time has the planelanded?) B; It landed at 5 o'clock. (Not Jé-has landed-at5 o'elock: ) past 3.4567 oo It landed. ‘A: When did Elvis Presley die? (Not Whe hashedied?) B: He died in 1977. (Not Hehasdied in 1977.) 2 Wealso use the Past Simple if other expressions set the event in past time: When I was in the army, [had a terrible time. (Not Prehad:..) Iwas almost back home when the storm started. Practice 3 We describea past action or event with the Present Perfect to show that itis relevant now. The time of the action is not important. Ann has broken her arm. (= Itis now broken.) Bill has made the salad. (= The salad is now made.) The Past Simple does not imply anything about the situation now: James broke his arm last year. Kate broke her arm yesterday. From this information we expect, of course, that James's arm is all right now, but that Kate’s arm is still broken. 4 We introduce an event with the Present Perfect, but we continue to talk about it with the Past Simple: A: Ann’s broken her arm. B: How did she break it? A: She fell onto some rocks. 5 Fora very recent event we can use the Present Perfect with just or the Past Simple with ago: John has just gone out. John went out a few minutes ago. Note that we use just before the past participle (e.g. gone). A. Complete the sentences with the correct form of a verb from the box. [die go write marry paint 0 Bob Dylan wrote ___ ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ in 1962. 1 Mark Spitz _____ seven Olympic gold medals in 1972. 2. Pablo Picasso — ‘Guernica’ in 1937. 3. Marlene Dietrich ____ to Hollywood in 1930. 4 Louis Armstrong —________in 1971. 5 Diana_______ Prince Charles in 1981. B Use the words in brackets () to complete the sentences. 0 When I was at school, (I/not/like/history) dial (My mother/be/at work) My mother wae at work _ when the explosion happened. (Imeet/Brian) (Wbelin the garden) When Sam was young, (she/love/swimming) ——____ wnree like history. _ __ when we were in the army. ___ when you phoned. PAGE 224. (I/buy/these shoes) _____________________ when I was paid last week. 5 When Neil was sixteen, (he/have/very long hair) —————_____ 6 When he saw her, (he/smile) ee C Ifthe first sentence is true, do we know that the second sentence is true? Write Yes or Don’t know. 0. John grewa beard. John has a beard now. Dorit know, 0 Bobhas grownamoustache. Bobhasamoustachenow. Ye. 1 Ruth went to Italy. Ruth is in Italy now. - ae 2. Sarah has opened the door. The door is now open. a 3. Ianhas gone abroad. Tan is abroad now. a 4 Billopened the windows, The windows are open now. . D_ Complete these dialogues using the words in brackets. Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple. 0 A:Why are you crying? IB: Perea cuits erry, amie) eve CU ey sini ncn meee since eto nn OE RE A:(How/it/happen?) How did it happen? 1 A: Isthata telegram? B: Yes. It says that (Jane/have/a baby boy) ‘A: (When/she/have/the baby?) : ee 2. A: Whyare you looking so cross, Jeff? Bi Looks ( Mary/break/imy camera) =< oe eee A: (How/she/break/it?) ——————_— 3. A: What's the problem, Jason? IB: Cooks (My bicydle/ disappear) = =e ts nt nBnE Seo ‘A:(Where/you/leave/it?) — — 4. A: What's the matter with Paul? B: (Hellose/his bag.) oe ‘A:(When/he/losefit?) 5 A:What's that piece of paper? B: It’s my certificate. (I/pass/my exam) — A:(What mark/you/get?) E_ Express these sentences in a different way. Use just or a few minutes ago. 0 Mary has just phoned. Mary phoned a few minutes ago. 1 Kathy came home a few minutes ago, 2 Colin has just finished his lunch, —____ - - - ee 3. Michael has just had a shower. ———___ 4 Jenny went to bed a few minutes ago. PAGE 2310 Past Simple or Present Perfect (2); ago, for, since Compare the Past Simple and the Present Perfect: Past Simple Present Perfect 4 [Look at this example of the Past Simple: ¥ Look at this example of the Present Perfect: There were many earthquakes last century. There have been many earthquakes this century. past now) | this century Note that last century is a period of past time. | Note that this century isa period of time that | Itended before now. { includes now (the time of speaking). past now, last century 2 We use the Past Simple to talk about events or situations in a period of past time: ‘A: How long did you work in your last job? B: worked there for four years. ‘We use the Present Perfect for events or situations in a period of time that includes now: | ‘A: How long have you worked here? B; Pve worked here since last summer. | (Istill work here.) Have you been to the cinema this week? Sheila has not gone to work today. We use the Present Perfect for even lifetime of a living person: ‘A: Have you ever visited Canada? Yes, Pve had several holidays there. Did you go to the cinema last week? Sheila did not go to work yesterday. ‘We use the Past Simple for events in the lifetime of someone who is dea A: Did your grandmother ever visit Canada? B: Yes, she spent several holidays there. inthe 3 Notice howa sentence with the Past Simple and one with the Present Perfect can give similar information from different points of view. Notice the use of ago, for and since: Pam went to live in Dublin 5 years ago, ! Pam has lived in Dublin for five years. il Pam has lived in Dublin since her wedding. (or... since she got married.) | (For more details about ago, for and since, see unit 41.) Practice A. Complete the sentences with the Past Simple or the Present Perfect of the verb in brackets. 0 (be) There were. alot of accidents last year, and there have been a Jot this year, too. 0 (see) Ihave ___ not _seer Jane today, but | _2aw her yesterday. 1 (win) Our teamis very good, We two competitions last year, and we two this year as well. 2 (make) The factory more than 1,000 motorbikes this year; it not so many last year. 3. (be) I'm worried about Mary. She — ill last week, and she ill most of this week as well. 4 (work) Joe ___ not ______ hard last month, but he _____ hard this month. 5. (earn)I __ alot of money this year - much more than | ___ last year. PAGE 24B 6 (rain) It_____ not _— much last year here, and it ___ not _ much this year, either. In the brackets, the first year is when the person was born. If there is a second year, it is when the person died. Put the verbs into the Past Simple or the Present Perfect. 0 Susan Cowley (1947—_) isan artist. She _has painted ___ (paint) in many different styles and. she has had____ (have) exhibitions in 14 countries. 1 Timothy Spinks (1846-1927) wasa biologist. He ____(study) the plants of New Zealand, and he _____ (write) several books on biology. 2 Claire Fox (1957) isa doctor. She ________ (develop) new treatments for several diseases, and she ___ (make) several TV programmes about medicine. 3. Catherine Knight (1824-1883) wasa nurse. She ______ (work) mainly with soldiers, and she _____ (spend) most of her life trying to improve their lives. 4 Steven Brock (1963-_) isa golf player. He (win) several competitions, and he_ __ (earn) alot of money from advertising different products. Use the words in brackets to express the same information from a different point of view. Use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple. 0. Ben stopped smoking five years ago. (not/smoke/for) Ben hasn't smoked for five yeare. 0. Jane has lived in Bristol for two years. (move/to/ago) Jane moved to Bristol two years ago. _ 1 Annaand John moved to London after their wedding. (livefin/since) ss 2. Mary started working in France 6 months ago. (work/for) — - 3. Pam stopped playing tennis when she was 15. (not/play/since) 4 Fred hasn't eaten meat for 2 years. (stop/eating/ago) Summary exercise: study units 9 and 10, before you do this exercise. Use the words in brackets, and put them in the gaps in the Past Simple or the Present Perfect. Policeman: Mr. Leach, how many times 9 have you been __ (you/be) in prison? Jim Leach: Twice. Policeman: When? _________ (you/finish) your last prison sentence? Jim Leach: 1? (come) out of prison about 6 months ago. Policeman: How long ____ (you/live) in this town? Jim Leach: About 7 years. | 4_____________ (move) here when I got married. Policeman: So yous ___ (be) married for seven years. No, my wife¢____ (leave) me two years ago. 7______(you/see) her in the last few weeks? No, she’ (phone) mea few daysago.12_____ (meet) her once about a year ago, but] @____ (not/see) her since then. PAGE 25